Long Beach State men’s basketball head coach Dan Monson announced the 49ers’ schedule for the 2011-12 season last Thursday, which features four of last year’s top 12 teams in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll, including five teams ranked in the top 25.
The ‘Niners’ nonconference schedule includes No. 4-ranked Kansas, No. 8 North Carolina, No. 11 San Diego State, No. 12 Pittsburgh, and No. 22 Louisville — games that will all be played on the road.
“We are extremely excited to be playing one of the most challenging preseason schedules in the nation, if not once again the toughest in the country,” Monson said in a statement. “We are hopeful that this ambitious scheduling will not only prepare us for the Big West season, but will enable us to understand the improvements that we need to challenge the elite teams in the country and help us elevate our game to a new level.”
Monson added: “Our goal this year is to not just play a rigorous schedule, but to have success against these teams.”
The Beach is guaranteed to play at least seven games against teams that qualified for the 2011 NCAA Tournament, and could play as many as 10 depending on the pairings at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii in December.
LBSU will open its season on Nov. 12 at the Walter Pyramid against Idaho on homecoming weekend before playing six of their next eight games on the road, five coming against teams ranked in the 2011 final top 25 poll.
LBSU starts the road trip playing at Pittsburgh (Nov. 16) and San Diego State (Nov. 19), before returning home to face Boise State (Nov. 22).
The 49ers then return to the road playing at Montana (Nov. 26) and Louisville (Nov. 28), before a home game against BYU-Hawaii (Dec. 2).
LBSU wraps up its non-conference schedule with games at No. 4 Kansas (Dec. 6), at No. 8 North Carolina (Dec. 10), Eastern New Mexico (Dec. 19), and at the Diamond Head Classic (Dec. 22-25).
The Diamond Head Classic is an eight-team tournament that will feature three teams (Clemson, Kansas State, Xavier) that played in the NCAA Tournament last season.
Teams will play three games in four days, with the opening round taking place on Dec. 22, the semifinals on Dec. 23, and the championship round on Dec. 25.
The ‘Niners will then begin Big West Conference play at home against UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 29.
The Gauchos have captured the NCAA Tournament bid in the Big West the past two seasons after defeating LBSU both times in the Big West tournament.
The 49ers’ last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2007.
LBSU men’s basketball schedule
11/12/11 vs. Idaho (Homecoming) 4:05 PM PT
11/16/11 at Pittsburgh TBA
11/19/11 at San Diego State TBA
11/22/11 vs. Boise State 7:05 PM PT
11/26/11 at Montana TBA
11/28/11 at Louisville TBA
12/02/11 vs. BYU Hawaii 7:05 PM PT
12/06/11 at Kansas 5:00 PM PT
12/10/11 at North Carolina 4:00 PM PT
12/19/11 vs. Eastern New Mexico TBA
Diamond Head Classic
12/22/11 TBD Honolulu, Hawaii TBA
12/23/11 TBD Honolulu, Hawaii TBA
12/25/11 TBD Honolulu, Hawaii TBA
Big West Conference play
12/29/11 vs. UC Santa Barbara TBA
01/02/12 at UC Irvine 7:00 PM PT
01/05/12 vs. Cal Poly 7:05 PM PT
01/07/12 at Cal State Northridge 7:00 PM PT
01/12/12 vs. UC Davis 7:05 PM PT
01/14/12 vs. Pacific 4:05 PM PT
01/19/12 at UC Santa Barbara 7:00 PM PT
01/21/12 at Cal Poly 7:00 PM PT
01/26/12 at UC Riverside 7:00 PM PT
01/28/12 vs. Cal State Fullerton 4:05 PM PT
02/04/12 vs. Cal State Northridge 4:05 PM PT
02/09/12 at Pacific 7:30 PM PT
02/11/12 at UC Davis 7:00 PM PT
02/18/12 BracketBuster TBA
02/23/12 vs. UC Irvine 7:05 PM PT
02/25/12 vs. UC Riverside 7:05 PM PT
02/29/12 at Cal State Fullerton 7:05 PM PT
Women’s basketball
Meanwhile, LBSU women’s basketball head coach Jody Wynn announced the 49ers’ schedule for the 2011-2012 season last Friday.
The 49ers will open up its season against Utah Valley at the Walter Pyramid on Nov. 11 before heading on a seven-game road stretch.
The ‘Niners will begin their three-week road trip against Syracuse (Nov. 13) in New York before heading to northern California to face Sacramento State (Nov. 19) and Santa Clara (Nov. 21).
They will then head back to New York to face Columbia and Iona on Thanksgiving weekend before closing out its road stretch against Seattle University and Washington.
“We are excited about this schedule with a great balance of home and road games,” Wynn said. “This preseason will provide our program with challenging nonconference games and the opportunity to play in different environments that will prepare us for a competitive Big West Conference season.”
In its last tune-up before conference action, LBSU is set to face Dartmouth (Dec. 16) before hosting the second annual Beach Classic at the Walter Pyramid on Dec. 18-19.
The 49ers then have a nine-day layoff before its Big West opener at home against UC Riverside on Dec. 29. LBSU will also play host to UC Irvine (Dec. 31) during its first weekend of conference play.
LBSU women’s basketball schedule
Nov. 11 Fri. Utah Valley 7 p.m.
Nov. 13 Sun. at Syracuse 11 a.m.
Nov. 19 Sat. at Sacramento State 7:05 p.m.
Nov. 21 Mon. at Santa Clara 7 p.m.
Nov. 25 Fri. at Columbia 4 p.m.
Nov. 26 Sat. at Iona TBD
Dec. 2 Fri. at Seattle 7 p.m.
Dec. 4 Sun. at Washington 2 p.m.
Dec. 8 Thurs. Nevada 7 p.m.
Dec. 11 Sun. at Arizona TBD
Dec. 16 Fri. Dartmouth 7 p.m.
Dec. 18 Sun. ^Beach Classic TBD
Dec. 19 Mon. ^Beach Classic TBD
Dec. 29 Thurs. * UC Riverside TBD
Dec. 31 Sat. * UC Irvine TBD
Jan. 7 Sat. * Cal State Northridge TBD
Jan. 12 Thurs. * at Pacific 7 p.m.
Jan. 14 Sat. * at UC Davis TBD
Jan. 19 Thurs. * UC Santa Barbara 7 p.m.
Jan. 21 Sat. * Cal Poly TBD
Jan. 28 Sat. * at Cal State Fullerton 3 p.m.
Feb. 2 Thurs. * at UC Irvine TBD
Feb. 4 Sat. * at UC Riverside TBD
Feb. 11 Sat. * at Cal State Northridge TBD
Feb. 16 Thurs. * UC Davis 7 p.m.
Feb. 18 Sat. * Pacific TBD
Feb. 23 Thurs. * at Cal Poly TBD
Feb. 25 Sat. * at UC Santa Barbara TBD
Feb. 29 Wed. * Cal State Fullerton 7 p.m.
March 6-10 Tues-Sat. Big West Tournament TBD
* Big West Conference game
^ Long Beach State Classic (Walter Pyramid)
All times Pacific
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