Los Angeles, CA - The welcome mat set out for Bill Bayno's return to college coaching as the head coach of the Loyola Marymount men's basketball team will not be an easy one as the Lions released their upcoming schedule for the 2008-09 season. The Lions, who will be featured twice in the West Coast Conference's television package with the ESPN family of networks, will play nine games against teams who participated in the 2008 NCAA tournament.

"The WCC - with San Diego, Saint Mary's and Gonzaga all returning their starters from NCAA teams a year ago - is going to be the toughest it has ever been," said Bayno. "Our non-conference will give us the chance to learn and grow and be prepared for the WCC."

The WCC, which qualified three teams for the 2008 NCAA Tournament (Gonzaga, Saint Mary's and San Diego), will return to a Thursday/Saturday men's basketball schedule this season after playing Saturday/Monday from 2005-07 through 2007-08. The move to Thursday/Saturday will mark the West Coast Conference's debut on ESPN's "Thursday Night Showcase". ESPN is the exclusive national television provider of the West Coast Conference.

The Lions will open conference play with a tough stretch, playing five of their first seven on the road. LMU will open against rival Pepperdine on Jan. 10 in their first of two games on ESPNU. The Lions then will complete a three-game road trip at Saint Mary's (Jan. 15) and at San Diego (Jan. 17) before opening at home against Portland (Jan. 22) on ESPNU and Gonzaga (Jan. 24). LMU will close the first half of conference play at Santa Clara (Jan. 29) and San Francisco (Jan. 31).

The second half of conference play will see the Lions play five of seven at home, starting with Pepperdine on Feb. 7, the first of three straight at Gersten Pavilion. They will then host San Diego (Feb. 12) and Santa Clara (Feb. 14) before heading out on the final road trip of the season at Gonzaga (Feb. 19) and Portland (Feb. 21). The Lions close at home with San Francisco (Feb. 26) and Saint Mary's (Feb. 28).

LMU will have plenty of opportunities to prepare for WCC play as its non-conference schedule features three teams from last year's NCAA tournament and five other teams with 20 or more wins.

Fans will have a chance to see the new look Lions in their debut in an exhibition game at Gersten Pavilion against Hope International on Nov. 3. LMU will then tip-off the Bayno era at the World Vision Classic hosted by Iowa State on Nov. 14-16. The Lions will play three games in the tournament against a field that features the host Cyclones, UC Davis and Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

LMU's home opener will be one not to be missed as preseason top-10 favorite Notre Dame comes to Gersten Pavilion on Friday, Nov. 21. It will be a brief home stand as the Lions will head out on a three-game road swing that starts with Wagner (Nov. 24), follows with Arkansas-Little Rock (Nov. 29) and ends with another NCAA tournament team, Arizona (Dec. 2).

The Lions will return for Homecoming and Wyoming on Dec. 6 and will then start a three-game stretch against local foes, starting with a bus trip up to UC Santa Barbara on Dec. 13. Two days later the Lions will be back to Gersten for a date with UC Riverside (Dec. 15). The tour of local schools will end with a date at Pauley Pavilion and the Bruins of UCLA on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

For the first time on the season the Lions will have a home stand, hosting games against Tulsa on Saturday, Dec. 20 and Mercer on Monday, Dec. 22. LMU closes 2008 on the road at New Mexico State on Dec. 28. The 2009 calendar year will also start on the road for the Lions as they head to Seattle University on Jan. 1.

Non-conference play concludes for the Lions at home when they host Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Dates for all games are subject to change as more television games are added prior to the start of the season. Check with LMULions.com for changes and for times. Fans can reserve season tickets now by calling (310) 338-LION. Individual game tickets go on sale on Oct. 15.