Louisiana Tech head men's basketball coach Kerry Rupp announced the 2008-09 men's basketball schedule Thursday morning featuring multiple Louisiana opponents, a recent Final Four contender and a trip outside the continental United States.

"I am extremely excited about the upcoming men's basketball schedule my staff under the direction of assistant coach Curtis Condie has been able to put together," Rupp said. "We wanted to be as aggressive as we could in scheduling excellent local competition. In that vein, we scheduled local teams from Louisiana, Arkansas as well as Texas."

Tech begins with a home exhibition match against Oklahoma Panhandle State University on Nov. 8. The regular season will begin with a Nov. 15 contest between in-state rival UL-Lafayette, followed by the first game of a home-and-home with Grambling State at Grambling on Nov. 18. Tech will follow with a road game at UA-Little Rock on Nov. 22 before heading to the Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage, Alaska.

Tech will play its first home game of the 2008-09 season Dec. 6 against Grambling to wrap up the two-game series with the Tigers.

The Bulldogs will renew a classic rivalry with UL-Monroe Dec. 10 as the two teams will play for the first time since the 1990-91 season. Tech will follow with a game against the Centenary Gents in the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City.

Tech will hit the road again to play McNeese State in Lake Charles on Dec. 15 and will return a game against Samford from last season's ESPN BrackBuster weekend in Birmingham, Ala.

The Thomas Assembly Center will be treated to a visit from Mountain West opponent TCU on Dec. 22, and the Bulldogs will make a trip to Los Angeles to play 2008 Final Four participant UCLA on Dec. 28.

"Our fans should look forward to outstanding college games along with helping us build on natural rivalries. In addition, we will represent the WAC in the prestigious Great Alaska Shootout and also play one of the most storied and decorated basketball programs in UCLA."

The conference portion of the schedule will begin Jan. 3 at San Jose State. Tech will have two non-conference games peppered throughout the WAC schedule beginning with Houston Baptist on Feb. 19 and followed by an opponent to be named later Feb. 21 for the ESPN BracketBuster weekend. The regular season will end with the Bulldogs playing in Moscow, Idaho against the Idaho Vandals Feb. 28 followed by the 2009 WAC Tournament in Reno, Nev., from March 10-14.

"We want to continue this pattern of scheduling, and as the program grows we will continue our commitment to lay the groundwork for an excellent schedule for our season ticket holders and fans to enjoy," Rupp said.


November
8 Oklahoma Panhandle State (Ex.) RUSTON 7 p.m.
15 @ UL-Lafayette Lafayette, La. 7 p.m.
18 @ Grambling State Grambling, La. 7 p.m.
22 @ UA-Little Rock Little Rock, Ark. 7 p.m.
26-29 Great Alaska Shootout Anchorage, Alaska TBA

December
6 Grambling State RUSTON 7 p.m.
10 UL-Monroe RUSTON 7 p.m.
13 Centenary BOSSIER CITY* 7 p.m.
15 @ McNeese State Lake Charles, La. 7 p.m.
18 @ Samford Birmingham, Ala. 7 p.m.
22 Texas Christian University RUSTON 7 p.m.
28 @ UCLA Los Angeles, Calif. TBA

January
3 @ San Jose State San Jose, Calif. 9 p.m.
5 @ Hawai'i Honolulu, Hawai'i 11 p.m.
8 Utah State RUSTON 7 p.m.
10 Nevada RUSTON 2 p.m.
17 Idaho RUSTON 2 p.m.
22 @ Fresno State Fresno, Calif. 9 p.m.
24 @ Boise State Boise, Idaho 8 p.m.
29 Hawai'i RUSTON 7 p.m.
31 San Jose State RUSTON 2 p.m.


February
5 @ Nevada Reno, Nev. 9 p.m.
7 @ Utah State Logan, Utah 8 p.m.
12 Fresno State RUSTON 7 p.m.
16 @ New Mexico State Las Cruces, N.M. 8 p.m.
19 Houston Baptist RUSTON 7 p.m.
21 ESPN BracketBuster TBA TBA
26 New Mexico State RUSTON 7 p.m.
28 Boise State RUSTON 2 p.m.


March
5 @ Idaho Moscow, Idaho 9 p.m.
10-14 2009 WAC Tournament Reno, Nev. TBA