Sept. 23, 2004

2004-05 Schedule

FRESNO, Calif. - Non-conference games against Oregon and USC, a Bracket Buster matchup and WAC contests against NCAA Tournament participants Nevada and UTEP highlight Fresno State's 2004-05 men's basketball schedule, released today.

The Bulldogs will play 13 games against teams that reached the postseason last year, three in the non-conference season and two each during league play against UTEP and Nevada, which reached the NCAA's, and Hawaii, Boise State and Rice, which participated in the NIT.

The 2004-05 schedule gets underway with an exhibition game on Nov. 8 against Fresno Pacific at the Save Mart Center. The Bulldogs have their second of two exhibitions on Nov. 12 against Cal State Monterey.

The regular season tips off Nov. 19 with a home contest against Maryland-Eastern Shore, which precedes a road game at 2004 NCAA Tournament participant East Tennessee State, which visited Fresno last year for a Bracket Buster game

The annual McCaffrey Classic takes place Dec. 3-4, with South Florida, Grand Canyon and Mississippi Valley State all playing in the tournament for the first time.

One of the most attractive non-conference home games comes Dec. 18 when the Bulldogs host Oregon. The Ducks reached the semifinals of last year's NIT and played in the 2002 and '03 NCAA Tournaments. Last year, Oregon defeated Fresno State 80-67 in the season opener in Eugene, Ore.

Pacific, which reached the second round of last year's NCAA Tournament, visits the Save Mart Center on Dec. 21 as the two schools renew their long-standing rivalry, which began in 1923 and spans 144 games, the most Fresno State has played against any opponent. The Bulldogs have not lost to the Tigers since 1998.

The non-conference season rounds out Dec. 23 when the Bulldogs visit San Francisco.

"This certainly is a challenging schedule that will match us with some high-caliber opponents in the non-conference season," head coach Ray Lopes said. "In doing so, it will prepare us well for a tough WAC schedule in a conference that is poised to surpass the success we achieved nationally last season. Our goal this year with the youth that we have is steady improvement as we go along and to be playing our best basketball down the stretch.

"I feel this schedule will benefit us greatly along that path of growth, development and maturity and that our fans and supporters will thoroughly enjoy this group and it's successes throughout the coming season."

The WAC ledger gets underway Dec. 29 when Fresno State hosts Hawaii, which the Bulldogs swept last year for the first time since 1997. A New Year's Day matchup against San Jose State wraps up the opening conference weekend.

The regular season closes out with a road trip to SJSU (March 3) and Hawaii (March 5) before the WAC Tournament gets underway in Reno, Nev., on March 8-12.