Oct. 15, 2009

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - As NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball teams across the country begin practice on Friday, seven men's teams and seven women's teams will have a little more at stake than they have in the past.

2009-10 marks the inaugural season of Great West Conference men's and women's basketball, and the race for the titles appears to be wide open.

The conference season will get underway with the first Great West games being played on January 9, 2010, when Chicago State will travel to Utah Valley. The women's contest will begin at 5 p.m. followed by the men's game.

The conference regular season champions will be determined by a double-round robin and post-season champions will be crowned at the Inaugural Great West Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships held at Utah Valley University on March 10-13, 2010, at Orem, Utah.