Nov. 12, 2009

The inaugural season of Great West Conference basketball tips off this weekend with seven men's teams and seven women's teams involved in a busy weekend of hoops action.

On the women's side, Chicago State opens on Friday at Bowling Green in the Preseason WNIT and will play a second game on Sunday against an opponent yet to be determined.

Houston Baptist will host Duke on Friday and will be back in action on Sunday when the Huskies travel to TCU.

Also on Friday, Texas-Pan American will travel to Oral Roberts, while North Dakota will host Green Bay. The Sioux will then head to Wisconsin for a Sunday tilt.

Utah Valley will open at neighboring Brigham Young University on Friday and will then host Mesa State on Saturday.

NJIT and South Dakota will open their seasons on Sunday when the Highlanders travel to Penn State, while the Coyotes host Green Bay.

Three men's teams will begin their seasons in tournament play on Friday through Sunday.

Houston Baptist will travel across town to play in the Rice Basketball Challenge. The Huskies will open with South Alabama on Friday, followed by a Saturday contest against Sacramento State and finish up the tournament against host Rice on Sunday.

North Dakota will play in the Montana Grizzly Tournament at Missoula, Mont. The Sioux will tip off the tournament against the host Grizzlies on Friday, then will play Loyola-Marymount on Saturday and Boise State on Sunday.

Rounding out the weekend tournaments will be South Dakota at the Duel in the Desert in Lubbock, Texas. The Coyotes will open against the host Texas Tech Red Raiders and will follow with games on Saturday versus Oregon State and a Sunday tilt with Boise State.

In other men's weekend action, Chicago State will host Concordia-Chicago on Friday and then travel to Iowa State on Sunday. Also on Friday, Utah Valley will play host to North Dakota State. On Saturday NJIT will travel across the Hudson to face Manhattan, while Texas-Pan American will host Louisiana Tech.

The men's and women's teams will begin double round robin conference play in January for the inaugural Great West Men's and Women's Basketball titles. The fourteen teams will travel to Orem, Utah, on March 10-13, 2010, for the Great West Conference Post-season Tournament.