Long Beach State Men's Basketball Program Announces Tough Schedule

Long Beach State men’s basketball coach Dan Monson announced the 49ers schedule for the 2012-13 season, and for the fourth straight year it will feature one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country.

Last season, Monson's formula to get into the Big Dance proved successful, as he put together a difficult non-conference schedule that left senior star Casper Ware and his 49ers teammates battle-tested for the start of league play.

The highlight of this year's schedule is a home game against national power North Carolina on November 16 at the Pyramid. The 49ers and the Tar Heels will meet for the third straight season, but for the first time ever in Long Beach.

In addition to playing North Carolina, the 49ers visit Syracuse on December 6 and Ohio State on December 8.

Long Beach State also plays three Pac-12 teams, beginning with a game at USC on November 13, before traveling to Arizona on November 19 and UCLA on December 18.

“We are excited again this year, as we have done in the past several seasons, to announce arguably the toughest preseason schedule in the nation,” Monson said. “This schedule should give us a great opportunity to grow as a team and improve throughout the preseason in hopes of being ready to defend our Big West championship.”

In addition to the North Carolina game, LBSU will host an ESPN BracketBuster game in February.

After the Tar Heels come to town, LBSU plays the next three on the road against Arizona, Fresno State, and Loyola Marymount. The 49ers return home for the back end of a home-and-home series with Fresno State, but then hit the road for the Syracuse-Ohio State road trip. LBSU wraps up its pre-conference season with a home game against BYU-Hawaii (December 15) and the game at UCLA before opening Big West play against Pacific at the Pyramid on December 29.

Monson’s teams at Long Beach State have headed into the conference season the last three years with the top ranked non-conference schedule in the country. The 49ers played eight NCAA Tournament teams last season and in 2009-10, seven in 2010-11, five in 2008-09, and two in 2007-08.

By Staff of The Daily Sports Herald and news services