Louisiana Tech released its upcoming men?s basketball schedule on Friday, and the Bulldogs feel they feature an intriguing slate for the 2004-05 season.

A season-opening tournament at LSU and an early game at Auburn are two of the non-conference highlights for the Bulldogs as they prepare for Western Athletic Conference play, which will begin on Dec. 30 in Tulsa, Ok.

?This is a very interesting schedule that we?ve put together,? Louisiana Tech coach Keith Richard said. ?There are some great story lines in many of these games.

?The LSU tourney to start the season is very intriguing. We open with former Sun Belt Conference rival Louisiana-Lafayette and then we move on to face LSU or Tulane, two schools in the state that we haven?t played in a long time.?

Tech?s last game against LSU came in 1988 as the Bulldogs took a 111-109 win in overtime while the ?Dogs last faced Tulane in 1974.

After the LSU tournament, Tech will run through a non-conference slate featuring games at Auburn, at Alabama-Birmingham, at Memphis and at Jackson State as well as a home game against McNeese State and a home-and-home series with Texas-San Antonio.

?Those two games against UAB and Memphis are interesting because those are games against schools from Conference USA, a conference we recently tried to get into and hopefully one day will be able to join.

?And playing a Southeastern Conference school like Auburn on its home court is exciting. That?s a team we beat there three year ago.?

Richard pointed to the home-and-home series against UTSA as one that should hold particular interest when the teams square off in the Thomas Assembly Center in Ruston. Louisiana Tech sophomore and 2003-04 WAC Freshman of the Year Paul Millsap, who led the nation in rebounding last season, will face off in both games against older brother John Millsap, a senior who averaged 7.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Roadrunners last season.

?The two games against Texas-San Antonio have a great story behind them in the Millsap brothers,? Richard said. ?There?s a good chance you?ll see brother matched up against brother. The game in Ruston will be great for the Millsap family, Lincoln Parish and all Louisiana Tech fans.?

Breaking up the WAC season will be a Feb. 19 home game to be played as part of ESPN?s Bracket Buster Saturday.

?In mid February we?re back on ESPN Bracket Buster Saturday,? Richard said. ?That?s a home game and will be a game in which the conference, school and program itself will get great exposure.?

The Bulldogs went 15-15 last season but with more experience on this year?s squad, Tech is hoping for a solid showing in WAC play.

?The WAC is always a tough basketball league, and you have 14 of the conference?s top 20 scorers from last season returning,? Richard said. ?What a very interesting schedule Tech fans have in store for them this season.?

Tech single home games played at night have been moved up this season and will start at 6: 30 p.m. in the Thomas Assembly Center.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs 2004-05 Basketball Schedule

DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME
Nov. 1 Ouachita Baptist (DH) RUSTON 8 p.m.
Nov. 8 VASDA (DH) RUSTON 8 p.m.
Nov. 19 Louisiana-Lafayette Baton Rouge, LA TBA
Nov. 21 vs. LSU or Tulane Baton Rouge, LA TBA
Nov. 27 Auburn Auburn, AL 1 p.m.
Nov. 29 Alabama-Birmingham Birmingham, AL 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 4 TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO (DH) RUSTON 4 p.m.
Dec. 7 Jackson State Jackson, MS 7 p.m.
Dec. 12 Texas-San Antonio San Antonio, TX 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 18 McNEESE STATE RUSTON 3 p.m.
Dec. 20 Memphis Memphis, TN 7 p.m.
Dec. 30 *Tulsa Tulsa, OK 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 1 *Rice Houston, TX 7:05 p.m.
Jan. 6 *NEVADA RUSTON 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 8 *FRESNO STATE RUSTON 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 13 *San Jose State San Jose, CA 9 p.m.
Jan. 15 *Hawaii Honolulu, HI 11:05 p.m.
Jan. 22 *SMU RUSTON 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 27 *BOISE STATE RUSTON 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 29 *UTEP RUSTON 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 3 *Fresno State Fresno, CA 9 p.m.
Feb. 5 *Nevada Reno, NV 9:05 p.m.
Feb. 10 *HAWAII RUSTON 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 13 *SAN JOSE STATE RUSTON 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 16 *SMU Dallas, TX 7 p.m.
Feb. 19 ESPN BRACKET BUSTER (DH)RUSTON TBA
Feb. 24 *UTEP El Paso, TX 8:05 p.m.
Feb. 26 *Boise State Boise, ID 3 p.m.
Mar. 3 *RICE RUSTON 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 5 *TULSA RUSTON 6:30 p.m.
Mar. 8-12WAC Tournament Reno, NV TBA


* - Western Athletic Conference game
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