WMU Unveils Men's Basketball Schedule

2004-05 schedule provides coast-to-coast road trips including Virginia and Alaska.

KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan University men's basketball program has released its 2004-05 schedule, head coach Steve Hawkins announced Tuesday afternoon.

WMU will travel across the nation and back again to face some of the top programs in collegiate basketball before getting into the heart of Mid-American Conference play. Road trips include stops in Alaska, California and Virginia, including a five-game swing that has the team away from Kalamazoo for nearly the entire month of December.

The Broncos open play at the Ninth Annual BP Top of the World Classic (Nov. 19-21), hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, following a pair of exhibition matchups against Kalamazoo College (Nov. 6) and at Quincy (Nov. 13). The tournament field includes WMU, UAF, Portland, New Mexico State, Northwestern, Georgia Southern, Central Florida and Utah State.

Following home non-league tilts with Loyola (Nov. 29) and Detroit (Dec. 1), the Broncos embark on a five-game, three-week road trip. The MAC opener at Buffalo (Dec. 4) kicks off the trip, which also includes return games to the College of Charleston (Dec. 12) and USC (Dec. 18). The entire trip will total over 7,600 miles.

The Broncos host South Alabama on Dec. 28 before focusing on MAC action. Each West Division opponent, with the exception of Toledo, will make an appearance in University Arena. League power Kent State arrives on Jan. 12 and Marshall makes its final trip to Kalamazoo as a member of the MAC on Feb. 12.

The 2005 MAC Tournament begins at campus sites on March 7 and moves to Cleveland's Gund Arena March 10-12.

Western Michigan posted a 26-5 overall record in 2003-04, the first season under Hawkins, and claimed the Mid-American Conference West Division, regular season and tournament championships in the process.

DATE Opponent Time

Sat. Nov. 6 Kalamazoo College (Exh.) 7 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 13 @ Quincy (Exh.) 3 p.m.

BP Top of the World Classic (Fairbanks, Alaska)
Fri. Nov. 19 vs. New Mexico State 12 a.m.
Sat. Nov. 20 vs. Portland/Northwestern 6:30 p.m./12 a.m.
Sun. Nov. 21 TBA TBA

Mon. Nov. 29 Loyola 7 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 1 Detroit 7 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 4 @ Buffalo * TBA
Sun. Dec. 12 @ College of Charleston TBA
Wed. Dec. 15 @ IUPUI 7 p.m.
Sat. Dec. 18 @ USC 10 p.m.
Wed. Dec. 22 @ Virginia Tech 7 p.m.
Tues. Dec. 28 South Alabama 7 p.m.
Sun. Jan. 2 @ Northern Illinois * TBA
Sat. Jan. 8 Akron * 4:30 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 12 Kent State * 7 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 15 @ Bowling Green * 2 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 19 Northern Illinois * 7 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 22 Ball State * 2 p.m.
Wed. Jan. 26 @ Miami * 7 p.m.
Sat. Jan. 29 Central Michigan * 4:30 p.m.
Mon. Jan. 31 @ Toledo * 7 p.m.
Thur. Feb. 3 Eastern Michigan * 7 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 5 @ Ohio * TBA
Wed. Feb. 9 Buffalo * 7 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 12 Marshall * 2 p.m.
Wed. Feb. 16 @ Central Michigan * 7 p.m.
Sat. Feb. 19 @ Bracket Buster TBA
Sat. Feb. 26 @ Eastern Michigan * 7 p.m.
Wed. Mar. 2 Bowling Green * 7 p.m.
Sat. Mar. 5 @ Ball State * TBA
Mon. Mar. 7 MAC Tournament (Campus Sites) TBA
Thur. Mar. 10 MAC Tournament (Quarterfinals - Gund Arena) TBA
Fri. Mar. 11 MAC Tournament (Semifinals - Gund Arena) TBA
Sat. Mar. 12 MAC Tournament (Finals - Gund Arena) TBA


* -- Indicates Mid-American Conference Games. All Times EST and Subject To Change Home Games In Bold Caps.