The University of La Verne men's basketball team opens its 2012-13 regular season next week with a pair of games in Oregon.
Before that, the Leopards conclude their exhibition schedule Saturday with a home contest against the Afghanistan National Team at Frantz Athletic Court in a final tune-up before the official tip next week.
La Verne will begin the 2012-13 campaign on with back-to-back games against schools from the Northwest Conference. The Leos face Willamette University on November 16 in Portland, and will take on Pacific University the following night (Nov. 17) in Forest Grove.
With the addition of Chapman to the SCIAC, the Leopards add two games to the conference portion of the schedule to create a 16-game league schedule. As a result, La Verne opens SCIAC action on November 28 as it travels to Whittier.
The following week, the Leopards play their first home games of the season, as they welcome defending league champion Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Dec. 5) and Pomona-Pitzer (Dec. 8) to Frantz Athletic Court.
A highlight of the 2012-13 schedule will occur the following week when the Leopards travel to Las Vegas to take on Division I Nevada-Las Vegas on December 13. The Runnin' Rebels are ranked No. 18 in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 Poll. Two days later, the Leos take on a second D-I opponent in Cal State Bakersfield.
On Dec. 18, the Leos open a season-long six-game homestand when they face Puget Sound. Among the opponents during that stretch is nationally-ranked MIT, whom the Leos tip with on New Year's Eve.
All told, La Verne will play 13 home contests during the regular season, with the final home tilt coming against Cal Lutheran on February 18.
