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2015 GCI Great Alaska Shootout Schedule

Men's Basketball UAA Media Relations

UAA unveils '15 GCI Great Alaska Shootout field

ANCHORAGE – The University of Alaska Anchorage has announced its fields for the 2015 GCI Great Alaska Shootout, unveiling Friday the 10 visiting teams for the 38th annual college basketball showcase.

The oldest continuously running in-season college basketball tournament in the nation, the Shootout will again feature an eight-team men's field and four-team women's field for this year's tournaments, set for Nov. 24-28 at the Alaska Airlines Center.

On the women's side, host UAA will be joined by George Mason, Pepperdine and reigning Conference USA champion Western Kentucky. Both UAA – ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Div. II top-25 poll for four weeks recently – and Western Kentucky won their leagues in 2014-15, combining for 59 victories.

Meanwhile, the Seawolves' men will host Drexel, Loyola (Ill.), Middle Tennessee, UNC Asheville, San Diego, San Jose State and Toledo. Including UAA, four of the eight programs posted winning records this season, while San Diego and UNC Asheville were each just one game under .500.

“We think the 2015 GCI Great Alaska Shootout field has the potential to be a who's-who among the rising mid-major programs in college basketball,” said UAA Athletic Director Keith Hackett. “While there are no teams from the 'Power Five' conferences, we still have representation from several elite leagues, with the Colonial Athletic Association (Drexel), Missouri Valley (Loyola), and Conference USA (Middle Tennessee), among others.”

Loyola – one of six teams making its men's Shootout debut in 2015 – posted its best season in three decades with this year's youth-laden squad, winning 24 games and capturing the College Basketball Invitational championship. With the Ramblers' impending trip north, the Shootout will soon have hosted all but six of the programs to earn the NCAA Div. I national title; Loyola was the 1963 NCAA champion.

Mid-American Conference contender Toledo is coming off its second straight 20-win season despite facing one of the nation's toughest non-league schedules in 2014-15, while Middle Tennessee won 19 games and earned a trip to the CIT postseason tournament.

Despite coming off just an 11-win season, Drexel and veteran head coach Bruiser Flint return the bulk of the Dragons' squad next year – along with highly touted transfer Ahmad Fields – making the Philadelphia school a contender in the CAA.

Meanwhile, San Diego returns to the Shootout for the first time since finishing runner-up in 2009, continuing the tournament's strong tradition of hosting schools from the always-tough West Coast Conference. Of the Toreros' 16 losses this season, seven were to eventual NCAA Tournament qualifiers.

“The GCI Great Alaska Shootout's move to the Alaska Airlines Center in 2014 gave this historic college basketball tournament new life and energy,” Hackett added. “We look forward to working closely with our title sponsor, GCI, to present a bigger and better event next year. Our focus will always be to bring excellent teams to the Shootout and create a fan experience that can be enjoyed by all.”

Pairings and the complete women's and men's Shootout schedules will be announced later this summer. Here is a quick look at each team in the 2015 GCI Great Alaska Shootout fields:

WOMEN
Alaska Anchorage
Nickname: Seawolves
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Website: GoSeawolves.com
Conference: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 29-2/17-1 (1st)
2015 Postseason: NCAA First Round
Head Coach: Ryan McCarthy, 3 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances (Titles): All (1990, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)

George Mason
Nickname: Patriots
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Website: gomason.com
Conference: Atlantic 10
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 13-17/5-11 (t-10th)
2015 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Nyla Milleson, 2 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

Pepperdine
Nickname: Waves
Location: Malibu, California
Website: pepperdinesports.com
Conference: West Coast Conference
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 8-22/3-15 (9th)
2015 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Ryan Weisenberg, 2 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances: 1984 (8th), 1997 (7th)

Western Kentucky
Nickname: Lady Toppers
Location: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Website: wkusports.com
Conference: Conference USA
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 30-5/16-2 (1st)
2015 Postseason: NCAA First Round
Head Coach: Michelle Clark-Heard, 3 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances (place): 1986 (3rd), 1988 (3rd)

MEN
Alaska Anchorage
Nickname: Seawolves
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Website: GoSeawolves.com
Conference: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 16-13/12-6 (t-3rd)
2015 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Rusty Osborne, 11 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances: All (36-75)

Drexel
Nickname: Dragons
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Website: drexeldragons.com
Conference: Colonial Athletic Association
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 11-19/9-9 (t-6th)
2015 Postseason: None
Head Coach: James 'Bruiser' Flint, 14 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

Loyola (Illinois)
Nickname: Ramblers
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Website: loyolaramblers.com
Conference: Missouri Valley Conference
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 24-13/8-10 (6th)
2015 Postseason: CBI Champion
Head Coach: Porter Moser, 4 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

Middle Tennessee
Nickname: Blue Raiders
Location: Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Website: goblueraiders.com
Conference: Conference USA
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 19-17/9-9 (6th)
2015 Postseason: CIT First Round
Head Coach: Kermit Davis, 13 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

UNC Asheville
Nickname: Bulldogs
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Website: uncabulldogs.com
Conference: Big South Conference
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 15-16/10-8 (t-6th)
2015 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Nick McDevitt, 2 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

San Diego
Nickname: Toreros
Location: San Diego, California
Website: usdtoreros.com
Conference: West Coast
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 15-16/8-10 (5th)
2015 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Lamont Smith, 1st season in 2015-16
Previous Shootout Appearances (Place): 2009 (2nd)

San Jose State
Nickname: Spartans
Location: San Jose, California
Website: sjsuspartans.com
Conference: Mountain West Conference
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 2-28/0-18 (11th)
2015 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Dave Wojcik, 2 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

Toledo
Nickname: Rockets
Location: Toledo, Ohio
Website: utrockets.com
Conference: Mid-American Conference
2014-15 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 20-13/11-7 (2nd, West. Div.)
2015 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Tod Kowalczyk, 5 seasons
Previous Shootout Appearances: None


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