Official schedule released

A pretty .pdf file of the schedule, and the original release, are linked here.

From the Athletic Department:

Portland Announces 2009-10 Men’s Basketball Schedule

PORTLAND, Ore. --- Home games against Oregon and Portland State, road contests against postseason participants Washington and Nevada, and a loaded field at the 76 Classic featuring a first round matchup with UCLA highlight the 2009-10 University of Portland men’s basketball schedule.

The Pilots will play at least 11 games against teams that advanced to postseason play last year, while a minimum of eight Portland regular season games will be televised nationally on the ESPN family of networks. Portland’s complete television schedule will be released at a later date.

“Obviously, we have a very challenging schedule this season,” Portland head coach Eric Reveno said. “I know that our entire program, both players and staff, are excited about the opportunity. If we are to improve on last year's strong season, we need to play teams that will help us prepare for the rigorous West Coast Conference schedule.”

The Pilots return their top 12 players from last year’s team which finished 19-13 overall, third place in the WCC standings and advanced to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT), marking the first postseason appearance for the program since 1996.

After two home exhibition games, Portland opens the regular season at Eastern Washington on Saturday, Nov. 14 before returning to the Chiles Center for a home-opener versus Seattle on Nov. 17. The Pilots will host in-state rival Oregon on Nov. 21, looking for revenge after an overtime loss in Eugene last season.

Over Thanksgiving weekend, Portland will have a chance to showcase its program against some of the nation’s best competition to a national audience as one of eight teams at the 76 Classic in Anaheim. Seven of the eight participating teams were in the postseason last year (six in the NCAA Tournament). The Pilots open against perennial basketball powerhouse UCLA on Thanksgiving night live on ESPN2 at 7:30 p.m. Portland will then face either Butler and Minnesota on Friday and a third and final game on Sunday. All games at the tournament will be televised nationally on the ESPN family of networks.

The month of December features four home games and three difficult road matchups. The marquee game will be Dec. 19 at Washington, as the defending Pac-10 champions were dealt a season-opening loss by the Pilots last year in Portland. The Pilots will be at 2009 National Invitational Tournament participant Nevada on Dec. 28 and will have a home and home series with fellow 2009 CIT competitor Idaho during the month. Other home games include 2008 and 2009 NCAA Tournament program, Portland State (Dec. 2), Denver (Dec. 12) and Evergreen State (Dec. 31).

The New Year begins with the Pilots hosting Army (Jan. 2) before a much anticipated WCC opener against traditional NCAA Tournament contender Gonzaga on Jan. 9 at the Chiles Center on ESPNU. The WCC season continues with a difficult road trip to 2008 NCAA Tournament participant San Diego and Saint Mary’s, who advanced to the third round of the 2009 National Invitational Tournament.

Other Portland games scheduled for ESPN telecasts are at San Francisco (Jan. 28, ESPNU), at Gonzaga (Feb. 4, ESPN2), vs. San Diego (Feb. 11, ESPNU) and vs. Saint Mary’s (Feb. 13, ESPN2).

Four of the team’s final six conference games will be at home leading into the regular season finale and Senior Night, scheduled for Tuesday, March 2 against Lewis & Clark.

The West Coast Conference Tournament will return to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on March 5-8.

Season tickets go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 11 a.m. through the Pilot Box Office at (503) 943-7525. Prices range from $99 to $230. Single game tickets go on sale Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 11 a.m., while tickets for the Gonzaga game will go on-sale Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 11 a.m. Single game tickets are available through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com, over the phone at (800) 745-3000 or in-person at the Pilot Box Office. For complete basketball ticket information, click here.

Game times and dates are subject to change based on games added to the television schedule. For more information, please visit www.portlandpilots.com.

THANK YOU FOR LINKING IT. Now maybe I can have some logical discussion,

Wow it looks tougher on screen, then just conceptualizing it in my head.
:face: maybe I will get used to it in the next couple of month's.

Wait a minute Mesa,

You just went on for a dozen posts about how there are no rabid UP basketball fans, we should be figuring we'll win 25 games and start calling out Zag fans starting NOW, I should be wearing pink ribbons in my hair for supporting women's soccer, Stoney's lazy and not a real fan like his dad.....

Then you get a peek at the schedule which we mostly already knew and you come out with this?

Wow it looks tougher on screen
:face: maybe I will get used to it in the next couple of month's.

Um, shouldn't you be doing this?

Pull up a seat and grab some popcorn, folks, this is going to be entertaining!

I am glad you are paying attention Rob's Jacket. I know Stoney and have his personal # I think I would call him up and call him lazy over the Phone don't you think, (your way off base with that little "quip") Or at least it wasn't the last time we interacted we didn't have any hard feelings, I really think Stoney can speak for himself. As for his Dad, I don't know you would have to ask Stoney about that. He and I talk about Pilot BB and ourselves when we converse. I don't believe I posted anywhere to just mail us the WCC reg trophy, post-season trophy, NCAA berth information. I also don't believe I ever said to taunt Zag fans with cocksuredness. Unless of course they choose to read this site and expect to be coddled, or start posting Bizarro links like Angie did. That goes without saying. Pilot Nation is an accepting board where anybody in the world can come on and post without fear of being drilled too bad. That's not always true about messages board's in other WCC cities...San Francisco, Spokane, to name a few. Stoneys a reg on another schools board and if you PM him I think you can ask him if we both see in the same dirrection or if I have ever insinuated to him since I've known him that he's lazy. No more BIZZARO STATEMENTS LIKE THAT AGAIN PLS, I consider Stoney a personal friend of mine. I kinda think you owe us both an apology on that ridiculous coment since you have met neither of us, nor do you know anything about our friendship etc,

As for you young man , I have no Battles with you. Just people on the site that equate how long they've been sitting on their hands at the Chile's complaining about the Basketball Team . Then all the sudden things turn around in the matter of seasons, and they get all butt hurt because Mesa ain't playing "wave the flag" for the Womens soccer team (MESA COULD CARE LESS WHETHER THEY LOST THE REST OF THE GAMES IN THE SEASON, OR WON THE NEXT 10 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS), on the mens basketball section of Pilot Nation.




Just some food for thought, RJ don't get all butt'hurt and not post again until the first exhibition games. Or come back over the top "Zagnasty" on poor ol Mesa.

I'm with many other silent voices on the cockyness, and bland attitude that is shown by the current fans when they post and I have to endure it seeping into this fine board. I'm in favor of the women's soccer fans joining up with the Zag mens basketball fans and starting their own board together. It could be called were so much better .....and aptly named were the two pea's in a pod...like to complain after games...like to call out every player who doesn't play All American game.(The only reason I know this is caus I respect and flag both Pilot Nut and Athletic James post's and sometimes end up reading the whole post just because I like their style of post, can learn from them, and have developed a deep respect for their knowledge of their Alma Mater)

What's the difference between _you know who_______ or Bob Zag. _______,_______, and Abe , Angelo. The blanks can be filled in at your own descretion because Nut in his levelheadiness feels I shouldn't be calling out some of our misguided and overinformed regulars who slam anybody that is new or fairly new and questions their command over the Pilot "Sports World". Any student that post's with a little passion," mmh gotta keep an eye on him, he just might not have the knowledge or season ticket experience to keep up with me".

In closing I'll share this scenario from last BB season , there was a person who started posting last season on here. One of our "fabled" posters ran him off, after starting a big hot argument with him then said "fabled" poster who everybody here just thinks is just the greatest thing on the Portland sports scene since sliced bread has to backtrack and give the guy who hasn't posted SINCE a half apology. That deserve's a "yellow card". But ,no another pass, we don't want to hurt "his" sic feelings.{ And no smart guy it wasn't Navigator,lol.I've had contact with him privately since our little todo, and consider him a fellow Pilot fan.} I know it's hard for you to believe but I actually get alot support from lurkers, how many unsolicited E-mails or PM's of support do you get weekly? Just a rhuetorical question for you, one need not reply? You can laugh all you want and compare my BB knowledge to Gilda Radner but I have alot of people that think like me, they just don't have the time, energy or care to post it. Or they have to raise children like I do(family comittments), YOU JUST WAIT YOUR DAY IS COMING. Maybe something I post that you may not like , they find amusing or they totally agree with what I have to say. I think down the road in life your going to find lot's of people you don't agree with, but it is my opinion that something can be learned from them. To use an example... I don't always disagree with what every Zag Poster has to say,some have some super interesting posts!!!

Would you really want some of the abuse just you or you know who throw's at me? Especially if this was your first time on the board. Then on top of it UP7587 or one of you other guys like's to pile on. Nothing personal UP but if you read some of your post they are kinda half slams at me. , "Oh it's just Mesa his post's don't count, he's not from Oregon ,he doesnt have season tickets, he's only become a game attendee three years ago that's what the "guru's" biggest complaint is with me, c'mon give me a physical break..
If I were new or a lurker I would be terrified to Post here just reading the mens bb section thank god there's people like Pilot Nut,Stonehouse,PPT,PP13 , who encourage the new people to post and Rochin's is coming around (realizeing he has new responsibilitys , not in just name only).Contrary to what you may think I've been nothing but gracious to new posters, Zag posters (that don't post bizarro post's).I haven't been told too "tone" it down because I'm being myself. Im just a Pilot Fan, just like you. NOTHING MORE BUDDY, NOTHING LESS BUDDY. Even after Kramer leaves school there in Portland and move's in to graduate or law school I probably will continue to be one of if not my favorite College BB Teams.I am pretty sure I'll be a reg attendee at the Home Gonzaga game every year even after Kramer is well into his chosen profession.

Thanks for comparing me to Gilda Radner, next time I need to be that "cutesy" insulted I'll go over on the DC or GU boards and let them insult me. Not on a Pilot fans homecourt, that hit below the belt. I'm kinda let down with you young man that you took it to that level. I would hope you would think of possible fallout, and other peoples feelings (I dont give a f@@k , but someone more sensitive could) before you go to that level again pls RJ
. Is it true?, is it kind? , is it necessary? are three questions I learned that sometimes (not always,lol) help keep me on a spiritual plane when interacting or DISAGREEING with other folks. A video of someone babbling is really reaching,don't even compare it to a "joke " about pink ribbons that everybody except UUUUUUUU took "tongue in cheek".Maybe I reached on the third ???, but it wasn't directed at ONE person like your video, which was pretty tasteless


Your Friend,an fellow Pilot Fan


Mesa



PS- As of this day foward I offer my services as the unofficial greeter in the Men and Women's Basketball section of PilotNation to you, Pilotnut, and SciFi. I am here to be a part of the solution, not the problem (even though it seems like it some time's right RJ,lol) You guys can officially change my avatar from "first man off the bench" to welcoming wagon {more appropriatly would be site greeter I imagine}!!! I can only imagine what kind of avatar you shall chose for me as punishment Robsjacket,lol. No glamour shots of me in a thong and pink ribbons in my hair please,lol.

Oh don't worry... I readily admit to my own laziness!

Fact of the matter is that I just started a new job and have been working crazy hours, leaving me with not a lot of energy to post. I mean, I didn't even check my Facebook for a week... now THAT is crazy! But I've got a few days off the next couple of days, so hopefully I'll pad that post total a bit!

Also, it is definitely a down time for basketball chatter... recruiting season is over, practice hasn't started yet... the schedule was just released (yay!) but we already knew most (if not all) of it a long time ago. So yeah... understandably most people's attention is focused on soccer right now. I mean, we are pretty good after all.

Hopefully no one's feelings are hurt over this whole kerfuffle (that's right, I called it a kerfuffle). I mean, we're all just Pilot fans and this is just the internet... though to be honest I've been amazed how well-behaved this board has been since its creatoin. Anyone remember UPZealot/Upeezy? Or even before that Disgruntled Student? We don't want to go back to those days. Not worth it at all.

Funnily enough, it reminds me of the old OregonLive forum, where soccer fans used to complain that all we talked about was basketball. Remember that? Oh how the tides have turned here on Pilot Nation.

Now, back to the schedule:

Interesting to see Denver on the schedule. That's a game to keep an eye on, since DU has been rumored to be one of the schools the WCC is considering for expansion.

Don't know if I'm crazy about two non-D1 home games. I understand the need for one, but two? (And four total if you include the exhibitions.) And a home-and-home with Idaho in the same season? It's OK, I guess but... man scheduling must have been tough for them this year. I'm sure no one wants to risk losing to the Pilots and come play in the viper's pit that is the Chiles Center.

Wow,

I don't usually read the Basketball section, Soccer is what brought me in the door, I am slowly coming around to UP hoops as well.

Mesa, pretty close to the first post of yours I have ever read, and you come across as; angry, defensive, and to top it off racist... Your reference to people piling on you is embarrassing! I will now proceed to remove myself from this area of pilotnation as the first thread I have read in months has me disgusted.


Edit: (Thank you to whomever edited the previously objectionable material from said post)

Alright everyone, I am calling a cease-fire on the back and forth. Enough.

Lets stick to basketball discussions, as this forum is intended. Any personal discussions can be had via Private Message or General Discussion forums. Any further personal banter will promptly be moved out of this forum.

Game on!

Pilot Nut, thank you for your intervention in the ongoing wars of opinion. I still regard Mesa as a valued contributor and a person of BRIO!!!! Keep up your posts and help Pilot Nation to "rule the surging seas". (An old line from the original UP pep song.)