UAA unveils 2011 Shootout fields

ANCHORAGE (May 18) – The University of Alaska Anchorage has unveiled the fields for the 2011 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout, UAA athletic director Dr. Steve Cobb announced Wednesday.

Along with host Alaska Anchorage, women’s teams from Miami (Fla.) and South Florida, and men’s teams from UC Irvine, Central Michigan, Dartmouth, Murray State, New Mexico State, San Francisco and Southern Mississippi will appear at Sullivan Arena for the 34th annual college basketball tournament. Another team will be announced soon to finalize the women’s field, said Dr. Cobb.

This year’s tourney is scheduled for Nov. 22-26, opening with women’s first-round action on Tuesday night and concluding with the men’s championship on Saturday.

First-round matchups have been set for the men’s tournament, commencing with Southern Miss vs. UAA and Murray State vs. UC Irvine on Wednesday night, followed by San Francisco-Central Michigan and New Mexico State-Dartmouth on Thanksgiving. Tip-off times will be announced later.

“We are pleased with the quality programs and competitive field we have assembled for 2011 Shootout,” said Dr. Cobb. “Along with a returning champion, there will be a great many storylines worth watching following this fall. We are proud to host this Alaska Thanksgiving tradition for its 34th year.”

New Mexico State won the Shootout title in 1992, while Dartmouth (Ivy League) and Murray State (Ohio Valley) will become the first men’s schools from their respective conferences to play at the Shootout. On the women’s side, Miami will feature Anchorage native Sylvia Bullock – the sister of UAA men’s career scoring leader Peter Bullock – in its starting lineup, and South Florida gives the Shootout a women’s representative from the Big East Conference for the third time in four years.

The Shootout is the longest-running regular-season college basketball tournament in the nation, taking place every Thanksgiving in Anchorage since 1978.

Here is a quick look at the 2011 fields:

WOMEN
Alaska Anchorage
Nickname: Seawolves
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Conference: Great Northwest Athletic Conference
2010-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 27-7 overall, 14-4 GNAC (2nd)
2011 Postseason: NCAA Second Round (Div. II)
Head Coach: Tim Moser, 6th season
Previous Shootout Appearances (Titles): All (1990, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)

Miami
Nickname: Hurricanes
Location: Coral Gables, Fla.
Conference: Atlantic Coast
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 28-5/12-2 (t-1st)
2011 Postseason: NCAA Second Round
Head Coach: Katie Meier, 7th season
Previous Shootout Appearances: 1984 (8th), 1987 (4th)

South Florida
Nickname: Bulls
Location: Tampa, Fla.
Conference: Big East
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 12-19/3-13 (t-13th)
2011 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Jose Fernandez, 12th season
Previous Shootout Appearances: 1983 (8th)

Final Team TBA

MEN

Alaska Anchorage
Nickname: Seawolves
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Conference: Great Northwest Athletic Conf.
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 24-10/13-5 (2nd)
2011 Postseason: NCAA Second Round (Div. II)
Head Coach: Rusty Osborne, 8th season
Previous Shootout Appearances: All (32-67)

UC Irvine
Nickname: Anteaters
Location: Irvine, Calif.
Conference: Big West
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 13-19/6-10 (t-7th)
2011 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Russell Turner, 2nd season
Previous Shootout Appearances: 1990 (6th)

Central Michigan
Nickname: Chippewas
Location: Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Conference: Mid-American
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 10-21/7-9 (3rd-West Div.)
2011 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Ernie Zeigler, 6th season
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

Dartmouth
Nickname: Big Green
Location: Hanover, N.H.
Conference: Ivy League
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 5-23/1-13 (8th)
2011 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Paul Cormier, 2nd season
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

Murray State
Nickname: Racers
Location: Murray, Ky.
Conference: Ohio Valley
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 23-9/14-4 (1st)
2011 Postseason: NIT First Round
Head Coach: TBA
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

New Mexico State
Nickname: Aggies
Location: Las Cruces, N.M.
Conference: Western Athletic
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 16-17/9-7 (3rd)
2011 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Marvin Menzies, 5th season
Previous Shootout Appearances: 1992 (Champions)

San Francisco
Nickname: Dons
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
Conference: West Coast
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 19-15/10-4 (3rd)
2011 Postseason: CollegeInsider.com Quarterfinals
Head Coach: Rex Walters, 4th season
Previous Shootout Appearances: None

Southern Mississippi
Nickname: Golden Eagles
Location: Hattiesburg, Miss.
Conference: Conference-USA
2001-11 Overall/Conf. Record (Place): 22-10/9-7 (t-5th)
2011 Postseason: None
Head Coach: Larry Eustachy, 9th season
Previous Shootout Appearances: None


2011 CARRS/SAFEWAY GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT
Sullivan Arena – Anchorage, Alaska
All times TBA (Alaska is 4 hours behind EST)

Women’s Schedule
Tuesday, Nov. 22 – First Round
Matchups TBA
Wednesday, Nov. 23
3rd place game
Championship game

Men’s Schedule
Wednesday, Nov. 23 – First Round
Southern Mississippi vs Alaska Anchorage
UC Irvine vs Murray State
Thursday, Nov. 24 – First Round
Central Michigan vs San Francisco
New Mexico State vs Dartmouth
Friday, Nov. 25 – Consolation Semifinals & Semifinals
USM/UAA loser vs UCI/MSU loser
CMU/USF loser vs NMSU/DU loser
USM/UAA winner vs UCI/MSU winner
CMU/USF winner vs NMSU/DU winner
Saturday, Nov. 26
7th/8th-place game
4th/6th-place game
3rd/5th-place game
Championship game

 

GoSeawolves.com/Shootout

 

 

Nate Sagan
Sports Information Director

University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Dr. / Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 786-1295 / Fax: (907) 563-4565
GoSeawolves.com