UCI issued first opponent

The UC Irvine men’s basketball team will open its 2003-04

regular-season schedule facing Illinois-Chicago in the first round of

the Black Coaches Association Classic at the Cintas Center on the

campus of Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov. 15.

Coach Pat Douglass’ Anteaters will meet the Flames at 6:00 p.m.

(EST) Nov. 15. UCI’s half of the bracket also includes San Diego and

Oakland (Mich.) University.

Illinois-Chicago, from the Horizon League, finished 21-9 overall

last season and advanced to the NIT, losing at Western Michigan,

63-62, in the first round. Coach Jimmy Collins’ Flames return all

five starters.