Aug. 18, 2003

LOGAN, Utah - Utah State University's head women's basketball coach Raegan Pebley announced the upcoming 2003-04 schedule Monday. The Aggies take the court for the first time in 16 years as they open the season at home against Southern Utah, Nov. 21.

Utah State plays 26 games on the season including, eight non-conference games, and 18 league encounters. USU will also host UVSC in an exhibition game on Dec. 2. The Aggies will have 12 home games at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

"Our presseason schedule is set up to help prepare us for Big West play," said Pebley. "We have games that are going to be very challenging, but we also hope to have some confidence builders. Many of the teams we play early in the season have post-season experience from last year which will enable us to see what we need to focus on to reach the postseason."

Utah State will play a total of 18 league games on the year in a round-robin format with each school playing each other member institution both home and away. The addition of the Aggie program increases the Big West membership in the sport of women's basketball to 10.

"We hope that the newness of our program will give us an added advantage in Big West play," said Pebley. "Teams in our conference won't be able to prepare for us very well because they don't have any film to look at and are unfamiliar with the personnel on our team."

Along with a challenging league schedule, Utah State will travel to in-state rival Weber State and host Southern Utah in its home opener. The Aggies also host Idaho State and Northern Colorado in non-conference action.

The 2004 Big West Conference Tournament will once again be held in Anaheim, Calif. from March 10-13 at the Anaheim Convention Center. The first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament will be held on Mar. 18-21.

2003 Utah State Women's Basketball Schedule

	Date	Opponent 		Time

	Fri., Nov. 21	SOUTHERN UTAH		8:00 p.m.
	Mon., Nov. 24	at Montana State		7:05 p.m.

	Tues., Dec. 2	UVSC (Exhibition)		TBA
	Sat.-Sun., Dec. 6-7	at University of Arizona Tournament
	Sat., Dec. 6	    Massachusetts		2:00 p.m.
	Sat., Dec. 7 	    TBA		TBA
	Sat., Dec. 13	NORTHERN COLORADO		3:00 p.m.
	Thurs., Dec. 18	at Western Michigan		9:00 p.m.
	Sun., Dec. 21	at IUPU - Fort Wayne		noon
	Tues., Dec. 30	at Weber State		7:05 p.m.

	Sat., Jan. 3	*at Idaho		8:00 p.m.
	Thurs., Jan. 8	*UC SANTA BARBARA		7:00 p.m.
	Sat., Jan. 10	*CAL POLY		3:00 p.m.
	Thurs., Jan. 15	*at Pacific		8:00 p.m.
	Sat., Jan. 17	*at CS Northridge		8:00 p.m.
	Thurs., Jan. 22	*CS FULLERTON		7:00 p.m.
	Sat., Jan. 24	*UC RIVERSIDE		3:00 p.m.
	Thurs., Jan. 29	*at UC Irvine		8:05 p.m.
	Sat., Jan 31	*at Long Beach State		8:00 p.m.

	Thurs., Feb. 5	*at Cal Poly		8:00 p.m.
	Sat., Feb. 7	*at UC Santa Barbara		8:00 p.m.
	Thurs., Feb. 12	*CS NORTHRIDGE		7:00 p.m.
	Sat., Feb. 14	*PACIFIC		7:00 p.m.
	Thurs., Feb. 19	*at UC Riverside		8:10 p.m.
	Sat., Feb. 21	*at CS Fullerton		8:00 p.m.
	Thurs., Feb. 26	*LONG BEACH STATE		7:00 p.m.
	Sat., Feb. 28	*UC IRVINE		1:00 p.m.

	Fri., Mar. 5	*IDAHO		7:00 p.m.
	Wed.-Sat., Mar. 10-13	at Big West Tournament		TBA

	* Denotes Big West Conference game.
	Home games in BOLD AND ALL CAPS
	All times are Mountain time zone, tentative and subject to change.