11:20am | Long Beach State head women’s basketball coach Jody Wynn has announced the 49ers’ schedule for the 2011-12 season.

“We are excited about this schedule with a great balance of home and road games,” Wynn said in a statement. “This preseason will provide our program with challenging non-conference games and the opportunity to play in different environments that will prepare us for a competitive Big West Conference season.”

LBSU kicks off the campaign against Utah Valley at the Walter Pyramid on Friday, Nov. 11, with tip-off set for 7 p.m.

The 49ers then hit the road for three weeks, beginning with a trip to New York for a single game against Big East foe Syracuse on Nov. 13. After heading to Sacramento State (Nov. 19) and Santa Clara (Nov. 21), Long Beach State makes the trek back to the Big Apple to take on Columbia and Iona in back-to-back games over Thanksgiving weekend.

LBSU closes out its seven-game road stretch in the Northwest with contests at Seattle (Dec. 2) and Pac-12 member Washington (Dec. 4).

The Beach returns to the friendly confines of the Walter Pyramid on Dec. 8 when it squares off against Nevada. The 49ers then head to the University of Arizona for their final non-conference road game on Dec. 11.

In its last tune-up before conference action, Long Beach State is set to entertain Dartmouth (Dec. 16) and will also host the second annual Beach Classic Dec. 18-19.

The 49ers then have a nine-day layoff before welcoming UC Riverside to the Walter Pyramid for their Big West opener on Dec. 29. LBSU also plays host to UC Irvine (Dec. 31) during the first weekend of league play.

The Big West Tournament is slated for the second week of March. The first round will be held at campus sites on Tuesday, March 6, while the semifinals (March 9) and finals (March 10) will be held at the Honda Center in Anaheim.