According to a press release, NIU head men’s basketball coach Ricardo Patton announced the Huskies’ 2008-09 schedule on Wednesday, featuring two tournaments, including the 2008 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout, hosted by the University of Alaska-Anchorage, from Nov. 26-29.

“One of the things we want to do is give our student-athletes as many different experiences as possible,” Patton said. “I thought (the Great Alaska Shootout) would be a great opportunity for Northern Illinois.”

NIU will open the Shootout against 2008 NCAA Tournament participant Portland State on Wednesday, Nov. 26.

2008-2009 Schedule:

11/02/08 vs. Freed-Hardeman DeKalb, Illinois 2:00 p.m. CT

11/08/08 vs. Carthage DeKalb, Illinois 7:00 p.m. CT

11/14/08 vs. Maine (100 Club Classic) Kennesaw, Georgia 4:00 p.m. CT

11/15/08 Western Illinois/Kennesaw State (100 Club Classic) Kennesaw, Georgia TBA

11/18/08 vs. Indiana State DeKalb, Illinois 7:00 p.m. CT

11/21/08 at Tennessee State Nashville, Tennessee 7:30 p.m. CT

11/26/08 vs. Portland State (Great Alaska Shootout) Anchorage, Alaska TBA

11/28/08 Hampton/Alaska Anchorage (Great Alaska Shootout) Anchorage, Alaska TBA

11/29/08 TBA (Great Alaska Shootout) Anchorage, Alaska TBA

12/03/08 at Air Force Colorado Springs, Colorado 8:00 p.m. CT

12/06/08 vs. Chicago State DeKalb, Illinois 2:00 p.m. CT

12/14/08 at Arkansas-Little Rock Little Rock, Arkansas 1:00 p.m. CT

12/17/08 vs. Southern Illinois DeKalb, Illinois 7:00 p.m. CT

12/20/08 vs. Loyola Chicago DeKalb, Illinois 3:00 p.m. CT

01/10/09 vs. Toledo * DeKalb, Illinois TBA

01/13/09 at Ball State * Muncie, Indiana TBA

01/17/09 at Western Michigan * Kalamazoo, Michigan TBA

01/20/09 vs. Eastern Michigan * DeKalb, Illinois TBA

01/24/09 vs. Central Michigan * DeKalb, Illinois TBA

01/28/09 at Miami (Oh) * Oxford, Ohio TBA

01/31/09 vs. Bowling Green * DeKalb, Illinois TBA

02/05/09 at Ohio * Athens, Ohio TBA

02/07/09 at Buffalo * Buffalo, New York TBA

02/10/09 vs. Kent State * DeKalb, Illinois TBA

02/15/09 vs. Akron * DeKalb, Illinois TBA

02/18/09 at Central Michigan * Mount Pleasant, Michigan TBA

02/21/09 ESPN BracketBuster TBD TBA

02/25/09 vs. Western Michigan * DeKalb, Illinois TBA

02/28/09 vs. Ball State * DeKalb, Illinois TBA

03/04/09 at Eastern Michigan * Ypsilanti, Michigan TBA

03/08/09 at Toledo * Toledo, Ohio TBA

03/10/09 Mid-American Conference Championships Cleveland, Ohio TBA

03/12/09 Mid-American Conference Championships Cleveland, Ohio TBA

03/13/09 Mid-American Conference Championships Cleveland, Ohio TBA

03/14/09 Mid-American Conference Championships Cleveland, Ohio TBA