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COLLEGE STATION, Texas- The Preseason NIT, home games against LSU and Alabama, a road game at Arizona and the always-rugged Big 12 Conference slate highlight the 2007-08 Texas A&M men's basketball schedule, first-year Head Coach Mark Turgeon announced on Monday.

The pairings for the Preseason NIT have not been released but the Aggies open tournament play at home on Nov. 13 with the winner advancing to the second round on Nov. 14 at Reed Arena. The semifinals and finals are Nov. 21-23 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

A&M is making its first appearance in the Preseason NIT since the inaugural event in 1985.

The schedule includes at least 10 games, and as many as 14 depending on the results and pairings in the Preseason NIT, against teams that advanced to postseason play in 2007.

The Big 12 schedule includes eight nationally-televised games, including an ESPN "Big Monday" matchup at Texas on Feb. 18 and a CBS showdown against Kansas in the regular-season finale on March 8 at Reed Arena.

The complete television schedule will be announced at a later date.

A&M will visit perennial power Arizona on Dec. 2 as part of the Big 12/Pac 10 Hardwood Series. The Wildcats went 20-11 last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Arizona will make a return visit to College Station in 2008-09.

Alabama will visit Reed Arena on Nov. 28 and LSU will make its first appearance in College Station since 1981 when its comes in on Jan. 5. The Tigers advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2006.

A&M will play two exhibition games (to be announced) before opening the season at home against McNeese State on Nov. 9. Remaining non-conference games, all at home, are against Texas State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Detroit, UC Irvine, Florida A&M and Rice. An additional non-conference home game could be added.

Former members of the Southwest Conference, A&M and Rice have not met in College Station since that league was dissolved in 1996.

A&M will face South Division opponents Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech twice each on a home-and-home basis. The Aggies will play the North Division teams once each with road games at Missouri, Iowa State and Kansas State, and home games against Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas.

The Aggies open Big 12 play at home against Colorado on Jan. 12.