ANCHORAGE, Alaska-The University of Alaska-Anchorage announced recently that it has completed its fields for the 2009 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout, scheduled for November 24-28 at Anchorage's Sullivan Arena.

On the women's side, host and three-time defending champion Alaska-Anchorage will be joined in the four-team field by Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina and Western Carolina. It will be the first Shootout trip for each visiting program.

Meanwhile, the men's field for the 32nd annual tournament will be Alaska-Anchorage, Houston, Nicholls State, Oklahoma, San Diego and Washington State. With six teams instead of the traditional eight, the men's Shootout will undergo a format change for the first time ever, instituting Olympic-style pool play for 2009.

"We are thrilled with this year's lineup," said UAA athletic director Dr. Steve Cobb. "In a perfect world, we would still have eight men's teams, but with the realities of today's college basketball climate, scheduling has become as difficult as recruiting. That said, we should have some of the best basketball in the country being played right here in Anchorage, as usual, on Thanksgiving week."

Here is a brief look at the 2009 Shootout fields:

WOMEN

Three-time defending champion Alaska-Anchorage, the only Division II team in the field, is 6-0 in its last three Shootouts and 84-15 over the past two seasons. Coach Tim Moser's squad went 31-4 in 2008-09 and qualified for the NCAA Division II Semifinals for the second straight year. The Seawolves return seven letterwinners, including the senior backcourt duo of Tamar Gruwell and Kiki Taylor, as they aim for more Division I upsets.

Cincinnati went 14-17 last season playing in the rugged Big East Conference. The Bearcats are sure to be a new-look team in 2009-10, however, as former Connecticut assistant Jamelle Elliott takes over the head-coaching reigns.

Coastal Carolina, of the Big South Conference, should be the most veteran squad in this year's Shootout, having lost no seniors from its 16-14 team of a year ago. The Conway, S.C., program is led by Alan LeForce, who brings over 50 years of college coaching experience to the Chanticleers bench.

Western Carolina, of the Southern Conference, is coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance and its third straight winning season with a 21-12 mark in 2008-09. The Lady Catamounts, from Cullowhee, N.C., are piloted by new head coach Karen Middleton, who inherits nine returning letterwinners.

MEN

Led by sixth-year head coach Rusty Osborne, host Alaska-Anchorage is shooting for its 30th all-time Shootout victory in 2009. The Seawolves will feature versatile guards Kevin White and Brandon Walker among their five returnees, while adding another group of talented recruits.

A first-time Shootout visitor, Houston went 21-12 overall and finished fourth in Conference USA in 2008-09 to earn its second straight 20-win season. The Cougars also captured their fourth postseason bid in five years under veteran coach Tom Penders, who owns over 600 career victories.

Nicholls State is coming off a 20-11 campaign in which it tied for second place in the Southland Conference. The Colonels, of Thibodaux, La., are led by head coach J.P. Piper, and will field a squad that loses only two seniors from a year ago. NSU finished eighth at the Shootout in 1980.

Oklahoma - which placed third in the Shootout in 1983 and 2004 - posted a 30-6 record, reached as high as No. 2 in the country, and came within a win of the Final 4 last season. With the departure of consensus national player-of-the-year Blake Griffin and two other starters, coach Jeff Capel will count on one of the nation's most exciting players, 2008-09 Big 12 Newcomer-of-the-Year Willie Warren, a lightning-quick point guard.

Ravaged by injuries last season, San Diego finished 16-16 under second-year head coach Bill Grier. The Toreros got good news this summer, however, when they learned that leading scorer Brandon Johnson will receive a fifth year of eligibility from the NCAA. With USD making its first appearance, the Shootout will be hosting its seventh school from the eight-team West Coast Conference.

Washington State, of the powerful Pacific-10 Conference, went 17-16 in 2008-09, and this campaign will mark the beginning of a new era as Ken Bone takes the coaching reins in Pullman. The Cougars visited Anchorage in 1981 for their only Shootout appearance.

2009 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout Schedule
Sullivan Arena - Anchorage, Alaska
November 24-28 - All times TBA

Women's Tournament - November 24-25

Tuesday's Games (first round)
Coastal Carolina vs Alaska Anchorage
Cincinnati vs Western Carolina

Wednesday's Games
CCU/UAA loser vs UC/WCU loser (3rd pl.)
CCU/UAA winner vs UC/WCU winner (champ.)

Men's Tournament - November 25-28

Wednesday's Games
Washington State vs Alaska Anchorage (Pool A)
Oklahoma vs San Diego (Pool B)

Thursday's Games
Nicholls State vs Alaska Anchorage (Pool A)
Houston vs Oklahoma (Pool B)

Friday's Games
Nicholls State vs Washington State (Pool A)
Houston vs San Diego (Pool B)

Saturday's Games
Pool A #3 vs Pool B #3 (5th place)
Pool A #2 vs Pool B #2 (3rd place)
Pool A #1 vs Pool B #1 (championship)

(Source Alaska-Anchorage)