SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The Dominican University of California men's basketball team will begin its season hosting the PacWest/CCAA Men's Basketball Challenge on Nov. 13 and 14 featuring the host Penguins, Academy of Art, Cal State Monterey Bay, and Sonoma State.

The Penguins have had an early taste of competition with exhibitions at Division I programs Nevada and Fresno State. The Penguins return three of their top four scorers in senior guards Matt Hayes (15.1 ppg) and Christopher Schwartz-Edmisten (10.2 ppg), as well as junior forward Josh Ramirez (8.7 ppg). Dominican graduated Dominique Taplin, the program's top scorer in the Division II era, but he'll join head Coach Booker T. Harris and his coaching staff on the bench as an assistant. Dominican has added eight new players to the mix that includes international products Ryo Tawatari (Tokyo) and Seth Turner (Sunshine Coast, Austalia), plus 6-foot-7 redshirt freshman Brad Johnson. In 2014-15, the Penguins finished 13-15 and went 10-10 in PacWest play, narrowly missing the PacWest Championships for the first time. The Penguins dropped eight games by five points or fewer, including an 85-82 home loss to Sonoma State. In their most recent meeting last season, the Penguins fell at Cal State Monterey Bay 74-62.

Fellow PacWest member Academy of Art went 7-19 and 5-15 in PacWest play. The Urban Knights' top scorers and rebounders Yanick Kulich (16.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg) transferred to Western Oregon and Alexis Moore (15.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg) graduated. Junior guard Herman Pratt (9.5 ppg) is the team's top returning scorer and sophomore guard Jase Harrison is the team's top returner on the glass (3.5).

Cal State Monterey Bay, a member of the CCAA, began its season with a pair of exhibitions at Division I Utah and Utah State, the latter of which the Otters beat 77-60. The Otters improved by three wins in 2014-15 and went 13-15 and 9-13 in CCAA play. Junior guard Even Zeller, who appeared in all 28 of the Otters' games last season, was the team's top scorer (14.7 ppg). Guard Alex Fertig (12.0 ppg) also returns for his senior campaign. The Otters lost top rebounders Greg Anderson (10.4 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and Jorey Scott (4.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg), who were both seniors. CSUMB will look to senior Marquie Washington, who appeared in all 28 games, to play a larger role, as well as 6-foot-6 transfer Chris Porter (Irvine Valley College).

Another member of the CCAA, Sonoma State, began its season with an exhibition at Division I St. John's. After a hot 7-1 start last season, the Seawolves faded and finished 12-14 and 9-13 in conference action. Senior James Davis (14.1 ppg) returns to lead Sonoma State. Top rebounder JJ Mina graduated so Sonoma State will look to 6-foot-9 returner Nathan Molony-Benjamin (4.2 rpg), plus a pair of transfers, 6-foot-8 junior center Naaman Hightower from Napa Valley College and 6-foot-10 senior transfer Luke Cochran from Santa Rosa JC.

Full tournament coverage may be found at dominicanathletics.com/pacwestchallenge.