Sooner Women's Basketball Releases Non-Conference Schedule

<p>BYU, Colorado State, Kentucky and South Dakota State highlight Oklahoma's non-conference slate.</p>

Friday, July 22nd 2016, 10:38 am

By: News 9

Sooner Women's Basketball Releases Non-Conference Schedule

Oklahoma women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale announced the Sooners’ 2016-17 non-conference schedule on Thursday.

The slate features four matchups against teams that participated in the 2016 NCAA Tournament: BYU, Colorado State, Kentucky and South Dakota State. The Sooners will play nine home contests prior to the start of Big 12 play.

“With nine of our 14 non-conference games inside the Lloyd Noble Center, our fans will have plenty of opportunities to watch us develop as a team before we dive into the rigors of Big 12 play,” Coale said. “We will be tested early and often against several elite teams on our home court as well as on the road. While the rugged schedule could be an abrupt entry into the college game for our newcomers, I am confident that our senior leadership will guide their acclimation. The challenges of this pre-conference slate will give us a tremendous opportunity to learn and grow together.”

OU begins with a pair of exhibition contests at Lloyd Noble Center, hosting Midwestern State (Nov. 2) and Oklahoma City (Nov. 7) before starting the regular season. The Sooners take on Southern Illinois on Nov. 13 to open the regular season before facing off against Little Rock on Nov. 16.

The Sooners will face four NCAA Tournament foes in as many games starting with their first road trip of the year to BYU on Nov. 19. OU returns home on Nov. 23 to take on South Dakota State before hosting Colorado State on Nov. 27 at Lloyd Noble Center.

OU hits the road to take on a familiar foe in the 2016 Big 12/SEC Challenge on Dec. 1. The Sooners will return to Lexington, Ky., to face Kentucky, who eliminated OU from last season’s NCAA Tournament.

The Sooners return to Lloyd Noble Center to begin a three-game homestand on Dec. 4 against in-state foe Oral Roberts. OU will welcome Texas Rio Grande Valley on Dec. 8 before wrapping up its non-conference home slate against Tulsa on Dec. 11.

OU concludes non-conference play by traveling to the 2016 Puerto Rico Classic in San Juan, P.R., Dec. 19-21. The Sooners will face Xavier on Dec. 19, California on Dec. 20 and Portland State on Dec. 21 at the three-day tournament.

The Sooners bring back four starters and 12 returners from last year’s team that finished 22-11 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. OU has made 17 straight NCAA Tournament appearances, the fifth-longest streak in the country.

Tip-off times and broadcast information will be announced at a later date. Season tickets for the 2016-17 OU women’s basketball are available now. For more information or to reserve your season tickets, contact the OU Athletics Ticket Office by phone (800) 456-4668 or by clicking here.

The 18-game Big 12 schedule is expected to be announced in August. The 2016 Big 12 Women’s Basketball Championship will take place at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, March 3-6.

OKLAHOMA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

DAY DATE OPPONENT SITE TIME (CT)

Wednesday Nov. 2 Midwestern State (Exh.) Lloyd Noble Center 7 p.m. CT

Monday Nov. 7 Oklahoma City (Exh.) Lloyd Noble Center 7 p.m. CT

Sunday Nov. 13 Southern Illinois Lloyd Noble Center TBD

Wednesday Nov. 16 Little Rock Lloyd Noble Center 7 p.m. CT

Saturday Nov. 19 at BYU Provo, Utah TBD

Wednesday Nov. 23 South Dakota State Lloyd Noble Center 7 p.m. CT

Sunday Nov. 27 Colorado State Lloyd Noble Center 2 p.m. CT

Thursday Dec. 1 at Kentucky ! Lexington, Ky. TBD

Sunday Dec. 4 Oral Roberts Lloyd Noble Center 2 p.m. CT

Thursday Dec. 8 Texas Rio Grande Valley Lloyd Noble Center 7 p.m. CT