COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball announced its 14-game 2018 non-conference schedule on Monday, which features a pair of exhibition games, seven home contests at Mizzou Arena and a Thanksgiving weekend tournament in southwest Florida.
Head Coach Robin Pingeton’s squad will potentially face up to 10 teams that advanced to the postseason in 2017-18, including three who reached the NCAA Tournament. Mizzou’s challenging nonconference slate will include seven matchups with programs that recorded at least 20 wins a season ago, and five who finished in the top-70 of the final 2017-18 RPI.
After starting the season with exhibition games against Missouri Western (Oct. 29) and Washburn (Nov. 1), Mizzou will hit the road for its first regular season contest of the season at Western Illinois on Nov. 6. After facing WIU, Mizzou returns home for a three-game home stand against Missouri State (Nov. 14), Wisconsin-Green Bay (Nov. 16) and SIU Edwardsville (Nov. 18). In Mizzou’s matchup with Missouri State, the Tigers will look to win its 10th straight home opener dating back to the 2009-10 season as the two programs meet for the 28th time, with Mizzou holding a 19-8 advantage.
On Thanksgiving weekend, Mizzou will head south to Fort Myers, Fla., for an eight-team tournament at the Gulf Coast Showcase. Mizzou will open with a matchup against Michigan on Nov. 23. In the second round, Mizzou will face either Texas or Quinnipiac on Nov. 24, followed by a third game on Nov. 25. All three teams made the NCAA Tournament last season with Michigan and Quinnipiac advancing to the second round, while Texas made it to the Sweet 16. The Tigers are guaranteed a third game on Nov. 25 with the opponent to be determined based on game results.
Following Mizzou’s trip to the Sunshine State, the squad will kick off December by participating in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge for the second consecutive season with a road matchup against West Virginia on Dec. 2. The Mountaineers are coming off a 25-12 season in which they advanced to the semifinals of the Women’s NIT. The matchup will be the second meeting between the two schools, as the Tigers look to even the series following an 85-75 defeat in the 1996 Paradise Classic in Manoa, Hawai’i.
Mizzou will face in-state opponents in back-to-back games on Dec. 6 and Dec. 9, first hosting UMKC followed by a road contest at Saint Louis on Dec. 9. Mizzou has dominated the matchups with the two programs on opposite sides of the Show Me State, as it owns a 31-2 combined mark against the two programs (20-1 vs. Saint Louis, 11-1 vs. UMKC). A season ago, Mizzou defeated Saint Louis, 70-58, on Dec. 8, at Mizzou Arena behind a double-double (15 points, 10 rebounds) from senior Sophie Cunningham (Columbia, Mo.).
The Tigers will wrap up their nonconference slate with three of its final four games coming at Mizzou Arena. Mizzou will host South Dakota (Dec. 15), Texas State (Dec. 17) and Arkansas State (Dec. 30), with a road matchup against border rival Illinois (Dec. 21) sandwiched in between. Last season, Mizzou and Illinois rekindled its series for the first time since 2008 as the Tigers defeated the Illini, 72-55.
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Oct. 29 vs. Missouri Western (exh.)
Nov. 1 vs. Washburn (exh.)
Nov. 6 at Western Illinois
Nov. 14 vs. Missouri State
Nov. 16 vs. Wisconsin-Green Bay
Nov. 18 vs. SIU Edwardsville
Nov. 23 vs. Michigan*
Nov. 24 vs. Texas/Quinnipiac*
Nov. 25 vs. TBD*
Dec. 2 at West Virginia
Dec. 6 vs. UMKC
Dec. 9 at Saint Louis
Dec. 15 vs. South Dakota
Dec. 17 vs. Texas State
Dec. 21 at Illinois
Dec. 30 vs. Arkansas State
— Mizzou Athletics —