WBB Non-Conference Slate Released

July 21, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. -- Matchups with two-time defending national champions Tennessee and perennial power Connecticut are marked on the calendars of Courtney Paris and the OU women's basketball team.

University of Oklahoma vice president for intercollegiate athletics programs and director of athletics Joe Castiglione and head women's basketball coach Sherri Coale announced Monday the non-conference portion of the Sooners' schedule for 2008-09.

“Once again, we have put together a non-conference schedule that will challenge our team and, in so doing, prepare us for the rigors of Big 12 Conference play,” Coale said. “This is a particularly daunting slate, however, in that we have Tennessee and Connecticut added to the mix.

“We're looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Four of Oklahoma's non-conference opponents -- Tennessee, Connecticut, California and Marist -- finished the previous season ranked in the top 25 of both the media and coaches polls.

Exhibitions versus Western State College of Colorado (Nov. 6) and Oklahoma Christian (Nov. 11) at the Lloyd Noble Center precede the Sooners' competitive start in the Preseason Women's National Invitational Tournament, which begins Nov. 15 in Norman against UC-Riverside. The Sooners also play guaranteed games in the WNIT on Nov. 19 and 21 with the championship game scheduled for Nov. 23.

Games at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman include contests versus Marist on Nov. 26, Creighton on Dec. 3, Tulsa on Dec. 21 and North Carolina Central on Jan. 4.

The Sooners play Tennessee for the second straight season on Monday, Feb. 2, at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City. The game is slated to be part of ESPN's Big Monday coverage.

OU will aim for road wins against Connecticut on Nov. 30, Arkansas State on Dec. 7 and Saint Louis University on Dec. 30. The Sooners will also play two games in San Jose, Calif., against Cal State Bakersfield and California on Dec. 12 and 13, respectively.

The full slate of games will be announced once the Big 12 Conference finalizes the league's schedule.

Including the return of the Big 12 Tournament and an NCAA Women's Championship Regional to Oklahoma City in March 2009, central Oklahoma will once again be a focal point of women's college basketball in the next year.

2008-09 Oklahoma Women's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Date	Opponent	Location
Nov. 6	Western State College of Colorado (Exhibition)	Norman
Nov. 11	Oklahoma Christian (Exhibition)	Norman
Nov. 15	WNIT Game 1 - UC Riverside	Norman
Nov. 19	WNIT Game 2 - Lafayette or Middle Tennessee	Norman
Nov. 21	WNIT Game 3 - TBA	Norman
Nov. 23	WNIT Championship Game (If Necessary)	TBA
Nov. 26	Marist	Norman
Nov. 30	Connecticut	TBA*
Dec. 3	Creighton	Norman
Dec. 7	Arkansas State	Jonesboro, Ark.
Dec. 12	Cal State Bakersfield	San Jose, Calif.
Dec. 13	California	San Jose, Calif.
Dec. 21	Tulsa	Norman
Dec. 30	Saint Louis	St. Louis, Mo.
Jan. 4	North Carolina Central	Norman
Feb. 2	Tennessee	Oklahoma City

*Game will be played at either the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., or Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn.

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