Missouri releases 2015-16 women’s basketball schedule

Five of Missouri’s first six opponents during Southeastern Conference play made the NCAA Women’s Division I tourney last season.

Four of those five games are on the road, too.

If the Tigers are going to make a leap forward in coach Robin Pingeton’s sixth season, they’ll have to earn it.

MU reached the third round of the Women’s NIT last season, the program’s third straight postseason appearance, but the Tigers haven’t made the NCAA tourney under Pingeton and haven’t been at all since 2006.

The SEC slate begins with a showdown against Tennessee at 6 p.m. on Jan. 4 at Mizzou Arena.

Missouri then hits the road to face Georgia (Jan. 7) and South Carolina (Jan. 10). All three games will be on the SEC Network or SEC Network+.

Pingeton’s squad hosts Mississippi State on Jan. 14 before returning to the road for games at Arkansas (Jan. 17) and Texas A&M (Jan. 21).

Georgia is the only team in that stretch that failed to make the NCAA Women’s tourney field last spring.

Missouri, whose 19 wins last season were the most since 2006 and the third-most since 1993, finished seventh in the SEC last season, but Pingeton wants to improve on a 7-9 conference mark.

“We have put together a strong nonconference slate and then will face off with some of the top teams nationally as we compete in the SEC, which is the most challenging and competitive conference in the country,” she said. “Our players have once again worked very hard this offseason, and we are all anxious to carry the momentum from last year’s strong finish into this upcoming season.”

Missouri’s non-conference schedule includes games at former Big 12 rival Colorado (Dec. 12) and at Wichita State (Nov. 18) along with a battle against Wake Forest on Nov. 22 at Mizzou Arena.

After two home exhibition games, the Tigers start the season Nov. 13 at Missouri State and open the regular-season home schedule Nov. 16 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Pingeton said she hopes Missouri can draw crowds of at least 5,000 per game with a home slate that also includes Florida, LSU, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and Vanderbilt.

MISSOURI WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

Home games in bold

DateOpponentTime/TV

Nov. 4 Southwest Baptist (exh.)TBD

Nov. 9 Quincy (exh.) TBD

Nov. 13 at Missouri State TBD

Nov. 16 Arkansas-Pine Bluff TBD

Nov. 18 at Wichita State TBD

Nov. 22 Wake Forest TBD

Nov. 24 SIU-Edwardsville TBD

Nov. 27 vs. Northeastern* 2 p.m.

Nov. 28 vs. at St. Mary’s* 4 p.m.

Dec. 2 Southeast Missouri TBD

Dec. 7 Loyola Marymount TBD

Dec. 12 at Colorado TBD

Dec. 20 Lamar TBD

Dec. 21 Texas State TBD

Dec. 29 Charlotte TBD

Jan. 4 Tennessee 6 p.m./SEC Network

Jan. 7 at Georgia 6 p.m./SEC Network+

Jan. 10 at South Carolina 11 a.m./SEC Network

Jan. 14 Mississippi State TBD

Jan. 17 at Arkansas 2 p.m./SEC Network

Jan. 21 at Texas A&M 7 p.m./SEC Network+

Jan. 24 Florida 1 p.m./SEC Network

Jan. 28 LSU TBD

Jan. 31 at Mississippi 4 p.m./SEC Network

Feb. 4 Georgia TBD

Feb. 7 at Mississippi State 2 p.m.

Feb. 11 Alabama TBD

Feb. 14 Arkansas TBD

Feb. 21 at Auburn 2 p.m.

Feb. 25 at Kentucky 6 p.m./SEC Network+

Feb. 28 Vanderbilt 1 p.m./SEC Network

March 2-6 SEC Tournament^ TBD

* in Moraga, Calif.

^ in Jacksonville, Fla.

This story was originally published August 20, 2015 at 7:13 PM with the headline "Missouri releases 2015-16 women’s basketball schedule."