Sept. 10, 2003
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Eleven teams that reached postseason play last season, including eight NCAA Tournament participants, appear on the Missouri women's basketball team's 2003-04 schedule, released today by Head Coach Cindy Stein.
The Tigers, who advanced to postseason play for the fourth straight season last year, officially open their 30th season of play on Sunday, Nov. 23, at Bradley. Mizzou's home opener - which kicks off the Tigers' final season of play in the Hearnes Center before moving into a sparkling, $75 million facility next year - is scheduled for the following Wednesday, Nov. 26, against Southern (La.).
Under the traditional Big 12 Conference scheduling format, the Tigers will play home-and-home series against each of the North Division teams - including NCAA Tournament participants Colorado and Kansas State - while playing each South Division member just once. Mizzou will play at Texas - which reached the Final Four before falling to eventual national champion Connecticut - Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, and will host Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Baylor, who all reached the postseason. OU and Tech advanced to the NCAA Tournament, while Baylor won the Postseason WNIT.
On the non-conference schedule, NCAA Tournament participants Southwest Missouri State, Austin Peay and Wisconsin-Green Bay highlight the slate. The latter two are potential opponents for the Tigers in the Oneida Bingo & Casino Holiday Tournament, as Mizzou will face APSU on Friday, Nov. 28, before setting up a possible matchup with the Phoenix on their home court.
In addition, the Tigers play two other WNIT participants. Mizzou hosts Iowa on Tuesday, Dec. 30, and plays at Saint Louis on Sunday, Jan. 4, in the final tune-up before Big 12 Conference play.
"This promises to be an exciting season of women's basketball here at Missouri as we go for our fifth straight season of postseason play," commented Stein, who enters her sixth year at the helm of the Tiger bench. "As the program continues to improve, we've come up with a schedule that challenges us in the non-conference portion of the season and also prepares us for the rigors of one of the toughest conferences in the country."
The Unilever Tiger Classic celebrates its 25th anniversary the weekend of Friday-Saturday, Dec. 5-6. Tulsa and UAB will match up in the opening game, with the Tigers hosting Alcorn State in the first-round nightcap. The consolation and championship games will take place on Saturday.
Three games have been selected for national cable telecast by FOX Sports Net. The Tigers open up that slate on Sunday, Jan. 18 at Colorado, and return to the airwaves the following weekend at Kansas, on Saturday, Jan. 24, in the final game of the season series. The final regular-season FOX game takes place on Saturday, Feb. 28, when Mizzou welcomes Iowa State for the final scheduled women's basketball game at the Hearnes Center.
Additional games will be selected at a later date for telecast by the Mizzou Sports Network, which is carried by FOX Sports Midwest in the state of Missouri.
The Tigers will have two opportunities for the public to see the Tigers in action prior to the start of the exhibition season on Saturday, Nov. 8. The first comes on Homecoming morning (Saturday, Oct. 25) when the team holds its annual Brewer Breakfast at Brewer Fieldhouse. The second is the annual "Tiger Night of Terror" at the Hearnes Center on Halloween night (Friday, Oct. 31).
For season or single-game ticket information, please call 1-800-CAT-PAWS (573-884-PAWS in Mid-Missouri). As a reminder, fans who have purchased the KMIZ-ZOU Spirit Pass or the MU Student All-Sports Pass gain free admission to all Mizzou women's basketball games.