Marquette, Indiana Highlight KU Women's Basketball Home Non-Conference Schedule
May 14, 2007
Non-Conference Schedule in PDF Format
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LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Last season, the Kansas women’s basketball team played the 33rd toughest schedule in the country. It looks like KU will continue that trend again next season as its 2007-08 non-conference schedule includes seven teams that reached postseason play last year, according to the schedule announced Monday by Kansas Athletics.
Five of the opponents played in the NCAA Tournament, two in the WNIT. The seven postseason teams include:
California (away) – Last season earned its second consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. Led by Pac-10 Player of the Year Devanei Hampton, the Golden Bears stormed to a 23-9 overall record and finished third in the Pac-10 with a 12-6 mark. Just a sophomore, Hampton led the conference in rebounds and was second in scoring during league play. Fellow sophomores Ashley Walker and Alexis Gray-Lawson combined to give Cal three players who averaged double-figures in scoring. Cal beat KU, 73-65, last season in Lawrence.
Marquette (home) – The Golden Eagles finished the 2006-07 season 26-7 overall and 12-4 in conference to place second in the BIG EAST behind only UConn. Marquette reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the No. 6 seed. Sophomore guard Krystal Ellis was tabbed All-BIG EAST First Team and honorable mention All-American.
Xavier (away) – The Musketeers finished the season with a 26-8 record and took home the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament championship after placing third in the regular season. The 26 wins propelled XU to a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Freshman Amber Harris led the Musketeers with 16.3 points per game, 8.9 rebounds per game and was third in the country with 4.0 blocks per game. Harris was named to the A-10 First Team, All-Rookie Team, All-Defensive Team and garnered the league’s Rookie-of-the-Year honor.
Indiana (home) – The Hoosiers advanced to the third round of the WNIT and finished with a 19-14 record. Four of the Hoosiers’ top five scorers were underclassmen, led by junior Nikki Smith, who averaged 12.0 points and knocked down 67 three-point field goal attempts. Freshman Jamie Braun averaged 11.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game off the bench for the Hoosiers to earn the Big Ten Sixth-Player-of-the-Year. The Hoosiers beat KU, 63-48, last season in Bloomington.
Hartford (home) – After cruising through its America East schedule with a 15-1 record, Hartford was upset by Maryland Baltimore County in the conference tournament final, denying the Hawks their second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Hawks, though, advanced to the second round of the WNIT and finished the year with a 25-9 record. Junior Danielle Hood led Harford with 13.1 points per game. Coached by former UConn great Jennifer Rizzotti, the Hawks have captured back-to-back America East regular-season titles.
UC Riverside (home) – The Highlanders advanced to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament by winning the Big West Conference Tournament. UC Riverside also captured the Big West regular-season crown, finishing 12-2. UCR concluded the season 21-11 with a roster that featured no seniors. Head coach John Margaritis was named the Big West Conference Coach of the Year, and junior forward/center Kemie Nkele earned Big West Conference Player-of-the-Year honors.
Drake (possible at SMU tournament) – The Bulldogs were number one in the Missouri Valley’s preseason poll last year before suffering key injuries. They then used an exciting four-day run through the conference tournament to claim the MVC’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Junior Brandy Dahir was named All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team, as she registered team highs in scoring (17.1) and rebounding (5.5). All five starters return for 2007-08.
KU’s non-conference home schedule also includes Creighton (which lost to Drake in the MVC championship game last season), St. Louis, Boston University and Missouri-Kansas City. The Jayhawks have won the last two meetings with Creighton, including last year’s 60-47 decision in Omaha.
The Jayhawks’ non-conference road schedule includes a two-game swing in California — at San Jose State December 19 and at Cal December 21. The Jayhawks will also participate in the Southern Methodist University Tournament Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 23 and 24) in Dallas, Texas.
The Jayhawks will begin the season with two exhibition games at Allen Fieldhouse. KU will face in-state foes Emporia State Oct. 31 and Pittsburg State Nov. 4.
KU’s 16-game Big 12 slate will be announced at a later date.
Click here to view non-conference schedule.
