UCLA, Michigan Highlight Kansas Women's Basketball's 2009-10 Non-Conference Schedule
June 3, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. –
Kansas’ 2009-10 Non-Conference Schedule in PDF Format
Home games against UCLA and Michigan highlight the Kansas women’s basketball team’s 2009-10 non-conference schedule, announced Wednesday by Kansas Athletics. The Jayhawks, who reached the 2009 WNIT championship game after playing one of the toughestschedules in the country, will face five non-conference foes who reached postseason play in 2009.
UCLA, which boasts nine NCAA Tournament appearances, visits Allen Fieldhouse Dec. 3. The Bruins return four starters from last season’s 19-12 team that finished fourth in the Pac-10 Conference. Rising junior Doreena Campbell (12.9 points per game) is their leading returning scorer. The Jayhawks will be looking to avenge last year’s three-point setback to the Bruins in Los Angeles, a game that wasn’t decided until the final minute.
Michigan, which has advanced to postseason play in six of the last 12 years, beat nationally ranked Notre Dame and Vanderbilt last year, but struggled to an overall mark of 10-20. The Wolverines come to Lawrence Nov. 22, led by junior Veronica Hicks, who is the leading returnee for Michigan (8.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore). It will be the first-ever matchup between Kansas and Michigan.
KU’s non-conference home schedule also includes games against Oral Roberts (Nov. 15), Northern Colorado (Dec. 6), UMKC (Dec. 10) and Pepperdine (Dec. 30). The Jayhawks defeated Pepperdine 82-54 last year in Malibu.
As previously announced, the Jayhawks will compete in the 2009 Junkanoo Jam on Grand Bahama Island Nov. 26-28. Kansas will face Xavier in the opening round on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 26), and will play either Minnesota or TCU Saturday, Nov. 28.
In addition to playing in the Junkanoo Jam, the Jayhawks’ non-conference road schedule includes games at Iowa, which finished second in the Big Ten Conference (Nov. 18), Houston (Dec. 22) and New Mexico State (Jan. 3). The Jayhawks defeated Iowa, Houston and New Mexico State at Allen Fieldhouse last season.
Kansas will tip-off the 2009-10 season with a pair of Sunday afternoon exhibition games in Allen Fieldhouse versus Pittsburg State (Nov. 1) and Emporia State (Nov. 8).
KU’s 16-game Big 12 slate will be announced at a later date. The Jayhawks will host Big 12 foes Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M, while making trips to Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas Tech. The 2010 Big 12 Championship will be held in Kansas City, Mo., at Municipal Auditorium, March 11-14.
The teams on KU’s schedule that reached the postseason last season include:
Iowa (away-Nov. 18) – Last season Iowa earned its 18th NCAA Tournament bid, while also finishing second in the Big Ten Conference standings. The Hawkeyes finished 21-11 overall and 13-5 in Big 10 Conference play. Rising junior Kachine Alexander led the team in assists and also received the team’s Most Improved Player Award. Additionally, sophomore-to-be Kamille Wahlin was honored on the Big 10 coaches’ all-freshman squad.
Xavier (Junkanoo Jam-Nov. 26) – The Musketeers finished the 2008-09 season 22-10 overall and captured the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season title with a 13-1 league record. Xavier reached the 2009 NCAA Tournament for the eighth time in school history and finished the season with a #20/#18 national ranking. The Musketeers were led by the 2009 Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year, rising junior Ta’Shia Phillips. Phillips is Xavier’s single-season rebounding record holder with 386 rebounds in 2008-09.
TCU (possible Junkanoo Jam opponent-Nov. 28) – The Horned Frogs went to the NCAA Tournament in 2009 for the eighth time in the last nine years. They went 20-11 overall, and finished second in the Mountain West Conference with a 12-4 league record. TCU returns 93 percent of its offense and 82 percent of its rebounding, including all five starters.
Minnesota (possible Junkanoo Jam opponent-Nov. 28) – The Golden Gophers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and finished with a 20-12 overall mark. Senior-to-be Ashley Ellis-Milan earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors. She led the Gophers in scoring during the Big Ten Conference season with 11.9 points per game and led the team in rebounding for the third consecutive season.
Creighton (home-Dec. 13) – The Bluejays appeared in the WNIT for the seventh time in school history and fifth time since 2003. They advanced to the second round in the WNIT before losing to Kansas, finishing the season 22-12 overall and 14-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Creighton is led by MVC Defensive Player of the Year and MVC First-Team rising senior Megan Neuvirth, second-team All-MVC rising senior Chevelle Herring and MVC honorable mention rising junior Kelsey Woodard. KU defeated Creighton, 59-58, in overtime on Dec. 13 in Omaha and 79-64 in the second round of the WNIT in Allen Fieldhouse.
UC Riverside (home-Dec. 20) – The Highlanders advanced to their first WNIT post-season tournament after appearing in the NCAA Tournament for two consecutive years (2007, 2008). They finished the season 19-12 overall and second in the Big West at 14-2.
Click here to view Kansas’ 2009-10 non-conference schedule.
