Lady'Backs announce basketball non-conference schedule

FAYETTEVILLE – A new format for exhibition games and home dates with familiar faces highlight the 2005-06 University of Arkansas women’s basketball non-conference schedule. For the 30th anniversary of Lady Razorback basketball, Arkansas has some nostalgic foes in the early season, including the season opener at old Southwest Conference rival Southern Methodist on Nov. 18 at venerable Moody Coliseum. Also for the first time since the early days of women’s hoops at UA, the Lady’Backs play other American colleges for its two exhibition games. Arkansas hosts nearby Cameron University on Nov. 6 at 2 p.m. followed by Missouri Southern on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. Another familiar face serves as the regular season home opener for Arkansas as former all-conference Lady’Back Blair Savage brings her Memphis Lady Tigers to Walton Arena on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. The Lady’Backs take the first of two major road trips by heading to the Pacific Northwest to return a game with Pac-10 power Oregon on Nov. 25. The road swing finishes with a game at Portland State on Nov. 26. Arkansas enjoys six home games in the next seven contests before the holiday break, starting with SWAC power Grambling on Nov. 29. The Lady’Backs resume their series with Tulsa on Dec. 1, then host Missouri-Kansas City on Dec. 4. A trip to Western Kentucky on Dec. 6 closes out the pre-fall semester final exams portion of the schedule. The Lady’Backs return to the court at The Summit in Hot Springs, Ark., to face Nicholls State on Dec. 15 as Arkansas’ annual appearance in the central portion of the state. Games back in Fayetteville against Texas-Pan American on Dec. 18 and New Orleans on Dec. 21 take the Lady’Backs to the holiday break. Miami, Fla., is the final pre-conference destination for Arkansas as the Lady’Backs travel to the Florida International Tournament on Dec. 29-30. The SEC portion of the Arkansas schedule has not been released by the conference office, but the Lady’Backs will play 14-straight in league play once the conference schedule begins during the week of Jan. 5, 2006. The SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament returns to ALLTEL Arena in North Little Rock, Ark., March 4-7.