Neighbors Era Begins

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Four postseason teams, five new opponents and a trip to Kansas for the Big 12/SEC Challenge highlight the 2017 non-conference women’s basketball schedule this season.

Under the direction of new head coach Mike Neighbors, Arkansas hosts seven non-conference teams and faces seven others on the road in his first season as the Head Hog. The Southeastern Conference schedule has not been finalized yet and will be released as soon as it is completed.

Season tickets are on sale now and are available by calling the Razorback Ticket Center at 800-982-HOGS (4647) or 479-575-5151. Fans may also purchase season tickets online at ArkansasRazorbacks.com.

Ticket prices are just $75 for a reserved seat ($65 if you are also a men’s basketball season ticket holder) and $45 for general admission ($40 if you are a men’s basketball season ticket holder). Courtside seating is also available for $100. For more information or to order tickets, click here. Each season ticket includes an official Razorback women’s basketball game day T-shirt presented by Pepsi.

The season opens with one of the newest traditions in Razorback women’s basketball, Elementary Day, with Arkansas hosting Sam Houston State Nov. 10. This is the second consecutive year the Razorbacks have hosted the Bearkats for Elementary Day and the third consecutive year they have faced each other in the regular season.

A pair of first-time opponents in Samford (home) and Nebraska (away) are on the schedule for Nov. 12 and Nov. 16, respectively. It will be the Razorbacks’ first trip to Lincoln, Nebraska, as the series between these teams begins. The trip is the first of four consecutive opponents Arkansas faces away from home.

Trips to Oral Roberts, Nov. 20 and the UTEP Tournament Nov. 24-26, follow as the Razorbacks must endure a stretch of 13 days without a game in Bud Walton. The Razorbacks open Thanksgiving tournament action with host Texas El Paso and face New Mexico State for the first time in program history on Saturday.

Arkansas squeezes in a home game with Abilene Christian on Nov. 29. It is Arkansas’ first meeting with Abilene Christian. The Wildcats advanced to the second round of the WNIT last season and return eight players from a team that was 23-9 in 2017.

December opens with a trip to Lawrence, Kansas, for a match up with the Jayhawks in the fourth year of the Big 12/SEC Challenge. The Razorbacks have wins over Oklahoma and Texas Tech and suffered a close loss to No. 5 Texas in the series. Arkansas is 4-3 against Kansas and the Jayhawks return their leading scorer in Jessica Washington who tallied 17.1 points per game last year.

A first-ever meeting with UNC-Charlotte on Dec. 7 tips off a three-game home stand that includes Tulsa on Dec. 10, and Texas Arlington on Dec. 17.

A trip to Tempe, Arizona, for a match up with NCAA Tournament participant Arizona State on Dec. 21, is a rare Western adventure for the Razorbacks. It is just the second meeting between these teams with Arkansas getting an 85-63 victory in Tempe as part of the Dial Classic in 1989. The Sun Devils went 20-13 last year and return eight players this season.

The Razorbacks wrap up non-conference action hosting Grambling State on Dec. 28, as 2017 comes to a close. The Tigers reached the second round of the WNIT last year and return their three leading scorers from that team.

NOTES
• Arkansas faces three teams who participated in the WNIT (Abilene Christian, Grambling State, and UT Arlington).
• One NCAA Tournament team from 2017 (Arizona State, lost in first round).
• Facing five teams on the schedule for the first time in program history (Samford, Nebraska, New Mexico State, Abilene Christian, UNC-Charlotte).
• Arkansas is a combined 66-15 (81.5%) over the non-conference field.
• The SEC sent two teams (Alabama, Ole Miss) to the WNIT and eight (Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M) to the NCAA Tournament. South Carolina defeated Mississippi State for the National Championship.

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!-UTEP Thanksgiving Tournament (El Paso, Texas)
^-Big 12/SEC Challenge