OU women’s non-league hoops schedule

Oklahoma’s non-conference women’s basketball schedule was released on Wednesday. The highlight is home games against perennial power Connecticut and defending Big Ten champion Ohio State.

OU’s strength of schedule consistently has been one of the toughest in the nation, ranking in the top 10 each of the past four seasons and five of the past six.

“We will have a young team that will be forced to grow up quickly,” said OU coach Sherri Coale. “The Big 12 conference is unforgiving. It’s imperative that we prepare ourselves for the grind of league play and ultimately for the climb of March in the NCAA tournament.”

The highlight non-league game will be Feb. 13 when OU hosts coach Geno Auriemma’s Connecticut Huskies for the Pack the Place Pink.

The official season opener is Nov. 13 when OU hosts Sacramento State. The Sooners then travel to New Mexico at “The Pit” in Albuquerque (Nov. 19) and will play in Vanderbilt’s Thanksgiving weekend tournament (Nov. 25-26).

Ohio State visits Dec. 4 for the Big 12/Big Ten Challenge. The Sooners play Dec. 8 at Fresno State and return to host Wisconsin-Milwaukee Dec. 11.

Before winter break the Sooners play Dec. 18-20 in Las Vegas against Syracuse, Ohio and Xavier. After the break, OU hosts TCU on Dec. 28.