University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Brandon Dill
Women’s Basketball Releases Non-Conference Dates
Jun 20, 2017 | Women's Basketball
The Tigers will have eight home non-conference games; will play two Power Five opponents
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis women's basketball team and head coach Melissa McFerrin have announced the 2017 non-conference dates and opponents Wednesday morning. The Tigers will play in eight home non-conference contests, three true road games, and in the Play4Kay Shootout in Las Vegas.
"This non-conference schedule is a challenging one that will help prepare us for the intensity of the American Athletic Conference, the fifth best women's basketball conference in the nation," said McFerrin. "The opportunity to compete at the Play4Kay Shootout in Las Vegas with some of the nation's best teams along with games against Power Five opponents in Vanderbilt and Illinois will test us early on before going into conference play."
Vanderbilt and Illinois, two Power Five schools Memphis defeated in 2016, return to the 2017 schedule. Other familiar foes from 2016 include Little Rock, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Illinois.
Memphis will host in-town opponent Christian Brothers on Nov. 2 for an exhibition game before the regular season begins at home against Ohio Valley foe Tennessee State on Nov. 10. The last meeting against the Tigers was in 2011 at home when Memphis defeated Tennessee State by an 88-64 margin. All-time, Memphis owns a 6-1 record against the Tennessee State Tigers.
The next week, Memphis will hit the road to take on Little Rock on Nov. 12 and Louisiana Tech on Nov. 16. The Trojans handed Memphis a 54-44 setback last year while the Tigers defeated the Lady Techsters at home by a score of 56-54, marking the first back-to-back wins over Louisiana Tech in program history. Little Rock went on to win the regular season in the Sun Belt as well as a first-round game in the WNIT.
Before a trip over Thanksgiving Break to Las Vegas to play three games in the Play4Kay Shootout, a traditional high-caliber tournament, Memphis will host Southern Illinois on Nov. 19. The Tigers lead that series 13-6 all-time.
Memphis will end its non-conference slate with five out of six games at home, beginning with a Nov. 29 game against IUPUI. This is the first meeting in school history against Jaguars.
December play will begin on the 3rd with a home game against Illinois, a team that Memphis defeated on the road at the State Farm Center by a 64-54 margin. It was the first win on the road at Illinois in school history and Memphis comes into this game with a two-game winning streak against the Illini. The contest against Illinois will be the Tigers' annual Victor Day, a game where the concept is to celebrate those who are in remission and give those still going through treatment a chance to enjoy a college women's basketball game. Associate head coach Danielle O'Banion spearheaded the game prior to returning to Memphis last season at Kent State.
UAB returns to the schedule for the first time since 2013 on Dec. 9 with a game at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse for Alumni Day. Memphis and UAB have a long history after competing in C-USA with each other for years. All-time, the Tigers lead the Blazers 31-20 including wins in the last five-straight games and seven out of the last 10.
Memphis will then hit the road for the final time during the non-conference slate on Dec. 16 to take on SEC foe Vanderbilt. Last year, the Tigers defended their home court on ESPNU with a commanding 75-59 win over the vote-receiving Commodores. Memphis rattled a 14-0 run early in the game and never looked back in the first victory over Vanderbilt in almost 30 seasons.
The non-conference schedule ends with a pair of games at home against Jackson State on Dec. 19 and Grambling on Dec. 21. Combined against these two squads Memphis is 12-1.
The American Athletic Conference dates have not been set, but as released in early June, the Tigers will have home-and-home games against East Carolina, Tulsa, UCF, UConn, and Wichita State, home-only games against SMU, USF, and Tulane, and road-only games against Cincinnati, Houston, and Temple.
"We are excited to get back on the court as we gladly welcome the return of all-conference players in Cheyenne Creighton and Brea Elmore as well as Ashia Jones, the fourth-leading scorer in the nation in 2014-15," added McFerrin. "We will return four starters from last season and welcome five newcomers in JuCo transfer Jasmine James, freshmen Alana Davis, Finess Dickson, and Jada Stinson, and Division I transfer Manaya Jones who are all passionate players with the drive and desire to win here at the University of Memphis."
To reserve your season tickets for the upcoming season, call the Memphis ticket office at 901-678-2331. For more information on the Memphis women's basketball team, follow the Tigers on Facebook and Twitter at @MemphisWBB.
"This non-conference schedule is a challenging one that will help prepare us for the intensity of the American Athletic Conference, the fifth best women's basketball conference in the nation," said McFerrin. "The opportunity to compete at the Play4Kay Shootout in Las Vegas with some of the nation's best teams along with games against Power Five opponents in Vanderbilt and Illinois will test us early on before going into conference play."
Vanderbilt and Illinois, two Power Five schools Memphis defeated in 2016, return to the 2017 schedule. Other familiar foes from 2016 include Little Rock, Louisiana Tech, and Southern Illinois.
Memphis will host in-town opponent Christian Brothers on Nov. 2 for an exhibition game before the regular season begins at home against Ohio Valley foe Tennessee State on Nov. 10. The last meeting against the Tigers was in 2011 at home when Memphis defeated Tennessee State by an 88-64 margin. All-time, Memphis owns a 6-1 record against the Tennessee State Tigers.
The next week, Memphis will hit the road to take on Little Rock on Nov. 12 and Louisiana Tech on Nov. 16. The Trojans handed Memphis a 54-44 setback last year while the Tigers defeated the Lady Techsters at home by a score of 56-54, marking the first back-to-back wins over Louisiana Tech in program history. Little Rock went on to win the regular season in the Sun Belt as well as a first-round game in the WNIT.
Before a trip over Thanksgiving Break to Las Vegas to play three games in the Play4Kay Shootout, a traditional high-caliber tournament, Memphis will host Southern Illinois on Nov. 19. The Tigers lead that series 13-6 all-time.
Memphis will end its non-conference slate with five out of six games at home, beginning with a Nov. 29 game against IUPUI. This is the first meeting in school history against Jaguars.
December play will begin on the 3rd with a home game against Illinois, a team that Memphis defeated on the road at the State Farm Center by a 64-54 margin. It was the first win on the road at Illinois in school history and Memphis comes into this game with a two-game winning streak against the Illini. The contest against Illinois will be the Tigers' annual Victor Day, a game where the concept is to celebrate those who are in remission and give those still going through treatment a chance to enjoy a college women's basketball game. Associate head coach Danielle O'Banion spearheaded the game prior to returning to Memphis last season at Kent State.
UAB returns to the schedule for the first time since 2013 on Dec. 9 with a game at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse for Alumni Day. Memphis and UAB have a long history after competing in C-USA with each other for years. All-time, the Tigers lead the Blazers 31-20 including wins in the last five-straight games and seven out of the last 10.
Memphis will then hit the road for the final time during the non-conference slate on Dec. 16 to take on SEC foe Vanderbilt. Last year, the Tigers defended their home court on ESPNU with a commanding 75-59 win over the vote-receiving Commodores. Memphis rattled a 14-0 run early in the game and never looked back in the first victory over Vanderbilt in almost 30 seasons.
The non-conference schedule ends with a pair of games at home against Jackson State on Dec. 19 and Grambling on Dec. 21. Combined against these two squads Memphis is 12-1.
The American Athletic Conference dates have not been set, but as released in early June, the Tigers will have home-and-home games against East Carolina, Tulsa, UCF, UConn, and Wichita State, home-only games against SMU, USF, and Tulane, and road-only games against Cincinnati, Houston, and Temple.
"We are excited to get back on the court as we gladly welcome the return of all-conference players in Cheyenne Creighton and Brea Elmore as well as Ashia Jones, the fourth-leading scorer in the nation in 2014-15," added McFerrin. "We will return four starters from last season and welcome five newcomers in JuCo transfer Jasmine James, freshmen Alana Davis, Finess Dickson, and Jada Stinson, and Division I transfer Manaya Jones who are all passionate players with the drive and desire to win here at the University of Memphis."
To reserve your season tickets for the upcoming season, call the Memphis ticket office at 901-678-2331. For more information on the Memphis women's basketball team, follow the Tigers on Facebook and Twitter at @MemphisWBB.
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