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Sept. 15, 2008

Tulane 2008-09 Women's Basketball Schedule

NEW ORLEANS - Tulane University announced its 2008-09 women's basketball schedule Monday, with at least 10 games against NCAA Tournament teams. The Green Wave are slated to host four tournaments, beginning with the Preseason WNIT, continuing through the holidays with the Tulane DoubleTree Classic and the UNO-Tulane Big Easy Classic, and culminating with the 2009 Conference USA Tournament.

"We're very excited about this schedule, which we think is very competitive. We have 10 games or more against NCAA Tournament opponents, and four home tournaments bring a variety of entertaining opponents to Fogelman Arena," head coach Lisa Stockton said. "We have a great opener as a host for the Preseason WNIT, and continue through to host the Conference USA tournament in March. Hopefully, we can repeat the excitement and the results of the last time we hosted the C-USA tournament."

Tulane will play at least 10 games against NCAA tournament teams from a year ago, with non-conference meetings against LSU of the SEC, the ACC's Georgia Tech, Temple of the Atlantic 10, Missouri Valley champion Illinois State, SWAC champion Jackson State and two meetings each with C-USA foes SMU and UTEP. The Green Wave will face either Arizona State or Cleveland State, both NCAA teams, in the second round of the Preseason WNIT. The Preseason WNIT also includes fellow NCAA Tournament teams Liberty, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Robert Morris and Xavier.

The Green Wave will face a pair of Postseason WNIT teams from 2008, in home games against South Florida and Southern Miss, and have five WNIT teams from 2008 as potential Preseason WNIT opponents (Indiana, Middle Tennessee State, VCU, and Western Carolina).

The Green Wave open the season at home against Illinois State in the Preseason NIT. Should the Green Wave advance, they will face the winner of Arizona State vs Cleveland State, with the site yet to be determined. Tulane is guaranteed at least three games, so the Wave could host a four-team tournament in the consolation bracket of the WNIT should the Wave fall to Illinois State.

Following the Preseason WNIT, Tulane returns to Baton Rouge to face LSU on Nov. 24 before playing host to Louisiana-Lafayette on Nov. 26. On Nov. 29, the Wave travel to Monroe for a game against Louisiana-Monroe.

Tulane and UNO will co-host the UNO-Tulane Big Easy Classic at Fogelman Arena and Lake Front Arena. The Green Wave will host two games on Friday, Dec. 5. The Privateers take on Indiana State followed by Tulane against Jackson State. On Saturday, Dec. 6, the action moves to Lake Front Arena, as the Wave face Indiana State.

After a break for finals, Tulane hits the road for a Dec. 17 contest at Nicholls State, and then will host the 2008 Tulane DoubleTree Classic. The Green Wave face Alabama State on Dec. 20, with Southeast Missouri State taking on Providence of the Big East. The championship and consolation games are slated for Dec. 21.

Temple visits Fogelman Arena on Dec. 28, with South Florida making a trip to New Orleans on Dec. 30.

The Green Wave open C-USA play at UTEP on Jan. 2, and will continue on the road for a non-conference game at Georgia Tech on Jan 4.

Tulane then has a five-game C-USA home stand, facing Houston (Jan. 2), Rice (Jan. 4), UTEP (Jan. 18 on ESPN2), SMU (Jan. 22) and Tulsa (Jan. 24) before playing five of the next six on the road.

The Wave opens the road trip at UAB (Jan. 29), then visits Memphis (Jan. 31) and Marshall (Feb. 5). Following a home game on Feb. 8 against East Carolina, the Wave visit Houston (Feb. 12) and Rice (Feb. 14).

Southern Miss visits Fogelman Arena on Feb. 19, with UCF rounding out the home weekend on Feb. 21. Tulane's final regular-season games will be a C-USA road trip at SMU (Feb. 26) and at Tulsa (Feb. 28).

The Green Wave will be the host for the Conference USA championship on March 5-8.

Tulane finished last season at 16-14, but won four of their final six regular season Conference USA games. Tulane will return nine players from last season's squad, with three newcomers joining the active roster in 2008-09.