SAN ANTONIO — Eleven postseason teams from 2011, a pair of holiday tournaments and 18 home games highlight the 2011-12 UTSA women’s basketball schedule that was released by head coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair on Wednesday.
“This is certainly a tough schedule and shows we have a lot of confidence in our team,” said Rippetoe-Blair, who is in her 12th season. “Opening up with Missouri and then a road game at TCU, we’ll have to be ready to play right away. We have an opportunity to play at some tough road venues and we should be prepared for anything once conference play starts.”
The program's quest for its third NCAA Tournament appearance in the last five seasons begins with a Nov. 5 exhibition game against McMurry at the Convocation Center.
The regular-season slate opens less than a week later when Missouri comes to the Alamo City for a Nov. 11 matchup. The Roadrunners' first road test comes three days later at TCU. UTSA then returns home for a Nov. 18 contest against Florida International before a trip Las Vegas to face UNLV four days later.
The annual UTSA Thanksgiving Classic begins a stretch in which UTSA plays eight of 10 contests at home. The Birds will host South Alabama (Nov. 25) and Detroit (Nov. 26) as part of their annual Thanksgiving tournament before heading to Los Angeles to take on USC on Nov. 30.
UTSA opens December with four consecutive home games, including matchups with Houston (Dec. 4), Wichita State (Dec. 9), Creighton (Dec. 20) and Texas-Pan American (Dec. 21), with the latter pair as part of the UTSA Holiday Classic.
The last month of the calendar year closes with matchups against two Texas schools.
UTSA will head to the Metroplex for a Dec. 28 tilt at SMU before returning home for a game with Rice two days later.
The start of Southland play corresponds with the new year and the Roadrunners will open at home with Sam Houston State on Jan. 7. The first league road tilt comes four days later at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Other conference home games include Stephen F. Austin (Jan. 14), I-35 rival Texas State (Jan. 21), Lamar (Feb. 4), defending Regular Season and Tournament Champion McNeese State (Feb. 15), Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Feb. 22), Central Arkansas (Feb. 29) and the regular-season finale against UT Arlington (March 3).
UTSA’s league road schedule includes trips to Northwestern State (Jan. 18), Sam Houston State (Jan. 28), Southeastern Louisiana (Feb. 8), Stephen F. Austin (Feb. 11), Nicholls (Feb. 18) and Texas State (Feb. 25).
The Southland Tournament is slated for March 6-9 in Katy.
