July 6, 2010

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WACO, Texas - The Baylor women's basketball team will play its most challenging non-conference schedule in program history when it takes on five teams that saw 2010 NCAA Tournament action, including national champion Connecticut, and a squad that played in the Postseason WNIT. NCAA Tournament teams facing Baylor this season include Connecticut, Liberty, Notre Dame, Michigan State and Tennessee while Syracuse competed in the Postseason WNIT.

Baylor's home slate features four teams that posted over 23 wins last season and two teams with 25 or more wins appear on its road schedule. Lady Bear head coach Kim Mulkey will put her 116-8 regular-season non-conference mark on the line against some very stiff competition. However, the Lady Bears return four starters, guards Kelli Griffin, Melissa Jones and Shanay Washington and All-American post Brittney Griner, off last season's NCAA Championship Final Four team that finished the year with a 27-10 mark.

"We have assembled the toughest non-conference schedule in program history. I feel that our program is at a point that we will benefit tremendously by playing a tough schedule. In addition to playing at Connecticut, we've got Tennessee and Notre Dame, among others, coming to the Ferrell Center. Baylor fans will see a lot of All-Americans playing in Waco this season," said Mulkey.

After home exhibition games against St. Edward's University (Nov. 1) and Texas A&M International (Nov. 5), the Lady Bears open the regular season for the second straight year hosting the World Vision Invitational. Joining Baylor for the Nov. 12-14 action will be Florida International (14-16), Montana State (18-14) and Rice (13-17).

Baylor then travels to Hartford, Conn., for a Nov. 16 contest against defending national champion Connecticut. The Huskies cruised through the 2009-10 season with a perfect 39-0 mark and enter the upcoming season riding a 78-game win streak - the longest in NCAA Division I women's basketball history. Connecticut defeated Baylor in the NCAA Tournament semifinals in San Antonio on April 4, 70-50. UConn will be led by senior forward and two-time Wade Trophy winner Maya Moore who will have help from the backcourt of Tiffany Hayes and Caroline Doty. Moore led the Huskies in scoring with 18.9 points a game and also contributed 8.3 rebounds a contest.

The Lady Bears return home for seven straight contests beginning with a Nov. 19 matchup with Michigan State as part of the Big 6 Challenge. The Spartans were 23-10 last season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament's second round before losing to Kentucky. Texas Southern (13-18) visits the Ferrell Center on Nov. 23, then the Lady Bears face a Nov. 26 contest against Liberty University. The Flames were 27-6 in 2009-10 after losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Lady Bears' final game of the month will be on Nov. 28 when they host Southeastern Louisiana (12-18).

December begins with Baylor hosting Notre Dame on Dec. 1, the Irish return two starters off last season's 29-6 squad which advanced to the NCAA's Sweet 16 for the eighth time. Notre Dame will be led by sophomore guard Skylar Diggins, an AP All-America honorable mention, who averaged 13.9 points, 3.2 assists and 2.6 steals a game.

Minnesota travels to Waco for a Dec. 5 contest as part of the Big 10-Big 12 Challenge. The Golden Gophers were 13-17 last season and will be led by junior guard Kiara Buford who started in every game and was the team's leading scorer with 13.1 points per game.

The Tennessee Lady Vols make their first Ferrell Center appearance on Dec. 14. Baylor and Tennessee split their two games last season, the Lady Vols won the season opener in Knoxville (74-65) while the Lady Bears downed Tennessee in the NCAA's Sweet 16 in Memphis, Tenn., 77-62. Tennessee, 32-3 last season, will be led by senior guard Angie Bjorklund and junior guard Shekinna Stricklen both of whom earned AP All-American honorable mention status. Bjorklund led the team in scoring with 13.9 points a game while Stricklen was second in scoring at 12.7 a game and dished out a team-high 3.9 assists a contest.

Baylor makes is second and final regular-season non-conference road trip when it travels to Nassau, Bahamas, for the Bahamas Sunsplash Shootout Dec. 21-22. On Dec. 21 the Lady Bears will take on a Syracuse (25-11) squad that advanced to the quarterfinals of the Postseason WNIT, then face Clemson on Dec. 22. The Tigers were 13-18 last season and will be guided by first-year head coach, and former Clemson player, Itoro Umoh Coleman.

The Lady Bears close out their non-conference schedule with a home contest against UT-Pan American (13-17) on Dec. 30.

Baylor's 16-game Big 12 slate will be announced at a later date. The Lady Bears play home and away games against Big 12 South foes Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech, will host Iowa State, Kansas State and Missouri and play at Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska.

2010-11 Baylor Lady Bear
Non-Conference Basketball Schedule