Photo by: Juan DeLeon/Juan DeLeon Creative
Cougars Announce 11 Game Non-Con Schedule
9/6/2023 2:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Houston opens season with six-straight home games, longest opening stretch in program history
HOUSTON – The Houston Women's Basketball team released its 2023-24 non-conference schedule, which includes six consecutive home games to open the season, on Wednesday.
The six home games in Fertitta Center to start the season is the longest homestand at the beginning of the season in program history.
Houston opens the season with Air Force on Nov. 10, marking the first meeting between the Cougars and Falcons. The Cougars will play the Bearkats of Sam Houston for the first time since 2002 a few days later on Nov. 14. Houston's third game in nine days to open the season brings Grambling State to Houston for the first meeting between the two schools on Nov. 19.
New Orleans comes to Fertitta Center the Sunday after Thanksgiving on Nov. 26. It marks the second-ever meeting and the first in Houston between the two schools.
A rematch with Middle Tennessee is set for Nov. 29 in Fertitta Center. The Cougars and Blue Raiders went down to the wire in Murfreesboro, Tenn., in 2022 with Middle Tennessee winning by seven after Houston outscored the hosts 19-6 in the fourth quarter.
The sixth and final game of the season-opening homestand to open the 2023-24 season bleeds into December as Florida A&M plays in Fertitta Center on Dec. 3.
Houston and Texas A&M Commerce continue their affair on Dec. 8 after Houston won the first meeting since 1976 last year in 2022 with this year's game in Commerce, Texas.
A Third Ward battle between Houston and Texas Southern is slated for Dec. 12 in Fertitta Center.
Two road games in four days takes Houston east to UTSA on Dec. 14 and then to Pullman, Wash., for a rematch with Washington State on Dec. 17.
The final non-conference game of the year has Rice coming to Fertitta Center on Dec. 20 for the first time in facility history and the first game between the Cougars and Owls at Houston since 2014.
In July, Houston and the Big 12 Conference released the 2023-24 Conference Schedule Matrix. Opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitive balance. A full Big 12 schedule will be released at a later date.
In the Cougars' inaugural season in the Big 12, Houston will host every Big 12 school in Texas, including hosting Texas for the first time since 1998.
Houston will play a home-and-away game against Baylor, BYU, TCU, Texas Tech and UCF. The Cougars will play home games only against Cincinnati, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas and road games only against Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia.
Big 12 Conference game dates and times will be announced at a later date.
Big 12 Schedule Superlatives
SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
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Fans are invited to join the Fast Break Club to support Houston Women's Basketball. Fast Break Club members provide financial support directly to Houston Women's Basketball for needs beyond the program's operating budget. For more information about the Fast Break Club, click here.
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The six home games in Fertitta Center to start the season is the longest homestand at the beginning of the season in program history.
Houston opens the season with Air Force on Nov. 10, marking the first meeting between the Cougars and Falcons. The Cougars will play the Bearkats of Sam Houston for the first time since 2002 a few days later on Nov. 14. Houston's third game in nine days to open the season brings Grambling State to Houston for the first meeting between the two schools on Nov. 19.
New Orleans comes to Fertitta Center the Sunday after Thanksgiving on Nov. 26. It marks the second-ever meeting and the first in Houston between the two schools.
A rematch with Middle Tennessee is set for Nov. 29 in Fertitta Center. The Cougars and Blue Raiders went down to the wire in Murfreesboro, Tenn., in 2022 with Middle Tennessee winning by seven after Houston outscored the hosts 19-6 in the fourth quarter.
The sixth and final game of the season-opening homestand to open the 2023-24 season bleeds into December as Florida A&M plays in Fertitta Center on Dec. 3.
Houston and Texas A&M Commerce continue their affair on Dec. 8 after Houston won the first meeting since 1976 last year in 2022 with this year's game in Commerce, Texas.
A Third Ward battle between Houston and Texas Southern is slated for Dec. 12 in Fertitta Center.
Two road games in four days takes Houston east to UTSA on Dec. 14 and then to Pullman, Wash., for a rematch with Washington State on Dec. 17.
The final non-conference game of the year has Rice coming to Fertitta Center on Dec. 20 for the first time in facility history and the first game between the Cougars and Owls at Houston since 2014.
In July, Houston and the Big 12 Conference released the 2023-24 Conference Schedule Matrix. Opponents were selected based on a combination of geography, historical results and a poll of the coaches to best balance the schedule in terms of travel and competitive balance. A full Big 12 schedule will be released at a later date.
In the Cougars' inaugural season in the Big 12, Houston will host every Big 12 school in Texas, including hosting Texas for the first time since 1998.
Houston will play a home-and-away game against Baylor, BYU, TCU, Texas Tech and UCF. The Cougars will play home games only against Cincinnati, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas and road games only against Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia.
Big 12 Conference game dates and times will be announced at a later date.
Big 12 Schedule Superlatives
- Houston and Texas will meet for the first time since 1999.
- The Cougars won the last meeting in Houston against Texas in 1998, 61-52 for their third-ever win against the Longhorns.
- The Cougars won the most recent meeting with Texas Tech, 79-75 in 2017.
- From 1984-92, Houston won 19 straight meetings against Baylor and is 33-14 all-time against the Bears with all but one meting happening before the turn of the century.
- Houston's .702 winning percentage against Baylor is the best winning percentage against Big 12 teams with at least five all-time meetings.
- The Cougars' second-best winning percentage against Big 12 teams (minimum five meetings) is 29-14 (.674) against TCU which includes three consecutive wins over a ranked Horned Frogs squad in 2004 when both schools were in Conference USA.
- Kansas is 6-0 against Houston.
- Kansas State handed Houston its only loss by more than seven points in 2022-23 and is 2-0 all-time against the Cougars.
- Houston is 2-2 all-time against Oklahoma but is on a two-game winning streak under head coach Ronald Hughey winning the 2019 and 2020 meetings.
- The Cougars and Cowgirls have not played since 1993 and Oklahoma State is 2-0 all-time in the two meetings.
- Houston won both meetings against Cincinnati and UCF in 2022-23 topping UCF holding both under 40 points in each meeting.
- Hughey is 3-4 all-time against old Big 12 teams (not including BYU, Cincinnati and UCF).
- Houston is 2-0 all-time against BYU with both meetings happening before 1990.
- Houston and Iowa State have never played.
- Oklahoma (17), Texas (19) and Iowa State (25) were ranked in the final 2022-23 Coaches Poll.
- Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, Baylor and Kansas all finished with winning records in conference play in 2022-23.
- Kansas rattled off six-straight wins to win the WNIT.
SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference. Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win in the Big 12. Click here to rise and be counted.
JOIN the FAST BREAK CLUB
Fans are invited to join the Fast Break Club to support Houston Women's Basketball. Fast Break Club members provide financial support directly to Houston Women's Basketball for needs beyond the program's operating budget. For more information about the Fast Break Club, click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarWBB on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarWBB or on the team's Instagram page at @UHCougarWBB.
– UHCougars.com –
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