Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TX – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Wednesday that the women’s basketball team is scheduled to play 29 games leading up to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament, including 16 at home, starting on Nov. 9 against the University of South Florida, who are the defending American Athletic Conference Champions and made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
“We have a really nice schedule this year,” UTRGV Head Coach Lane Lord said. “Not only do we have new teams in our league for conference play, but we are also going to play some teams in the non-conference schedule that we haven’t played before. The most exciting thing is we got fans this year. We will have our band and our cheerleaders. We have a fantastic schedule, and we can’t wait to get going.”
The Vaqueros will remain on the road for matchups against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, as part of the South Texas Showdown presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union, on Nov. 14 and against Northern Colorado on Nov. 16 before kicking off their home slate against McNeese State on Nov. 21 at the UTRGV Fieldhouse.
The Vaqueros will have just one other non-conference road match when they visit Kansas on Dec. 1 and will have six other home games as part of their non-conference schedule.
UTRGV will face Southern Utah on Nov. 27, Houston Baptist on Dec. 6, and Incarnate Word on Dec. 11 before hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 14 at Bert Ogden Arena for the second straight season.
The Vaqueros will also welcome in UTSA on Dec. 17 and Liberty on Dec. 18, both of which will be part of the UTRGV South Padre Island Classic at the South Padre Island Convention Centre.
Western Athletic Conference play will kick off on Dec. 30 when UTRGV hosts Stephen F. Austin at the UTRGV Fieldhouse followed by a home matchup with Sam Houston on Jan. 1.
The Vaqueros will also host Utah Valley on Jan. 20, Dixie State on Jan. 22, Abilene Christian on Feb. 5, Seattle U on Feb. 10, California Baptist on Feb. 12, Tarleton on Feb. 24, and Lamar on Mar. 3.
UTRGV will make road trips to Grand Canyon on Jan. 6, New Mexico State on Jan. 8, Chicago State on Jan. 13, Abilene Christian on Jan. 27, Tarleton on Jan. 29, Lamar on Feb. 3, Seattle U on Feb. 16, Sam Houston on Feb. 19, and Stephen F. Austin on Mar. 5.
“I think it’s big time for the WAC,” Lord said. “The RPI of our conference just shot up shot up big time. Stephen F. Austin was a tournament team last year. Abilene Christian the year before. Five Texas teams added is huge. Our league has always been out west since I have been here and now, with us, we have six Texas teams out of the 13. It’s going to be a new flavor, new destinations, new venues, and we are looking forward to each one of those.”
The WAC Tournament will return to the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas from Mar. 9-12 with the winner earning a spot to the NCAA Tournament that runs from Mar. 18-April 3.
Complete Schedule
Date Opponent Site Time (CT)
NOVEMBER
6 Dallas Christian (Exhibition) UTRGV Fieldhouse 6:30 p.m.
9 South Florida Tampa, Fla. TBA
South Texas Showdown, Presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union
14 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi 2 p.m.
16 Northern Colorado Greeley, Colo. 6 p.m.
21 McNeese State UTRGV Fieldhouse 2 p.m.
27 Southern Utah UTRGV Fieldhouse 1 p.m.
DECEMBER
1 Kansas Lawrence, Kan. 7 p.m.
6 Houston Baptist UTRGV Fieldhouse 6 p.m.
11 Incarnate Word UTRGV Fieldhouse 1 p.m.
South Texas Showdown, Presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union
14 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Bert Ogden Arena 5 p.m.
South Padre Island Classic
17 Grand Canyon vs. Liberty South Padre Island 3 p.m.
17 UTSA South Padre Island 6 p.m.
18 Liberty South Padre Island 1 p.m.
18 Grand Canyon vs. UTSA South Padre Island 4 p.m.
30 Stephen F. Austin* UTRGV Fieldhouse 7 p.m.
JANUARY
1 Sam Houston* UTRGV Fieldhouse 2 p.m.
6 Grand Canyon* Phoenix, Ariz. 8 p.m.
8 New Mexico State* Las Cruces, N.M. TBA
13 Chicago State* Chicago, IL 6 p.m.
20 Utah Valley* UTRGV Fieldhouse 7 p.m.
22 Dixie State* UTRGV Fieldhouse 2 p.m.
27 Abilene Christian* Abilene 6 p.m.
29 Tarleton* Stephenville 2 p.m.
FEBRUARY
3 Lamar* Beaumont TBA
5 Abilene Christian* UTRGV Fieldhouse 2 p.m.
10 Seattle U* UTRGV Fieldhouse 7 p.m.
12 California Baptist* UTRGV Fieldhouse 2 p.m.
16 Seattle U* Seattle, Wash. TBA
19 Sam Houston* Huntsville TBA
24 Tarleton* UTRGV Fieldhouse 7 p.m.
MARCH
3 Lamar* UTRGV Fieldhouse 7 p.m.
5 Stephen F. Austin* Nacogdoches TBA
9 WAC Tournament First Round Las Vegas, Nev.
10 WAC Tournament Quarterfinals Las Vegas, Nev. 2/4:30/8/10:30 p.m.
11 WAC Tournament Semifinals Las Vegas, Nev. 2/4:30 p.m.
12 WAC Tournament Championship Las Vegas, Nev. 4 p.m.
18-19 NCAA Tournament Round of 64 Regional Sites TBA
20-21 NCAA Tournament Round of 32 Regional Sites TBA
25-26 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Regional Sites TBA
27-28 NCAA Tournament Elite 8 Regional Sites TBA
APRIL
1 NCAA Tournament Final Four Minneapolis, Minn. TBA
3 NCAA Tournament Championship Minneapolis, Minn. TBA
 Department of Intercollegiate Athletics announced on Wednesday that the women’s basketball team is scheduled to play 29 games leading up to the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tournament){kind=link}