The Pacific women's basketball team announced its 2014-15 non-conference schedule Thursday with seven home games at the Alex G. Spanos Center, including a match-up against California.
The Tigers will face four post-season teams in non-conference play, as Cal advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, while Hawai'i, Iona, and Montana all joined Pacific in last season's WNIT.
"The non-conference schedule for 2014-2015 will be a solid challenge for us," head coach Lynne Roberts said. "We are playing four teams that made the post-season last year. Having Cal at home during our opening weekend is a great challenge and will let us know early where we stand. Montana and Iona are both fantastic programs with post-season expectations that we will play at home, and we will continue with our rivalries at UC Davis and Nevada on the road. I'm really looking forward to the season and feel like our non-conference schedule will be very strong preparation for us before we head into the incredibly competitive West Coast Conference."
Pacific opens play with a home exhibition against San Francisco State (Nov. 7) before hosting Cal State Stanislaus in the regular season opener (Nov. 14). The Tigers also opened last season against the Warriors, with the Tigers jumping out to a 1-0 start behind a 95-65 home-court win.
Cal visits the Spanos Center on Sunday, Nov. 16, as the Tigers look to avenge last year's overtime loss to the Golden Bears. Pacific pushed the then-No. 21 ranked Bears into an extra period before coming up two points short on the road. It will be the fourth straight season Pacific has faced a Pac-12 opponent at home, after posting wins over Arizona State in 2012, falling to Utah in 2013 (after defeating Washington on the road), and downing Arizona last season.
Pacific finishes off a four-game home stand to start the regular season with games against a pair of WNIT participants from last season: Montana (Nov. 21) and Iona (Nov. 23). The Tigers faced Iona last season in New Rochelle, but will be meeting Montana for the first time since 1999, and the first time at home since an overtime win at the Spanos Center in 1982.
The Tigers hit the road to meet former Big West rival UC Davis on Nov. 29. The Tigers won the first non-conference meeting with the Aggies since Pacific joined the West Coast Conference last season, 86-78, at home on Nov. 11.
On Dec. 2, Pacific heads to Nevada to renew a series with the Wolfpack. The Tigers are coming off back-to-back wins over Nevada, including a final minute comeback to erase a 10-point Wolfpack lead for an overtime victory in 2011 and a home win in 2012. The Tigers lead the all-time series 14-12.
Pacific will face Hawai'i for the third-straight season. The Tigers and Rainbow Wahine met for the first time in 16 years in 2013, when Hawai'i joined the Big West and the two teams split the season series. Hawai'i took a game in the Spanos Center last year, with the Tigers returning the trip this season on the island Dec. 6.
The Tigers return to the Spanos Center for a pair of home games: facing Cal Maritime for the first time in program history on Dec. 12, and Utah State for the first time since 2007 on Dec. 16.
Pacific's final non-conference games will come at the Long Beach State Classic, where the Tigers will meet New Mexico State (Dec. 19) and Long Beach State (Dec. 20). The duo of former Big West members gives Pacific a total of six games against former BWC members (UC Davis, Hawai'i and LBSU are current members, Nevada, Utah State and New Mexico State are former members). The Tigers last faced New Mexico State in the 1999-2000 season. Pacific faced Florida State and Richmond at LBSU's Walter Pyramid last season in tournament action, but did not face the 49ers. Long Beach and Pacific have met 61 times, with the last in 2013 at Long Beach.
The West Coast Conference schedule has not been announced, but the conference will begin action on Dec. 27. The WCC schedule, as well as game times, will be announced at a later date.
Pacific finished 18-13 last season, including 12-6 in the Tigers' debut season in the WCC. The Tigers return 11 players from last season's roster, including three starters --
Madison Parrish,
Kendall Kenyon and
Hailie Eackles, as well as 2012-13 starter
Gena Johnson.
2014-15 Pacific Women's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule
Fri., November 7, 2014 vs San Francisco State (Exhibition Game)
Fri., November 14, 2014 vs Cal State Stanislaus
Sun., November 16, 2014 vs Cal
Fri., November 21, 2014 vs Montana
Sun., November 23, 2014 vs Iona
Sat., November 29, 2014 at UC Davis
Tues., December 2, 2014 at Nevada
Sat., December 6, 2014 at Hawaii
Fri., December 12, 2014 vs Cal Maritime
Tues., December 16, 2014 vs Utah State
Fri., December 19, 2014 vs New Mexico State (Long Beach State Classic)
Sat., December 20, 2014 at Long Beach State (Long Beach State Classic)