UAPB Women Hoops Announce Schedule for 2023-2024 Campaign

WBB Story release

PINE BLUFF, AR – With less than a month away from the first tip-off of the 2023-2024 campaign, head coach Dawn Thornton and company anticipates what should be an exciting season for UAPB after a miraculous title run that came up just short back in March.

Thornton enters her fifth season with the program and expects to take the excitement of the team’s play to a higher level. Returning more than 10 players from a season ago, the team’s chemistry should gel very well.

The Lady Lions open the season on the west coast as they take on Oregon State (Nov. 6) and Oregon (Nov. 8). After a little more than a week off, UAPB defends the den for the first time at H.O. Clemmons Arena, as they will host Texas A&M-Texarkana in their home opener (Nov. 18).

Following the Thanksgiving holidays, Lady Lions will play in the Van Chancellor Classic tournament in Katy, Texas, to take on Tulsa (Nov. 24) and Power-5 opponents Mississippi State (Nov. 25) and Clemson (Nov. 26).

UAPB will then return to the Natural State for in-state competition as they hit the road to face Arkansas State (Nov. 28) before returning home to host Arkansas Baptist (Dec. 1).

The Lady Lions head back to Texas for the second time during non-conference play to battle with SMU (Dec. 4) and North Texas (Dec. 6).

For the third straight season, UAPB will face in-state rival and SEC opponent Arkansas (Dec. 10) before returning home for another exciting contest welcoming Ole Miss to Pine Bluff (Dec. 21). This will be back-to-back seasons the Lady Lions have hosted an SEC/Power-5 opponent in H.O. Clemmons Arena.

The Lady Lions hope to carry the momentum of the season into 2024 as they travel to McNeese State on New Year’s Eve for their final non-conference matchup of the season.

UAPB transitions into conference play after the new year with Alabama A&M (Jan. 6) and Alabama State (Jan. 8) coming to town. Following those games, the Lady Lions travel to Texas to face Texas Southern (Jan. 13) and Prairie View (Jan. 15), before returning to H.O. Clemmons to meet Florida A&M (Jan. 20) and Bethune Cookman (Jan. 22).

Near the midway point of conference play, the Lady Lions go on a three-game road trip to Southern (Jan. 27), Grambling State (Jan. 29), and Mississippi Valley State (Feb. 3). Alcorn State (Feb. 10) then visits UAPB before the defending SWAC champions Jackson State (Feb. 12) arrives.

Three of the final seven regular-season games will be at home, and following the season will be the SWAC championships in Birmingham, Ala. from March 13 to March 16.