Big South releases 2016-17 women’s hoops schedule (HPU)

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Big South Conference has released the women’s basketball slate for the 2016-17 season. The High Point University women’s basketball team opens the 18-game schedule at home on Jan. 3 against Winthrop.

The conference schedule will once again feature a double-round robin slate with High Point playing each conference foe at home and away.

“I’m looking forward to this season,” head coach DeUnna Hendrix said. “The conference is competitive top to bottom, which will undoubtedly make this a fun year. I’m happy to get two of our first three conference games at home to help our confidence and comfort early.”

For the first time since 2010-11, the conference season won’t get underway until after New Years. The schedule also does not include byes as each team will play every Tuesday and Saturday through January and February. Also, two to-be-determined Saturday contests will be moved to Sunday afternoon to accommodate American Sports Network (ASN) broadcasts.

HPU kicks off 2017 hosting Winthrop in the Millis Center where the Panthers split their 10 home league games last season. Then, the Purple & White travel to Liberty on Saturday, Jan. 7 against perennial league contender.

On Tuesday, Jan. 10, Charleston Southern comes to the Triad before High Point spends the next two games on the road against the defending champion UNC Asheville (Jan. 14) and Radford (Jan. 17).

From there, the schedule alternates home and away for the next five contests as the Panthers host Gardner-Webb (Jan. 21) before visiting Campbell (Jan. 24). Next, Presbyterian (Jan. 28) and UNC Asheville (Feb. 4) sandwich their visits to the Millis Center around a trip to Longwood (Jan. 31).

Following that, the Purple & White are on the road the whole next week against Winthrop (Feb. 7) and Gardner-Webb (Feb. 11). High Point, then spends the week of Valentine’s Day at home against Liberty (Feb. 14) and Campbell (Feb. 18).

The Panthers round up the road slate with a trip to South Carolina to face Charleston Southern (Feb. 21) and Presbyterian (Feb. 25).

The schedule breaks from the mold as High Point plays a Monday night contest against Longwood in the Millis Center. The Purple & White wrap up the year with a Senior Night showdown against Radford on Saturday March 4.

This year, the Big South Tournament will be held in Lynchburg, Va. and hosted by Liberty on March 9-12 in the Vines Center. The two first-round contest will be played on Thursday, March 9 on the Big South Network with the next three days airing on ESPN3.