Women's Basketball Announces 2014-15 Schedule

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Seven games against teams that took part in postseason play last season highlight the 2014-15 UNC Asheville women's basketball schedule that was announced by third-year head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick today.

The Bulldogs made great strides last season as they improved from 2-28 in 2012-13 to 11-20. Asheville hopes to continue that trend this season but will face a tough non-conference schedule.

"We are working hard in our preseason to prepare for the non-conference challenges that we have on our schedule this season,” stated Kirkpatrick. “Our returning experience will be needed as we have a few more road challenges than we have in the past.”

Asheville will play an exhibition game at Kimmel Arena against Brevard College on Nov. 8 before opening the season at home against East Tennessee State on Nov. 14.

"Our fans will get an early look at our team in our exhibition game versus Brevard which also gives us the opportunity to work in front of a crowd before our home opener against ETSU the following week,” added Kirkpatrick.

The Bulldogs' first two road games will be against teams that played in the WNIT last season as Asheville travels to North Carolina A&T (Nov. 18) and South Florida (Nov. 22). Kirkpatick's club returns home to face Barton (Nov. 24) and makes another trip down east to face North Carolina Central (Nov. 28).

The Blue & White open Big South Conference play on Dec. 1 at Kimmel against Charleston Southern. This year's Big South Conference schedule will see the league return to a round-robin schedule that will have everybody playing one other twice.

“Once again we are playing all of our Big South Conference friends home and away, which promotes tremendous competition and certainly produces a true champion at the end of the season,” commented Kirkpatrick.

The Bulldogs entertain Wofford (Dec. 6) before playing at Furman (Dec. 10) and league foe Longwood (Dec. 14). Asheville edged the Paladins last year, 69-66, when Paige Love hit a half-court shot at the buzzer. Furman advanced to the WNIT in 2014.

The Bulldogs host mountain rival Western Carolina (Dec. 17) in an Education Game starting at 11:30 a.m. Asheville's pre-Christmas schedule finishes with a game at USC Upstate (Dec. 21).

Following Christmas, Asheville welcomes Liberty to Kimmel Arena (Jan. 30). The Bulldogs embark on a three-game road swing to open 2015 as they'll play at Presbyterian College (Jan. 3), Winthrop (Jan. 8) and Campbell (Jan. 10).

Asheville's first home game in 2015 will be against defending Big South Conference regular-season champion and WNIT participant High Point (Jan. 13). The Bulldogs play at Gardner-Webb (Jan. 17) but return home to play six of their next eight games at Kimmel Arena, including a date with defending BSC champion Winthrop (Feb. 7).

Asheville's final home game is Feb. 21 versus Gardner-Webb, which will be homecoming. Kirkpatrick's club finishes the regular season with road games at Radford (Feb. 24) and Coastal Carolina (Feb. 28).

The Bulldogs will then compete in the Big South Conference Championships at Coastal Carolina (March 3-8).