Gotta calendar handy? We don’t have all the nonconference skeds in yet. We’re still waiting on Virginia, Virginia Tech, Hampton, VCU and Longwood to reveal theirs. In the meantime, we’ll give you a few dates to chew on as we draw closer to the 2017-18 WBB season.
JMU’s Logan Reynolds surrounded by the Lady Vol trees.
James Madison at Tennessee, Nov. 15: We were up close last year for the Dukes’ near upset of the Lady Vols fueled by the first of many other-worldly performances by Precious Hall. We miss the CAA’s Player of the Year already, but we are jazzed about JMU heading to Thompson-Boling to tackle a Tennessee team that continues to confound rather than contend.The Lady Vols play eight of their first 11 at home (they go to Mexico for Thanksgiving), and JMU is the second date on their schedule. Truth be told, we think the Lady Vols’ bigs might be too big for the Dukes. Nine of 11 players on Tennessee’s roster tower 6-foot or above. In addition to 6-6 Mercedes Russell, we’re eager to get a look at the top freshman post in the class of 2017, 6-4 center Kasi Kushkituah, nicknamed Keyonce (we bet you know why). Any chance at picking off Tennessee is a good one, and early is the best time to do it. As far as Dukes up close, Florida State comes to town in another dandy on Dec. 3. Kudos to the Dukes, who also face dates with Villanova, Rutgers, St. John’s and Dayton.
George Mason at Michigan, Nov. 10, Preseason WNIT: So, the Patriots had the marquee pickup of the offseason in former UConn Husky Natalie Butler, 6-5. We’re anticipating a matchup with Michigan’s Halle Thome, also 6-5, a Big Ten first-teamer who amassed 1,000 points just last season. We’ll get our first glimpse of just how much Butler might impact a Patriot team that still needs to find a way to break into the upper tier of the Atlantic 10.
Natalie Butler
N.C. State/Duke at Old Dominion, Nov. 20 and 22: It’s a trim roster for the Lady Monarchs (10 players that include walk-on Ashley Jackson and two freshmen) and the stands have also slimmed down over the years for what’s frankly been a lackluster home schedule for the Lady Monarchs. The ACC returns to the TED for a pair here, and we look forward to seeing the beginning of the Nikki McCray-Penson era.
Virginia at Mississippi State, Nov. 10: No, the Cavs haven’t released their schedule, but the Bulldogs have, and they open the season with Virginia. And speaking of UConn, remember it was these Bulldogs who pulled off the stunner of the season in eliminating UConn in the Final Four. Morgan William and Victoria Vivians are seniors for those guys; we’re hoping they’ll have their hands full against what’s still a young Virginia team that already gained some experience on court with the August trip to Costa Rica.
Quinnipiac at Richmond, Dec. 1: Sweet 16 darling Quinnipiac travels to the Robins Center with much of the cast intact from the run that ended with a loss to eventual national champ South Carolina. This is part of a spin through the state for the Bobcats, who tackle Hampton on Dec. 3.
Towson at Norfolk State, Dec. 12: The often-road weary Spartans have a two-game home stand starting with the Tigers (UNC Greensboro is on Dec. 15), good news for NSU fans and players who often rarely see the inside of Echols on game day this time of year. (High Point also visits Echols on Nov. 29.) Old Dominion fans, take note. Former Lady Monarch Maia Lee plays for the Tigers, ex-ODU assistant Trina Patterson coaches the Aggies and recently transferred Ije Ajemba is a senior Aggie.
Tribe assist leader Jenna Green
Old Dominion at William & Mary, Dec. 17: ODU owned this series during the Wendy Larry era, but the Tribe has won the last two. We’ll see if they can make it three against their I-64 rivals.
Radford at North Carolina, Nov. 16: No, we’re not predicting upset here, but now’s a good time to catch the Tar Heels, whose recruiting has been hurt by the academic fraud findings (amazing how football and men’s basketball have, thus far, escaped unscathed). Destinee Walker and Janayla White lead a veteran Highlanders bunch against a Tar Heel team featuring 10 freshmen and sophomores.
Kelsey Wolfe scored 24 the last time these guys met.
Maryland at Virginia, Nov. 29: Seems like your typical ACC matchup, only we have to remind ourselves yet again that the Terps are in the Big Ten. This will be the 82nd meeting between the pair; Virginia owns the edge 44-37 and toppled Maryland 86-72 the last time the teams met on Jan. 23, 2014. We miss the sparring between these old rivals, who will go at it again as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge (pst: Tech gets Illinois).
Liberty at Old Dominion, Nov. 10: Don’t know about you.ODU opens with Liberty; We’re jazzed about seeing Kelly Loftus on the floor. The transfer from Hofstra has one year in an ODU uniform, and we imagine she’s ready for it.. The Lady Flames, meanwhile, are a year older but still start the youngest team in the state with 11 freshmen and sophomores.
Florida State at JMU, Dec. 3: Always good to have the ACC visit your place. This is the return game for taking Precious Hall home last season. It’s also a good opportunity for the Dukes to snag a win that would be meaningful to the committee.
Photos courtesy of James Madison, George Mason, Virginia, Richmond and William & Mary sports information