Ouachita women's basketball head coach Garry Crowder and assistant Michael Jennings have announced the upcoming schedule for the 2015-2016 season. The Lady Tigers take the court on Nov. 3 and will look to compete in the 2016 Great American Conference Tournament beginning on March 11.

Crowder and the Lady Tigers will begin conference play on November 19, as the team travels to Shawnee, Okla. to take on GAC-newcomer Oklahoma Baptist University. The addition of the Lady Bison has increased Ouachita's conference schedule to 22 games for the 2015-2016 season.

"We have a very difficult schedule this year," Jennings said. "Every night is going to be a battle, no question. The group has been through a tough schedule like this before, though, so they know what it is going to take to be successful after taking our bumps last year."

The Lady Tigers' non-conference schedule consists of an exhibition game against Western Kentucky and eight regular season contests. Western Kentucky finished the 2014-2015 regular season with a 30-4 record, finishing at the top of NCAA Division I's Conference USA with a 16-2 record. The Lady Toppers earned a 12-seed in the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Tournament but were defeated by the fifth-seeded University of Texas. 

"We open with two regional opponents from the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and have two excellent non-conference opponents in Texas A&M Commerce and the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith," said Crowder. "This is another challenging schedule for the Lady Tigers."

On Dec. 19, Ouachita will host the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith in Bill Vining Arena for an in-state, non-conference matchup. The Lady Tigers defeated the Lady Lions last season, 79-78, on a last-second three-pointer by point guard Katherine West. The Lady Lions went on to finish the 2014-2015 season with a record of 21-9 and a Heartland Conference championship. UA-Fort Smith then was invited to the Division II Tournament, where they defeated Colorado Mesa 68-65 in the first round before losing to one-seeded West Texas A&M in the round of 32.

"We are excited to play four non-conference home games," Crowder said. "We have had to be on the road a lot the last couple of years."

"We return a group of upperclassmen who will provide great leadership for our group of sophomores who we had to throw in the first last year as freshman," said Jennings. "We also feel great about the newcomers we have. It is a very strong recruiting class."

The Lady Tigers finished the 2014-2015 season with a 10-17 record and a 6-14 record in GAC-play. Ouachita returns its top five scorers, including Breanna Harris, who led the Lady Tigers with 13.1 points per game. Katie Kapler also returns after leading the team with 7.2 rebounds per contest. The Lady Tigers finished the 2014-2015 season ranked fifth in the GAC in three-point shooting and sixth in free-throw percentage. 

"Everyone is hungry and anxious to work," said Jennings. "Both coaches and players are ready to get Lady Tiger basketball back on top where it belongs."

To see the 2015-2016 women's basketball schedule, click here.