Another tough schedule for Tide women

TUSCALOOSA | The University of Alabama women’s basketball team hasn’t padded its schedule in any way going into the 2007-08 season.

The Crimson Tide, coming off a 10-20 season, has lined up more games against teams that played in the postseason last season than against teams that didn’t participate in March Madness.

“What jumps out is that 17 of our 29 games are against postseason participants from last year,” third-year head coach Stephany Smith said.

The Tide will have as many as 10 games against teams that participated in the NCAA Tournament last season, including Southeastern Conference foes Georgia, Ole Miss, LSU, Vanderbilt and Tennessee. Alabama will also play non-conference road games at Belmont and Tennessee-Chattanooga, and may face North Carolina State in the Junkanoo Jam tournament in the Bahamas in late November.

Alabama also has games scheduled against several teams that participated in the Women’s NIT last season, including its season opener Nov. 10 against Tulane, and will host long-time national power Louisiana Tech on Dec. 5.

“Tulane and Louisiana Tech both won their leagues,” Smith said. “I think that’s great for fans to not only see our conference schedule in Coleman Coliseum, but also to see our non-conference opponents in Coleman Coliseum.

“It should be a fan-friendly environment.”

The most favorable change for the Tide is that it won’t play SEC powers Tennessee and LSU twice each, as it has the past two seasons. Alabama will host the defending national champion Lady Vols on Feb. 21 and host LSU on Feb. 7, and won’t play either foe on the road.

“It’s like a bad square-dance partner,” Smith said. “Whatever the cue is, it’s is good when they move on.”

Alabama will have two home exhibition games to prepare for the season. The Tide will host the University of West Alabama on Oct. 31 and Mississippi College on Nov. 4.

Game times for the season aren’t get official, but Smith expects most weeknight games to be played at 6 p.m., an hour earlier than in the past, and most weekend afternoon games to be played at 2 p.m.

“I think that is very good for what our demographic is, school-age children and their parents and grandparents,” Smith said.

Alabama’s home dates are: Nov. 10 vs. Tulane, Nov. 18 vs. Arkansas State, Dec. 5 vs. Louisiana Tech, Dec. 9 vs. Saint Mary’s, Dec. 17 vs. Alabama A&M, Dec. 20 vs. Hampton, Dec. 22 vs. Jacksonville State, Jan. 2 vs. East Tennessee State, Jan. 5 vs. Southeastern Louisiana, Jan. 10 vs. South Carolina, Jan 17 vs. Arkansas, Jan. 27 vs. Auburn, Feb. 7 vs. LSU, Feb. 10 vs. Vanderbilt, Feb. 21 vs. Tennessee and Feb. 24 vs. Ole Miss.

Reach Tommy Deas at tommy.deas@tuscaloosanews.com or at 205-454-0117.