SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The Missouri State University women's basketball team will kick-off the season at home for the second straight year as part of a 2010-11 non-conference schedule that will see the Lady Bears host at least six and as many as nine non-conference foes at JQH Arena. Highlighting the slate will be the Lady Bears' fourth appearance in the Preseason Women's National Invitation Tournament, a five-game home stand and a three-game December trip to the East coast that will include a showdown with Big East power Georgetown.

Fresh off their first trip to the postseason in four years, the Lady Bears of head coach Nyla Milleson will be challenged early and often, facing as many as seven postseason qualifiers in their first eight games. Including conference games, Missouri State's 2010-11 schedule could feature as many as 18 regular-season contests against clubs that earned postseason bids last year.

Not including any potential Preseason WNIT road games, the Lady Bears' will hit the road for a minimum of four contests during the pre-conference portion of the season.

"We've got a very challenging, yet a very exciting schedule ahead of us," Milleson said. "There are a number of really good young teams coming off of breakthrough years just like us, as well as several traditional powers that are always going to be difficult. We've got our work cut out for us, but these are the kind of games that great teams relish and the type of teams we need to compete against in order to take the next step."

After exhibition games against Rogers State (Nov. 1) and Quincy (Nov. 7), the Lady Bears will open their 42nd season and Preseason WNIT play against defending Southland Conference champion Lamar on Nov. 12 at JQH Arena. The Cardinals are coming off one of the best seasons in school history, going 26-8, winning both the regular-season and tournament titles in the Southland and advancing to NCAA Tournament play for just the second time ever.

The 2010 Preseason WNIT features seven teams that won their conference tournaments in 2009-10, and utilizes a three-game guarantee format, with opening-round games slated for Nov. 12-13. Second-round games will be played Nov. 14-15, with semifinal games on Nov. 17-18, and the championship to follow on Sunday, Nov. 21. Teams that lose in the first two rounds will play consolation games on the second weekend, Nov. 19-21. All games will be hosted by participating schools, and sites will be announced at the conclusion of the preceding round.

The Lady Bears will continue their series with Saint Louis on Nov. 24 at Chaifetz Arena for what could be their only road game until a three-game swing to the East coast in mid-December that will wrap up the non-conference slate. MSU will play a pair of games in Baltimore against Coppin State (Dec. 17) and Morgan State (Dec. 21), sandwiching a contest against nationally-ranked Georgetown (Dec. 19) in Washington, D.C.

In between road trips, the Lady Bears will host five straight games at JQH Arena from Nov. 27 through Dec. 9, including three against postseason qualifiers from last year. Led by Women's Basketball Hall of Famer and 2010 WBCA Maggie Dixon Division I Rookie Coach of the Year Teresa Weatherspoon, Louisiana Tech will visit Springfield on Nov. 27 to open the home stand. The Lady Techsters went 23-9 en route to winning the WAC Tournament title and capturing their first NCAA tourney bid in four years.

Missouri State will look for its third straight win over Oral Roberts when the Golden Eagles visit JQH Arena on Nov. 30. ORU returns nearly everyone from its 23-10 squad that won the Summit League title and advance to the WNIT before falling to the Lady Bears in the opening round.

Another WNIT participant from last season, Eastern Michigan, will come calling on Dec. 3. The Eagle's 14-win improvement in 2009-10 included a 93-81 victory over the Lady Bears last November in Ypsilanti, Mich., and represented the third-best turnaround in Division I basketball.

The Lady Bears wrap up the home portion of the non-conference season with games against Arkansas State (Dec. 5) and SIU Edwardsville (Dec. 9). This season marks the sixth consecutive year the Lady Bears and Red Wolves of Arkansas State will square off and the 15th overall in the series, while MSU will be looking to remain unbeaten against SIUE in their fifth meeting with the Cougars.

The complete 2010-11 Missouri Valley Conference schedule, which begins the first weekend of January and culminates with the State Farm MVC Tournament, March 10-13, will be announced later this summer.

For information on 2010-11 Missouri State Lady Bears season ticket packages, call the Missouri State Athletics Development office at (417) 836-4143.