HOUSTON – Thursday afternoon, HBU women's head basketball coach Donna Finnie released the official schedule for the 2022-23 season which features the toughest non-conference schedule in program history, facing off against four of the top-25 teams in the nation.
 
"This is the most challenging non-conference schedule since I have been here at HBU," Finnie said. "We definitely will be tested before we open up Southland Conference play at the end of the year."
 
The Huskies will play just three of their 12 non-conference games in Sharp Gym. The Huskies home opener is Nov. 7th, against the University of Southwest, an NAIA school in the Red River Athletic Conference. HBU then plays a stretch of four consecutive road games, including matchups against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the LSU Tigers who finished the '21-22 season ranked 9th in the nation. The week of Thanksgiving sees the Huskies travel to Denver to take part in the University of Denver Classic against the likes of Denver and Yale beginning Nov. 25th.
 
"The games against UTRGV, Texas State, Denver and Yale will give us an opportunity to see the improvements we are hoping to make on the offensive end of the floor from last season," Finnie added. "This year we are focusing on areas we have to improve on and we will use these games to hopefully see those improvements."
 
Three of the final six non-conference matchups will take place in Sharp Gym, including matchups against UTRGV, Arlington Baptist and crosstown foe St. Thomas. Two of the final three road matchups come against NCAA powerhouses Baylor on Dec. 4th and Texas on Dec. 21st, who finished last season ranked 7th and 6th in the nation respectively.
 
"Playing these tough road games against preseason top 25 teams will battle test us hugely, but I am excited for this veteran group to play against some of the best players in the nation," Finnie said.
 
The 18-game Southland Conference Schedule features home-and-homes against all teams in the conference. HBU opens up conference play on New Year's Eve against the New Orleans Privateers at noon in Sharp Gym. They get their first look at the new Southland institution, Texas A&M – Commerce, at home on Jan 12th. They will look to get revenge against the UIW Cardinals on Jan 19th, the school who knocked them out of and would eventually go on to win the Southland Conference Championship last season.

HBU will see the Lamar Cardinals, who are rejoining the SLC this year after a year spent in the WAC, twice in the same weekend. One game will be played at each school on Feb. 16th and 18th.

The Huskies play three of their final four contests on their home floor, and conclude the year against the Southeastern Lady Lions on March 1st. The Huskies will try to head back to the SLC tournament with the number one seed as they did last season. McNeese is the host site for this years tournamnet that runs from Mar. 6th-9th.
 
Coach Finnie is excited to hit the floor with her team who claimed their first regular season conference title and played postseason basketball for the first time in program history last season.
 
"I am excited to go into this year with a veteran group who are a joy to coach every day and are truly incredible representatives for this program and our school," Finnie concluded.