Women's Hoops' 2023-24 Schedule Features Three Power Five Road Trips, 16 Home Games

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MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Morehead State women's basketball comes into the 2023-24 season with a lot to be excited about, as returning veterans and new Eagles look to build off a 2022-23 season which saw MSU advance to the OVC Tournament Quarterfinals. 

Surrounded by many new faces on staff, head coach Cayla Petree is entering her third season at the helm of the program. Morehead State finished in the top five nationally in win improvement in her second season with a 10-win improvment. 

Morehead State hosts Kentucky State in an exhibition on Oct. 24 to put the finishing touches on the offseason before the non-conference slate tips off in November. 

"We have some tough tests at home and on the road in the non-conference schedule by design. We know once Dec. 30 comes we have to be ready for conference play. It's not easy to get to Evansville for the OVC Tournament, and playing these tough games is what will have us battle-tested when conference play begins. Whatever puts us in the best position to be successful in the OVC is what we focus on."

The season begins on Nov. 7 in Champaign, Ill., for MSU, as the Eagles take on the Fighting Illini of Illinois in the opener. The home opener comes two days later with Wilberforce (OH) coming to Johnson Arena on Nov. 9. The month of November also sees Morehead State hit the road to take on Alabama (Nov. 12), Lipscomb (Nov. 14), and Presbyterian (Nov. 25), while hosting Midway (Nov. 18), Ohio (Nov. 22), and Marshall (Nov. 30). 

In December, MSU closes the non-conference slate with home games vs. East Tennessee State (Dec. 3) and Wheeling (W. Va.) (Dec. 11) before heading to Louisville (Dec. 16) in the final game before the holiday break. 

After the break, OVC play begins for the Eagles in Cape Girardeau at SEMO. Two home games vs. Tennessee Tech (Jan. 4) and Tennessee State (Jan. 6) come after the new year. MSU heads to Lincoln Land the next weekend for games at Eastern Illinois (Jan. 11) and SIUE (Jan. 13) before hosting UT Martin (Jan. 18) and visiting Southern Indiana (Jan. 20). 

Following a week off, the Eagles host new OVC foe Western Illinois (Jan. 27) at Johnson Arena before traveling to Tennessee Tech (Feb. 1) and Tennessee State (Feb. 3). SIUE (Feb. 8) and Eastern Illinois (Feb. 10) come to town the next weekend, with MSU visiting Little Rock (Feb. 15) and UT Martin (Feb. 17) after the homestand. 

Three out of the final four regular season contests for Morehead State are at home, as Southern Indiana (Feb. 20), SEMO (Feb. 29), and Lindenwood (Mar. 2) travel to Morehead in the final two weeks of the season. The Eagles visit Western Illinois (Feb. 22) for the first time as conference foes in the season's final road game before the OVC Tournament. 

"The team has put in a lot of work this offseason to build chemistry heading into the year," Petree said. "We as a staff can't wait to see their hard work come to fruition on the court this season."