DWU women's basketball lined up for exhibition game at Nebraska to open season

Jun. 28—MITCHELL — The Dakota Wesleyan University women's basketball team will take on the University of Nebraska in an exhibition game in October.

The Tigers will play at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska on Sunday, Oct. 29. A game time is yet to be announced.

The two programs share a connection on the Nebraska bench. Former DWU women's basketball player Amanda Hart is on the Huskers' coaching staff, which is led by South Dakota native Amy Williams. Hart serves as director of basketball operations.

It will be the first DWU women's basketball game against an opponent from the Big 10 since Nov. 6, 2018, when the Tigers lost 102-54 at Iowa in an exhibition contest. With the Huskers game, the Tigers will play a Division I opponent for an exhibition game in four of its last six seasons, which included games with South Dakota State in 2019 and 2021.

Among the other highlights on the DWU women's basketball schedule are a Nov. 5 home opener against Valley City State (N.D.) and the return of matchups with rival Dakota State in a home-and-home series for the first time since the 2019-20 season. DWU will go to Madison on Monday, Nov. 13 for a game against the Trojans, who reached the NAIA tournament semifinals in 2023, while DSU will come to Mitchell on Wednesday, Dec. 13.

DWU is set to travel to Clearwater, Florida, for a pair of games on Dec. 17-18. The Tigers will complete their home-and-home series with Valley City State by returning the trip north on Dec. 31.

The Great Plains Athletic Conference opener will take place on Friday, Nov. 17 against Doane at the Corn Palace, followed by Hastings at the Palace the next day on Nov. 18. DWU's first GPAC road game is the pre-Thanksgiving game on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at Briar Cliff. The Tigers will also play an exhibition game against NCAA Division II Augustana University on Saturday, Nov. 25 in Sioux Falls.

DWU will play in-state conference rival Mount Marty in Mitchell on Dec. 9 and at Yankton on Jan. 20. The homestretch to the season will take place primarily in Mitchell, with the Tigers playing six of their eight February games at home, including the regular-season finale on Saturday, February 24 against Jamestown.

DWU finished the 2022-23 season with a 23-9 record and 15-7 in GPAC play. The Tigers reached the second round of the NAIA bracket after earning an at-large selection to the national tournament.

The Dakota Wesleyan University men's basketball schedule is rich with home games to open the 2023-24 season.

Unlike last season, when the Tigers played eight consecutive road games to open the season and didn't play a game in the Corn Palace until December, DWU opens the 2023-24 campaign with home games in five of its first six contests, including an Oct. 29 home debut against Dakota State.

Saint Mary (Kan.) and Valley City State (N.D.) play in Mitchell on back-to-back nights on Nov. 4 and 5. DWU opens the home GPAC schedule with Doane on Nov. 17 and Hastings on Nov. 18. DWU also returns the Dakota State home-and-home on Nov. 13 at Madison.

The Tigers will play a pair of teams in Missouri over the Thanksgiving weekend, visiting Columbia (Mo.) on Nov. 24 and Hannibal-LaGrange on Nov. 25. The Tigers will play the games in Columbia, Missouri alongside Briar Cliff, which will also play the Cougars and Trojans.

The rest of the Tigers' GPAC schedule mostly mirrors the women's slate. DWU's remaining men's non-conference games include a Dec. 16 trip to Forest City, Iowa to face Waldorf and hosting Viterbo (Wis.) on Dec. 30.

The Tigers finished 13-16 in 2022-23 and were sixth in the GPAC standings with a 9-11 mark.

OCTOBER

29 — at Nebraska^, time TBD

NOVEMBER

5 — Valley City State, 3 p.m.; 13 — at Dakota State, 6 p.m.; 17 — Doane, 5 p.m.; 18 — Hastings, 1 p.m.; 21 — at Briar Cliff, 6 p.m.; 25 — at Augustana, time TBD; 29 — Jamestown, 6 p.m.

DECEMBER

2 — at Midland, 2 p.m.; 6 — at Northwestern, 6 p.m.; 9 — Mount Marty, 2 p.m.; 13 — Dakota State, 7 p.m.; 17/18 — at Florida opponent, time TBD; 31 — at Valley City State (N.D.), 2 p.m.

JANUARY

6 — at Concordia (Neb.), 2 p.m.; 10 — Morningside, 6 p.m.; 13 — at Saint Mary (Neb.), 2 p.m.; 17 — at Dordt, 6 p.m.; 20 — at Mount Marty, 2 p.m.; 24 — Northwestern, 6 p.m.; 28 — Midland, 2 p.m.

FEBRUARY

2 — at Hastings, 5 p.m.; 3 — at Doane, 1 p.m.; 7 — Briar Cliff, 6 p.m.; 11 — Concordia (Neb.), 2 p.m.; 14 — at Morningside, 6 p.m.; 17 — Saint Mary (Neb.), 2 p.m.; 21 — Dordt, 6 p.m.; 24 — at Jamestown, 2 p.m.

^denotes exhibition game

OCTOBER

29 — Dakota State, time TBD

NOVEMBER

4 — Saint Mary, time TBD; 5 — Valley City State, time TBD; 13 — at Dakota State, 7:45 p.m.; 17 — Doane, 6:45 p.m.; 18 — Hastings, 2:45 p.m.; 21 — at Briar Cliff, 7:45 p.m.; 24 — at Columbia (Mo.), 7 p.m.; 25 — vs. Hannibal-LaGrange, time TBD; 29 — Jamestown, 7:45 p.m.

DECEMBER

2 — at Midland, 3:45 p.m.; 6 — at Northwestern, 7:45 p.m.; 9 — Mount Marty, 3:45 p.m.; 16 — at Waldorf, time TBD; 30 — Viterbo (Wis.), time TBD.

JANUARY

6 — at Concordia (Neb.), 3:45 p.m.; 10 — Morningside, 7:45 p.m.; 17 — at Dordt, 7:45 p.m.; 20 — at Mount Marty, 3:45 p.m.; 24 — Northwestern, 7:45 p.m.; 28 — Midland, 3:45 p.m.

FEBRUARY

2 — at Hastings, 6:45 p.m.; 3 — at Doane, 2:45 p.m.; 7 — Briar Cliff, 7:45 p.m.; 11 — Concordia (Neb.), 3:45 p.m.; 14 — at Morningside, 7:45 p.m.; 21 — Dordt, 7:45 p.m.; 24 — Jamestown, 3:45 p.m.