WICHITA -- First-year head coach Jody Adams' team will be tested early and often as Wichita State unveiled its 2008-09 women's basketball schedule Thursday, highlighted by 17 home games and three contests against NCAA Tournament opponents last season.

"This schedule will tell us where we stand from the first game." Adams said. "To open the season by taking on a Mountain West opponent and then turn around and face three-straight postseason teams is going to be tough, but I am sure our team will be up for the challenge. We have a great mix of opponents early on, which will help our team prepare for the conference schedule which will be difficult as usual."

The Shockers open the season at home on Sat., Nov. 15 against Mountain West member Colorado State. WSU then faces the daunting task of three-straight games against postseason teams from a year ago, starting with a trip to Tulsa, Okla., to take on NCAA Tournament participant Oral Roberts on Nov. 18. WSU then returns home to face NCAA participant UTSA on Nov. 21 before rounding out the home slate in November with WNIT participant Iona on Nov. 23.

WSU will spend Thanksgiving in Memphis, Tenn., playing in a tournament hosted by the University of Memphis before returning home for an impressive seven-game homestand, one where the Shockers will not play a game away from home the entire month of December.

The homestand kicks off with Appalachian State on Dec. 8, and includes contests against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Dec. 13), Kent State (Dec. 17), Western Illinois (Dec. 21) and Mercer (Dec. 29) before opening Missouri Valley Conference play at home against Bradley (Jan. 2) and UNI (Jan. 4).

The next five games will come against teams who finished in the top half of the league, including defending league champion Illinois State's visit to Charles Koch Arena on Jan. 17. WSU takes on cross-state rival Missouri State at home on Jan. 24, capping a month-plus period where the Shockers play 10-of-12 at home.

WSU wraps up the season with five of its final seven regular-season contests on the road, with the home finale against Evansville on March 1 sandwiched between trips to Missouri State (Feb. 21) and UNI (March 5). The Shockers close out the campaign at Bradley on March 7 before traveling to St. Charles, Mo., for the 2009 State Farm MVC Championship which runs March 12-15.

The Oklahoma Flyers visit Charles Koch Arena on Sun., Nov. 9, for the Shockers' lone exhibition contest of the season.

--Wichita State--