Best schedule ever?
Could be.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga women's basketball team announced its 2016-17 schedule Tuesday, with six games against 2016 NCAA tournament teams and five others that competed in the Women's National Invitation Tournament.
The Mocs, who finished 24-8 last season, have 13 home dates on their schedule, highlighted by their home opener against Florida on Nov. 14, a game against Indiana three days later and a Dec. 27 game against Notre Dame. Wisconsin-Green Bay, which has won 18 straight Horizon League championships, is also on the home slate.
The nonconference road games include the season opener against Rutgers on Nov. 11 and a game against four-time defending NCAA champion Connecticut.
UTC is also participating in the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Women's Challenge set for Nov. 19-21 in Louisville, Ky.
The Mocs have games against Lafayette College and Bowling Green before turning to site host Louisville. After those three games is a neutral-site contest against Maine on Nov. 27 in Springfield, Mass., that had been announced previously.
There are also games against 2016 WNIT runner-up Florida Gulf Coast; UT-Martin, another WNIT participant; and Stetson, which played in the Women's Basketball Invitational.
The Mocs return four starters from their fourth consecutive SoCon championship team. There are only two additions to this season's roster: sophomore Shelbie Davenport, who transferred from Clemson, and freshman guard Lakelyn Bouldin from nearby Van Buren County. In addition, the team returns all-conference guard Chelsie Shumpert, who missed all but three games in the 2015-16 season with a knee injury.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley @timesfreepress.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.