Bruin women's basketball announces inaugural schedule
The Bruins play their first-ever home game against Grace on Wednesday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Bellevue University women's basketball coach Dave Denly announced today the program's first-ever schedule for the 2016-17 season. The schedule features 29 regular-season contests in addition to an exhibition game at Northwestern Missouri State.
For the past year, since his hire, Coach Denly has spent time putting together a competitive schedule and roster for the program's inaugural season.
Bellevue kicks of the regular season on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 28-29 with a pair of games at the Oklahoma Wesleyan Classic in Bartlesville, Okla. The Bruins draw Crowley's Ridge on Friday at 2 p.m. before taking on Southwestern Assembly of God on Saturday at 2 p.m.
The Bruins play their first-ever home game on Wednesday, Nov. 2 against Grace University at 7:30 p.m.
Additionally, BU will play host to a couple of classics. On Friday-Saturday, Nov. 25-26 Bellevue will host Saint Mary and Haskell Indian Nations in the Bruin Thanksgiving Classic. Game times are Friday at 5 p.m. against Saint Mary and Saturday at 3 p.m. against Haskell Indian Nations.
Bellevue will immediately join the athletic department's other program and compete in the North Star Athletic Association. NSAA play begins on Friday, Dec. 2 in La Crosse, Wis. against Viterbo at 5:30 p.m. BU will play each of the other eight North Star schools twice – one at home and one away – for a total of 16 conference games.
Bellevue's first conference home game falls on Friday, Dec. 16 when they host Presentation at 5:30 p.m.
On Thursday-Friday, Dec. 29-30 the Fairfield Inn & Suites Bruin Classic comes to the Lozier Athletic Center where the Bruins will welcome Midland and College of Saint Mary. BU plays Midland on Thursday at 3 p.m. and follows that with a 3 p.m. tilt against CSM on Friday.
Following the regular season, the top eight teams in the North Star will compete in the league tournament with games held on Feb. 23, 25, and 27 at the campus of the higher seeded team. The winner of the conference tournament will earn the automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Tournament.
Below is Bellevue's 2016-17 Home Schedule:
| Date | Opponent | Notes | Time |
| Nov. 2 | Grace | Home-Opener | 7:30 p.m. |
| Nov. 25 | Saint Mary (Kan.) | Bruin Thanksgiving Classic | 5:00 p.m. |
| Nov. 26 | Haskell Indian Nations | Bruin Thanksgiving Classic | 3:00 p.m. |
| Dec. 16 | Presentation * | 5:30 p.m. | |
| Dec. 17 | Waldorf * | 4:00 p.m. | |
| Dec. 29 | Midland | Fairfield Inn & Suites Bruin Classic | 3:00 p.m. |
| Dec. 30 | College of Saint Mary | Fairfield Inn & Suites Bruin Classic | 3:00 p.m. |
| Jan. 14 | Dakota State * | 4:00 p.m. | |
| Jan. 20 | Viterbo * | 5:30 p.m. | |
| Feb. 3 | Dickinson State * | 5:30 p.m. | |
| Feb. 4 | Mayville State * | 4:00 p.m. | |
| Feb. 10 | Valley City State * | 5:30 p.m. | |
| Feb. 11 | Jamestown * | 4:00 p.m. |