Liberty women’s basketball to host N.C. State, Seton Hall in 2015-2016

The defending Big South champion Liberty women’s basketball team will face five opponents from the ACC, Big Ten, BIG EAST and Pac-12 during the 2015-2016 season, including home games against NC State and Seton Hall.

The Lady Flames will square off against five 2015 NCAA Tournament qualifiers, headlined by a matchup at Sweet 16 foe Duke and contests against Ohio State and California at the previously announced South Point Thanksgiving Shootout in Las Vegas.

After tipping off the 2015-16 season at Appalachian State on Nov. 13, the Lady Flames will open their 14-game home schedule with contests versus Elon (Nov. 16) and NC State (Nov. 19) at the Vines Center.

Thanksgiving week will be arguably the Lady Flames’ most challenging stretch of the season, as it includes a Nov. 23 tilt at 2015 NCAA Tournament qualifier James Madison and the Ohio State (Nov. 27) and Cal (Nov. 28) games in Las Vegas.

The Lady Flames will begin their 20-game Big South schedule at Gardner-Webb on Dec. 2, followed by a home tilt against Charleston Southern three days later.

Wrapping up non-conference action, home tilts with 2015 NCAA Tournament qualifier Seton Hall (Dec. 12) and Shepherd (Dec. 19) sandwich Liberty’s first visit to Duke since 2004, on Dec. 17.

Liberty’s final 18 regular-season games will be Big South Conference contests, starting Dec. 29 at Campbell and wrapping up with aFeb. 27 home game against Presbyterian.

After meeting High Point in the 2015 Big South Championship title game, the Lady Flames will host the Panthers on Jan. 26 before traveling to the Millis Center on Feb. 16.

For the second year in a row, Liberty will make three visits to South Carolina in January, including trips to Presbyterian (Jan. 7), Coastal Carolina (Jan. 16) and Charleston Southern (Jan. 30).

Liberty will return to the Palmetto State for the 2016 VisitMyrtleBeach.com Big South Women’s Basketball Championship,March 1-5. Coastal Carolina will play host to the event for the fourth consecutive season, with the championship game set forMarch 5.

The 2016 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship will tip off with first-round games on March 18 and 19.