Kansas women’s basketball’s Big 12 Conference opponents outline path to capturing title

LAWRENCE — Kansas women’s basketball has taken significant steps forward as a program across the past few seasons.

There were two NCAA tournament appearances in three years, with the Jayhawks also advancing to the round of 32 each year. In the season KU didn’t reach the NCAA tournament, it made the most of another postseason opportunity and won the 2023 Postseason WNIT championship. Led by coach Brandon Schneider, the team is poised to continue to build itself up as a contender in the Big 12 Conference and nationally.

So, the Big 12’s release of every team’s league opponents this upcoming season becomes an important moment. It outlines the path Kansas will have to take in order to capture what’s been an elusive Big 12 title to date during Schneider’s tenure. Led by a pair of returning starters in S’Mya Nichols and Wyvette Mayberry, odds are the Jayhawks will have the confidence to challenge for it across an 18-game slate.

Kansas women’s basketball’s home and away opponents

KU will face Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State both home and away.

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This means Kansas’ two-game series this upcoming season will all be against teams that were in the Big 12 last season. Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State are all in drivable distance, too, which should lead to some quality atmospheres to play in. The home games the Jayhawks won against Iowa State and Kansas State last season were two of the more exciting games they had in Allen Fieldhouse.

Kansas women’s basketball home opponents

KU will face Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, UCF, TCU and Texas Tech at home only.

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This means Kansas won’t have to travel to face Arizona or Arizona State in those teams’ first year in the Big 12. Arizona is also an intriguing matchup because it has been consistently been in the NCAA tournament in recent years. The Jayhawks will also have the benefit of only having to face what should be another talented Baylor squad at home, where they crushed Baylor last season.

Kansas women’s basketball away opponents

KU will face BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Utah and West Virginia on the road only.

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This means Kansas will get a chance to experience what Utah’s and Colorado’s home atmospheres are all about in their first year in the Big 12. Also, it’s not as if BYU, Cincinnati or Houston have been in the Big 12 for all that long. West Virginia is the only team the Jayhawks will face just on the road that’s been in the league for some time.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Big 12 releases Kansas women’s basketball’s 2024-25 home, away games