The Big 12 and Southeastern Conferences have announced an extension of their women’s basketball Big 12/SEC Challenge that will expand to 10 games in 2016 and 2017. West Virginia University will host Ole Miss in 2016 and travel to Texas A&M in 2017. 

 

“We are excited to be a part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge,” said coach Mike Carey. “This event will help us showcase two of the best league’s in women’s basketball. We are excited about playing formidable opponents in Ole Miss and Texas A&M and look forward to the challenge they will present.” 

 

Ole Miss finished the year 19-14 overall and 7-9 in SEC action. The Rebels reached the third round of the Postseason WNIT. The Mountaineers and Rebels are meeting for the first time in Morgantown in 2016. The two squads have met on three other occasions, including November 15, 2013 in Honolulu, Hawaii, where the Mountaineers won 86-56. 

 

The Aggies of Texas A&M finished the year 23-10 overall and held a 10-6 mark in league play. The squad fell to UALR in the NCAA Tournament First Round earlier this year. West Virginia and Texas A&M have only met previously once. The Aggies prevailed, 55-52, in a neutral site matchup in Los Angeles on November 24, 2006.

 

Every team from the Big 12 will participate, while 10 teams from the SEC will take part in each season. The format features five home games on campus sites for each conference per year. Teams will not face the same opponent twice.  

 

In 2016, games will be scheduled over the dates of Thursday-Sunday, December 1-4. Exact dates of matchups and television designation will be released when available.  

 

“We are excited to see the Big 12/SEC Challenge expand to include all 10 of our institutions,” said Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. “This gives each of our teams an opportunity for a quality non-conference opponent and provides marquee matchups between two of the nation’s top conferences.” 

 

The inaugural challenge was held in 2014 in Little Rock, Arkansas, and featured a top 5 matchup with No. 3 Texas squaring off against No. 4 Texas A&M. Oklahoma and Arkansas, who were both receiving votes in the Associated Press Poll, played in the second game.  The conferences split the challenge with the two games decided by a total of nine points. 

 

The 2015 version will be contested in Oklahoma City on Sunday, December 20, 2015, with the opponents reversed. Texas will play Arkansas while Oklahoma entertains Texas A&M.