UNI women’s basketball: 2025-26 MVC schedule released

ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Valley Conference officially released the 20-game, 2025-26 women's basketball conference schedule on Monday morning. Tip times and broadcast information will be made available at a later date.

The Panthers finished the 2024-25 season in sixth place and made it to the Hoops in the Heartland Quarterfinals before falling to the eventual MVC Tournament Runners-Up, Belmont Bruins.

The 2025-26 conference season tips off inside the McLeod Center for the first time since the 2020-21 season as the Cats clash with the Illinois State Redbirds on December 3. The December 3 tip-off is the earliest the Panthers have opened conference play in their Division I history. The last time the Panthers opened the season against the Redbirds was also the last time they opened the MVC slate at home in 2020-21. The January 1 contest saw the Panthers take home an 82-71 victory. The Panthers have won three of the last four matchups against the Redbirds, including the last two inside the McLeod Center.

After four non-conference tests, the Panthers close out 2025 with their first road trip of the season, beginning with a matchup at Valparaiso on December 29. UNI and the Beacons have only met on 21 previous occasions, with 16 of them falling the way of the Cats, including the last eight and nine of the last 10. From there, the Panthers head to Chicago to take on the UIC Flames on New Year's Eve (December 31). UNI's last NYE matchup came in the 2017-18 season in a victory inside the McLeod Center against Valparaiso.

The Panthers return home for a single matchup against Southern Illinois on January 4, followed by a pair of matchups out East against Murray State on January 9 and Belmont on January 11. The 2024-25 MVC Tournament Champion Murray State Racers have won the last two matchups against the Panthers, their only two wins of the eight total meetings. UNI is looking for its second straight win in Nashville against the Bruins after a 73-61 victory at Belmont last season.

The McLeod Center hosts a three-game home stand for the Panther women's basketball team, which opens on January 18 against Bradley. UNI will be coming off a seven-day stretch with no competition, its longest of the MVC season. The Panthers have won their last eight matchups with the Bradley Braves as well as their last 18 contests in Cedar Falls, predating the McLeod Center. The home stand continues on January 23 as the Panthers host the Racers, followed by a matchup against the Evansville Purple Aces on January 25, rounding out the time in Cedar Falls.

January 29 will see a matchup in Normal, Illinois when UNI heads to Illinois State. The Panthers are searching for their first victory in Normal since a 2023 matchup on New Year's Day.

UNI's longest-standing rivalry sees its 103rd iteration as the Panthers head to Des Moines, Iowa to take on the Drake Bulldogs on February 1. UNI and Drake have been matching up since 1975 as the Panthers look to make it double digits in Des Moines and look for their 10th victory in DSM in program history.

The Cats continue their road trip with a contest at Bradley in Peoria, Illinois on February 5 before UNI comes home for a pair of matchups. Belmont comes to Cedar Falls on February 7 before UNI takes on Indiana State on February 12. The Panthers are 25-16 in Cedar Falls against the Sycamores and hold a nine-game winning streak against Indiana State inside the McLeod Center. Matchups on February 19 at Southern Illinois and 21 at Evansville will be the Panthers' last multi-game road stand before returning home for contests against Valparaiso on February 26 and UIC on February 28.

UNI's last road test before the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament comes in Terre Haute, Indiana on March 5 when the Panthers face the Sycamores before closing the regular season at home for the first time since the 2022-23 season. Drake comes to Cedar Falls on March 8 to wrap up the regular season. This will be the second straight year that the Bulldogs are the last team to visit the McLeod Center in the regular season.

New season tickets, single-game tickets, and the Tanya 10-pack are currently available for purchase through unipanthers.com or by contacting the UNI Ticket Office at 319-273-4849 or by email at tickets@uni.edu.

2025-26 WOMEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE (Additional times TBA / Times CT)

November 3 vs. North Dakota State - 6 p.m.
November 9 at Saint Louis - TBA
November 16 vs. Iowa - 2 p.m.
November 20 at Creighton - 6 p.m.
November 26 vs. Northern Arizona (UNLV Thanksgiving Classic - Las Vegas, Nev.) - 4:30 p.m.
November 28 at UNLV (UNLV Thanksgiving Classic - Las Vegas, Nev.) - 4:30 p.m.
December 3 vs. Illinois State* - TBA
December 6 at Toledo - 1 p.m.
December 10 vs. South Dakota State - 6 p.m.
December 14 at Iowa State - 5 p.m.
December 21 at St. Thomas - 2 p.m.
December 29 at Valparaiso* - 1 p.m.
December 31 at UIC* - TBA
January 4 vs. Southern Illinois* - TBA
January 9 at Murray State* - TBA
January 11 at Belmont* - TBA
January 18 vs. Bradley* - TBA
January 23 vs. Murray State* - TBA
January 25 vs. Evansville* - TBA
January 29 at Illinois State* - TBA
February 1 at Drake* - TBA
February 5 at Bradley* - TBA
February 7 vs. Belmont* - TBA
February 12 vs. Indiana State* - TBA
February 19 at Southern Illinois* - TBA
February 21 at Evansville* - TBA
February 26 vs. Valparaiso* - TBA
February 28 vs. UIC* - TBA
March 5 at Indiana State* - 6 p.m.
March 8 vs. Drake* - TBA

UNI women's basketball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Women's Basketball), X (@UNIwbb), and on Instagram (@uni_wbb). The 2025-26 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com

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