CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (ESPN CLARKSVILLE) – A backloaded nonconference schedule, a 15-game home slate and an 18-game marathon Ohio Valley Conference slate all highlight the 2017-18 Austin Peay State University women’s basketball schedule, released Monday.

Austin Peay opens its 2017-18 slate on the road with a Nov. 11 contest in historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis to face Butler for the first time since 2004.

The Governors home opener follows three days later when Christian Brothers visits Clarksville, Nov. 14, followed by a Nov. 19 matchup with Trevecca. Austin Peay also will host Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Nov. 29), Evansville (Dec. 2) and Western Illinois (Dec. 9) in the nonconference slate.

The rest of the Governors road nonconference slate resumes with Alabama A&M (Nov. 21) and Lipscomb (Nov. 26). Austin Peay also will make road trips to Northern Kentucky (Dec. 5), Illinois (Dec. 16) and Ball State (Dec. 18).
That nonconference schedule ramps up in December with the big tests residing in its final three contests. Western Illinois, the Summit League Champion and NCAA Tournament participant, visits the Dunn Center for a Dec. 9 contest. Austin Peay then closes out its pre-Christmas slate with two road games starting at Big 10 foe Illinois, Dec. 16, before meeting WNIT participant Ball State, Dec. 18.

After a 10-day break for the Christmas holiday, Austin Peay begins the expanded 18-game Ohio Valley Conference schedule with a four-game homestand – SIUE and Eastern Illinois, Dec. 28 and 30, followed the next week by contests against UT Martin and Southeast Missouri, Jan. 4 and 6.

“Our fans will notice the new OVC schedule,” said Governors head coach David Midlick. “We have gone from 16 to 18 conference games this season. Counting our exhibition game, we will have 15 home games in the Dunn Center this season. Our players like playing in front of the best fans in the conference. Our nonconference schedule is filled with good regional match ups that will prepare us for OVC play.

Then the Govs hit the road for the next four OVC contests with Tennessee Tech (Jan. 11) and Jacksonville State (Jan. 13) followed by contests at defending OVC champion Belmont (Jan. 18) and Tennessee State (Jan. 20).

A quick homestand against Eastern Kentucky (Jan. 25) and WNIT participant Morehead State (Jan. 27) is sandwiched between that four-game road trip and another four-game excursion. The second four-game trip includes stops at UT Martin (Feb. 1), Southeast Missouri (Feb. 3), Murray State (Feb. 8) and Eastern Illinois (Feb. 10).

After playing eight of its 10 previous games on the road, Austin Peay will play three of its final four games at the Dunn Center. Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State are scheduled to visit Feb. 15 and 17. Austin Peay then travels to SIUE for a Feb. 21 contest before returning home for the regular-season finale against Murray State, Feb. 24.

The top eight teams in the OVC regular-season race qualify for the 2018 OVC Basketball Championships, Feb. 28-March 3, to be held for the first time at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. It is only the second time in the last 25 seasons the OVC’s marquee event will be held outside Nashville.