FLORENCE – The 2009-10 University of North Alabama women’s basketball schedule will feature 30 regular-season games, including a trio of contests at the Disney Tip-Off Classic as well as an exhibition against the University of Alabama. UNA head coach Terry Fowler said this season’s slate of games will be something to look forward to.

“We are excited about our schedule, especially our exhibition at Alabama and our trip to the Disney Tip-Off Classic, which allows us three exempt games,” said Fowler, who is entering his fourth year at the helm of the UNA program. “With so many new players, the Disney trip allows us to build some team chemistry early in the season while playing some tough competition.”

Overall, UNA will play five games against teams that advanced to last year’s NCAA Division II Tournament, 20 regional games and 13 games at Flowers Hall. “We have everything you could want in a schedule,” added Fowler. “As always, we are excited about our 13 home games. Flowers Hall has always been good to us.”

North Alabama will travel to Tuscaloosa on Nov. 4 for an exhibition against the Crimson Tide, then continue to Orlando, Fla., for the season-opener. At the Disney Tip-Off Classic, the Lions will play Southern New Hampshire on Nov. 6, Northeastern State on Nov. 7, and 2009 NCAA tournament participant Stonehill College on Nov. 8

After a road matchup against Tuskegee on Nov. 16, UNA will have its home opener on Nov. 19 against Gulf South Conference West Division foe Henderson State. The Lions will also host last year’s regional runner-up Ouachita Baptist on Nov. 21 before closing out the month with three road games against Spring Hill (Nov. 24), Christian Brothers (Nov. 28) and NCAA Final Four participant Delta State (Nov. 30).

The Lions will only play four games in December, hosting Georgia Southwestern on the 5^th, Arkansas Tech on the 19^th and Harding on 21^st. UNA will also make a trip to Evansville, Ind., on Dec. 9^th to face Southern Indiana.

UNA will return to Arkansas for a pair of games in early January before opening GSC play. The Lions will play at Arkansas-Monticello on Jan. 2 and at Southern Arkansas on Jan. 4.

Valdosta State will visit Flowers Hall on Jan. 7 to open conference play in the GSC East Division. The game will open the league home-and-home series that also features West Georgia, West Alabama, Alabama-Huntsville and West Florida. UNA has also added a home-and-home series against Lambuth, as well as a home game against Concordia-Selma on Jan. 23.

The 2010 GSC tournament returns to Southaven, Miss., for the third consecutive year beginning Friday, March 5 and running through Sunday, March 7.  A format change this year will have only the top four teams from each division advancing to post-season play.  UNA will look to make its fourth straight trip to the GSC tourney.