KU Women’s Basketball Schedule Includes Renewed Matchups vs. Missouri and Haskell

The non-conference portion of the 2025-26 Kansas women’s basketball schedule was recently released and features a pair of intriguing matchups for the Jayhawks this season.

KU will face off against long-time rival Missouri on Nov. 15 inside T-Mobile Arena in Kansas City in a renewed Border Showdown series for the first time since 2011. The two teams met in the 2023 WNIT (a massive KU win 75-47), but this will be the first regular season game between the two bitter rivals since the Tigers departed for the SEC 14 years ago.

It will be the 84th matchup between the two teams who first met back in 1973. KU leads the all-time series 45-38 and will look to make it win No. 46 as the Jayhawks are likely to be favored in that game with all the returning and incoming talent that KU boasts this year – many of whom are from the Kansas City area.

“As a program, we greatly understand the intensity of the rivalry and look forward to playing in the venue that will host the 2026 Big 12 Championship,” said KU head coach Brandon Schneider.

KU also has a renewed rivalry game of sorts with crosstown opponent Haskell University. It’s the first matchup between the two Lawrence-based teams since 1974, when the Jayhawks smoked the Fighting Indians 62-26.

KU holds a 4-1 record all time against Haskell dating back to Feb. 3, 1969, when the two teams first met. The one loss for the Jayhawks came in 1972 by a score of 35-38.

Haskell, who is led by head coach Adam Strom, is a member of the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Haskell won the CAC last year to earn a berth in the NAIA National Tournament. They’ve reached the postseason three times in the past four years since Strom took over in 2021.

Strom made headlines earlier this year for volunteering to coach the team for free after being fired due to cuts made by the federal government. He was then rehired in March.

Schneider expressed his appreciation for Strom and the renewed matchup which he believes should prove valuable for both programs, on and off the court.

"Over the past few years, we have been able to build a connection off the court with the Haskell women's basketball program that we hope has been mutually beneficial for both teams," Schneider said. "I have tremendous respect for Coach Adam Strom and the loyalty he displayed for his young women last spring. Coach Strom and I believe that it is time for our programs to connect on the court. Games like these produce tremendous memories for all involved. We feel that the game will be strongly supported by both institutions and the Lawrence community."

The game against Haskell takes place Dec. 17 at Allen Fieldhouse.