LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Coach Chancellor Dugan on Tuesday unveiled the nonconference portion of the Bellarmine University women's basketball team's 2022-23 schedule, a challenging slate that includes a mid-December game against Louisville in historic Freedom Hall.

In addition to hosting the Cardinals, who advanced to the Final Four last season, Bellarmine will play notable road games in November at LSU and at Kentucky, both of whom earned NCAA Tournament berths in 2021-22.

In total, Bellarmine will play 12 nonconference games, with five unfolding in Freedom Hall, all in December. Five others will be true road games and two will be neutral-site contests.

After tuning up for the season by hosting Brescia in an exhibition game Oct. 29, Bellarmine will open its third season in Division I by playing Nov. 8 at perennial power LSU. The Tigers went 26-6 overall and 13-3 in the SEC last season while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Bellarmine will travel to Purdue Fort Wayne (9-21 last season) for a Nov. 13 contest before heading to Kentucky (19-12) for a Nov. 17 matchup. The Wildcats are the defending SEC Tournament champion and an NCAA Tournament team.

Bellarmine will follow by playing Nov. 23, 25 and 26 in the Cleveland State MTE. In addition to Cleveland State, the Knights will take on Georgia State (10-16) and St. Bonaventure (12-16) in neutral-site games, with the order of opponent being determined at a later date. Host Cleveland State (23-9) was nearly an NCAA Tournament team last season, falling in the championship game of the Horizon League Tournament. The Vikings proceeded to advance to the finals of the WBI Championship.

Bellarmine will welcome fellow Louisville school Simmons College for its Dec. 1 home opener. The Knights will then head to Morehead State (1-27) for a Dec. 4 contest before welcoming Evansville (8-22) on Dec. 8. Bellarmine is meeting the Purple Aces for the third straight season and fellow Kentucky program Morehead State for a second consecutive year.

Bellarmine follows with what is sure to be a highly anticipated matchup with Louisville on Dec. 14 in Freedom Hall, which the Cardinals called home through the 2009-10 season before moving to the KFC Yum! Center. Louisville went 29-5 overall and 16-2 in the ACC last season en route to the Final Four. The Knights and neighboring Cardinals are set to meet for the third straight year after Bellarmine's rise to D1.

Bellarmine will cap its nonconference slate with two more formidable opponents at home, as the Knights will welcome Wofford (17-14, 11-3 Southern Conference) on Dec. 17 and in-state foe Murray State (22-10, 13-5 Ohio Valley Conference) on Dec. 20. Both opponents earned berths in the WNIT last season.

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