The Loyola Marymount University women’s basketball team will open its 2026-27 nonconference schedule at Gersten Pavilion against Nevada on November 2, 2026, according to an announcement by Loyola Marymount University Athletics. The slate follows a historic 2025-26 campaign where the Lions captured the West Coast Conference Regular Season Championship.
LMU 2026-27 Nonconference Schedule and Key Matchups
Following the season opener against Nevada on November 2, 2026, LMU travels to face Utah State on November 6, 2026, before returning home to host Life Pacific on November 10, 2026, according to Loyola Marymount University Athletics. The early-season schedule builds toward a tournament in Honolulu from November 13-15, 2026, where the Lions will match up against Hawai’i. The Rainbow Wahine finished the previous season with 22 wins and reached the Big West Championship game.
LMU hosts Idaho State on November 20, 2026, before heading to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving week. According to Loyola Marymount University Athletics, the Lions play UNLV on November 25, 2026, and face Oral Roberts at a neutral site on November 27, 2026. UNLV enters the matchup following a 21-win season and a trip to the Mountain West Tournament semifinals.
December opens with a road trip to Albuquerque to face New Mexico on December 2, 2026. California visits Gersten Pavilion on December 7, 2026, in one of the marquee home matchups of the nonconference schedule. The Golden Bears recorded 21 wins last season and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.
Conference Realignment and Late-December Opponents
On December 10, 2026, LMU travels to Spokane to face Gonzaga, renewing a longtime series as a nonconference matchup following the Bulldogs’ move to the Pac-12, according to Loyola Marymount University Athletics. Gonzaga finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-10 record, won the WCC Tournament Championship, and earned an NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Lions continue their road trip against Long Beach State on December 13, 2026, before hosting Howard at Gersten Pavilion on December 20, 2026. Howard is coming off a 26-win season. LMU concludes its nonconference schedule with a return trip to Reno to face Nevada on December 22, 2026.
Building on a Championship Campaign
The 2026-27 schedule prepares LMU to defend its WCC Regular Season Championship in a new-look league. The Lions finished 15-3 in conference play during the 2025-26 season, setting a program record for conference victories and capturing their first regular-season title since the 2003-04 season, according to Loyola Marymount University Athletics. That 21-win season included a nine-game winning streak, LMU’s first victory over Gonzaga since 2008, and a berth in the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament—the program’s first postseason appearance since 2019.
Season tickets for the 2026-27 home schedule are currently on sale through the LMU Ticket Office, starting at less than $6 per game. Courtside seating is available for $199, and lower bowl reserved seating is priced at $79. Regular-season home games remain free for current LMU faculty, staff, and students with a valid OneCard.
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