Moon Township, Pa. - The Robert Morris University women's basketball team has released its 29-game schedule for the 2012-13 season. The slate features three games against Big 10 opponents as well games against traditional non-conference rivals Duquesne and Kent State. The Colonials also play their 18-game Northeast Conference schedule.

"It is a very challenging schedule," said RMU head coach Sal Buscaglia. "We're playing teams such as Minnesota, Michigan State and Iowa from the Big 10 - all on the road. In addition, we're playing some high-level Mid-American Conference teams plus we start the season by hosting Niagara who played in the Metro-Atlantic Athletic Conference final last season. Given the fact that we're such a young team, it's going to be a tough challenge for us."

The Colonials will tip-off the regular-season by entertaining the Niagara Purple Eagles in a 7:00 p.m. game at The Chuck Friday, Nov. 9. The game will be the first meeting between these two teams since 1993.

A four-game road trip over the next 17 days follows the home opener beginning Nov. 11 at Colgate in the inaugural meeting between the two squads. RMU then travels to Mid-American Conference power Miami (Ohio) Nov. 15.

The first two of three games against Big 10 opponents takes place when the Colonials play the Iowa Hawkeyes for the first time in team history Nov. 20. Five days later, RMU will find itself in East Lansing, Mich., to take on the Spartans, another first-time foe.

Two home games break up the road trip, beginning with Stony Brook at the Sewall Center Wednesday, Nov. 28. That game will serve as the second "Elementary School Day" for Robert Morris with tip-off slated for 10:00 a.m. Last season's game brought 885 students from local schools when RMU upended Akron, 85-78. RMU ends its non-conference home slate against crosstown-rival Duquesne in a Sunday matinee that starts at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 2.

"Our conference was 15th in the country as far RPI last season which was really outstanding. The teams in the NEC have been very good in non-conference games. We were 3-1 against the MAC last season and another NEC team won at Oklahoma State, so we know, as usual, our conference schedule will be very demanding," said Buscaglia.

Four consecutive road games close out the non-conference portion of the Robert Morris schedule. Minnesota will be the third Big 10 team to host the Colonials when the squads meet for the first time Sunday, Dec. 9. The Colonials then travel to MAC-member Central Michigan (Dec. 17) before games at Coppin State (Dec. 21) and Kent State (Dec. 30) round out the non-league foes.

Robert Morris begins its journey for a ninth consecutive NEC playoff berth and fifth NEC Championship when it hosts Central Connecticut State Jan. 5 and Bryant Jan. 7. Road games at Monmouth (Jan. 12) and Fairleigh Dickinson (Jan. 14) precede a meeting with defending conference champion Sacred Heart at the Sewall Center Jan. 19. It is the first of three consecutive home games that will see Quinnipiac (Jan. 21) and Mount St. Mary's (Jan. 26) also make the trip to Moon Township.

Three road games follow the homestand as the Colonials travel to Saint Francis (Pa.) Jan. 28. A visit to Brooklyn will see RMU take on St. Francis (N.Y.) and LIU Brooklyn Feb. 2 and Feb. 4. Home games against Wagner (Feb. 9) and Saint Francis (Pa.) (Feb. 11) are followed by what is perennially one of the toughest conference road trips for RMU when the Colonials visit Sacred Heart (Feb. 16) and Quinnipiac (Feb. 18).

The regular-season home schedule ends with visits from Fairleigh Dickinson (Feb. 23) and Monmouth (Feb. 25) before RMU closes its regular-season slate at Central Connecticut State (Mar. 2) and Bryant (Mar. 4).