NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State women's basketball team tips off its 2015-16 season at an earlier time than most of its contemporaries.
 
The reason for that is simple. By playing LeTourneau at 12:30 p.m. Friday, it allows the NSU program to offer a chance for area school children and educators to attend that game.
 
To that end, Friday's game will feature free general admission for all fans. Additionally, the first 1,000 children at Prather Coliseum will receive a special Northwestern State basketball wristband on "Too Cool for School" day. 
 
There will be special in-game activities planned and Sodexo will offer a kids' "Snack Pack," which includes popcorn and either bottled water or juice, for $2.
 
Dickey's Barbecue Pit will be on hand selling a special lunch combo of a big barbecue sandwich, chips and a cookie for $8.
 
As eager as the school-age attendees are to have half a day away from their classrooms, fourth-year co-head coach Brooke Stoehr feels much the same way.
 
"Our players are really excited," Stoehr said. "They're tired of playing against each other. We've had a couple of closed scrimmages, and those have been very beneficial for us in terms of seeing kids in a different setting against a different opponent. They're ready to play."
 
Having a veteran backcourt presence of Janelle Perez, Keisha Lee and Beatrice Attura is reassuring for Stoehr, but she is equally excited about seeing what a group of six newcomers can do alongside NSU's eight returning letterwinners.
 
When Northwestern State and LeTourneau met in the 2014-15 season, six players made their NSU debuts in a 78-35 victory against the Yellow Jackets.
 
"I'm excited to see, as we start the season, how we can blend this group of newcomers with this group of returners," Stoehr said.
 
Perez and Lee enter the season as 1,000-point career scorers while Attura should be able to use a late-season push that saw her garner Southland Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player honors as a springboard into her junior season.
 
"They know what to expect," Stoehr said. "They know what competition means. They know how to compete. They know how to fight through adversity and have seen success. Janelle and Keisha have been with us from the beginning. They've been through some hard times and some struggles in building this, and they've also experienced some really successful moments."
 
With the 2015-16 season opener comes a new-look women's game as well. The NCAA rules committee voted to split the game into four quarters rather than two halves.
 
Friday's game can be heard on the Demon Sports Network, flagshipped by 100.7 KZBL in Natchitoches and including 103.1 FM  in Many and Leesville.
 
Following Friday's season opener, NSU will head to Dallas to face SMU at 5 p.m. Sunday as part of a stretch of three games in six days to start the season.