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ESPN2 Opens Season November 16 as Part of Tip-Off Marathon

ESPN’s 2015-16 women’s college basketball regular-season schedule includes 137 games across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and Longhorn Network – topping the number of games previously aired on ESPN networks.

ESPN2’s women’s basketball schedule opens with the annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon presented by Constant Contact on Monday, Nov. 16, showcasing three-time defending national champion UConn at No. 13 Ohio State at 5:30 p.m. ET – the first of 10 games tipping off about every two hours before programming switches over to ESPN.

The schedule boasts 24 of 25 programs on the espnW.com Way-too-early Top 25 poll – created by bracketologist Charlie Creme at the conclusion of the 2015 Final Four. espnW.com will provide season-long original content and supporting material for ESPN’s top games.

The addition of ESPN3 games and ESPN College Extra’s schedule, a new college sports service announced in September that brings hundreds of ESPN3 exclusive live college sports events to the TV, will be announced at a later date and result in a record number of contests this season.

All telecasts will be streamed live on WatchESPN, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.

Schedule Highlights:

• ESPN – two early-season top-25 matchups, plus two February dates that include a Netflex option.
• ESPN2 – home to 37 games, the network will include top early-season matchups, all Big Monday contests and each Sunday, beginning January 10, throughout the conference season.
• ESPNU – a 20-game schedule, the 24-hour college sports network has matchups each Sunday during the conference schedule (except Super Bowl Sunday).
• SEC Network – airing more than 70 contests, including doubleheaders or whip around coverage on Thursday nights, a game-of-the-week on Mondays and a minimum of two games each Sunday during conference season. SEC Network will present two nights of whip‐around coverage, a live look‐in to every women’s basketball contest played on Thursday, Jan. 7 and Thursday, Feb. 25.
• Longhorn Network – ESPN’s 24-hour network devoted to The University of Texas, will air 12 games, including six featuring a Big 12 opponent.

Events and Tournaments

• Jimmy V Women’s Classic Presented by Corona – the 14th annual game features a rematch of the 2014 & 2015 NCAA Championship title games – pitting No. 1 UConn against No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 5:15 p.m. on ESPN from Gampel Pavilion in Storrs, Conn. The teams are meeting for the second straight year in the Jimmy V Classic with Notre Dame playing in the event for just the second time and the Huskies appearing for the fifth straight year and eighth time overall.
• Basketball Hall of Fame Women’s Holiday Showcase – the annual event will feature No. 10 Florida State vs. top-ranked UConn from Uncasville, Conn., on Friday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
• American/SEC Challenge – host to the 2016 SEC Tournament, the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., will showcase No. 21 USF against No. 11 Mississippi State at 4:30 p.m. and UCF vs. Florida at 7 p.m. on SEC Network.
• Maggie Dixon Classic – a top-five matchup on Monday, Dec. 28, from Madison Square Garden, No. 4 Maryland will face No. 1 UConn on ESPN2 at 8:30 p.m. in the annual event named for the former Army head coach.
• We Back Pat – No. 3 Tennessee will play at No. 16 Kentucky in a January 25 Big Monday game, to honor former Tennessee coach Pat Summitt as part of the SEC’s “We Back Pat” initiative.
• Play 4Kay – ESPN’s annual Play 4Kay games – highlighting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, in partnership with The V Foundation and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) – will air five games across ESPN2 and ESPNU on Sunday, Feb. 21. Two top-25 matchups – No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Florida State and No. 5 Baylor at No. 19 Oklahoma – airs Monday, Feb. 22, as part of Big Monday.

Franchise Programming
ESPN’s women’s franchise programming consists of top matchups around notable times in the schedule:

• College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon presented by Constant Contact – showcases two ranked teams in three-time defending national champion and top-ranked UConn at No. 13 Ohio State on Nov. 16, at 5:30 p.m. to begin ESPN2’s marathon coverage.

• Big Monday – the 10^th season of the seven-week series on ESPN2 will begin on January 18 and run through February 29. Each of the 11 games features two ranked programs, and the schedule showcases eight of the top 10 teams in the espnW poll: No. 1 UConn, No. 2 South Carolina, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Maryland, No. 5 Baylor, No. 6 Notre Dame, No. 7 Louisville, No. 10 Florida State, No. 12 Oregon State, No. 13 Ohio State, No. 14 Arizona State, No. 15 Duke, No. 16 Kentucky, No. 19 Oklahoma and No. 21 USF.
• Feast Week presented by Lowe’s – features No. 9 Texas at No. 3 Tennessee on Sunday, Nov. 29, at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN.

• Holiday Hoops presented by Kay Jewelers – two games on ESPNU: Third-ranked Tennessee at No. 20 Stanford on Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 9 p.m. and No. 10 Florida State at No. 14 Arizona State on Monday, Dec. 21, at 5 p.m.
• My Home Court – begins with a Big Monday matchup with No. 3 Tennessee at No. 6 Notre Dame on January 24, at 7 p.m., followed by a Sunday, Jan. 24 tripleheader of No. 21 USF at UCF at 2 p.m. on ESPNU, plus No. 13 Ohio State at No. 25 Rutgers at 3 p.m. and No. 2 South Carolina at No. 11 Mississippi State at 5 p.m., both on ESPN2.

• Rivalry Week presented by Wendy’s – also begins with a Big Monday doubleheader on February 15 featuring SEC opponents South Carolina at No. 3 Tennessee at 7 p.m., followed by former American foes USF at No. 7 Louisville at 9 p.m. The week continues on Sunday, Feb. 21 with ESPN’s annual coverage of Play 4Kay with five games across ESPN2 and ESPNU.

espnW

• A comprehensive two-week season preview November 2-13 will include a preseason top-25 poll, preseason All-America teams, preseason Bracketology and a ranking of top 25 players in the nation.
• Writers Mechelle Voepel, Graham Hays, Kate Fagan and Michelle Smith, as well as analyst Rebecca Lobo, will write in-depth profiles of some of the nation’s top teams, players and coaches throughout the season.
• Prior to each Big Monday game, espnW.com will offer an updated Bracketology segment from Charlie Creme and a game preview for that night’s matchup, as well as postgame coverage with video analysis.
• For the fourth consecutive season, espnW will name a national player of the week each Monday.

Postseason Coverage
ESPN platforms will have a full lineup of men’s and women’s conference tournament games during Championship Week presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods from Thursday, March 3, to Sunday, March 13. The complete schedule will be announced in late February.

ESPN networks will continue to carry all 63 games of the 2016 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship presented by Capital One, culminating with the NCAA Women’s Final Four from Indianapolis, on April 3 and 5.

The exclusive live announcement of the 64-team NCAA Championship field as part of Selection Monday presented by Capital One will be unveiled March 14, at 7 p.m., with ESPNU offering a bonus hour of coverage on the NCAA Women’s’ Basketball Selection Special Extended Coverage at 8 p.m.

All 63 games of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship will air on ESPN networks for the 11^th consecutive year. ESPN and ESPN2 will present regionalized telecasts with home market protection through the first two rounds. ESPN3 and ESPN FULL COURT, the pay-per-view package, will offer first- and second-round games in their entirety as a supplement to ESPN and ESPN2’s coverage. The final 15 games, beginning with the Regional Semifinals, will have national telecast windows on ESPN or ESPN2.

2015-16 ESPN Networks Women’s Basketball Schedule (subject to change)

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