ESPN’s Coverage of NCAA Women’s Basketball Tips Off Monday, November 14

Exclusive Home of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship presented by Capital One
ESPN will carry 140 women’s basketball matchups across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Longhorn Network and SEC Network during the 2016-2017 regular season, culminating with the 30th anniversary of ESPN’s coverage of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.
The addition of ESPN3, SEC Network+ and ACC Network Extra exclusive games will be included in future releases, resulting in a record number of games.
This season’s schedule opens on Monday, Nov. 14, with four-time defending champion UConn at Florida State as part of the annual Tip-Off Marathon (6 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Following that game, Stanford takes on Texas as marathon coverage continues. Every team on espnW’s way-too-early preseason top 25 rankings will play on one of ESPN’s networks throughout the season.
Highlights
- ESPN – features defending champion UConn in two Sunday matchups, facing LSU as part of Feast Week presented by Lowe’s, and Texas in the Jimmy V Women’s Classic presented by Corona and hosted by the Basketball Hall of Fame
- ESPN2 – will air a total of 43 games, with two netflex options in January and February; also serves as the home of Big Monday
- ESPNU – coverage will feature 22 women’s basketball matchups, including a Sunday slate of We Back Pat games on Sunday, Jan. 22
- Longhorn Network – the 24-hour network devoted to the University of Texas will see 11 home matchups, including Big-12 conference play
- SEC Network – more than 70 games on ESPN’s network dedicated to the Southeastern Conference, highlighted by key in-conference matchups, as well as early rounds of the SEC Tournament
Franchise Programming
- Tip-Off Marathon – four top-15 teams will face off to begin the marathon coverage: UConn will play Florida State at 6 p.m., followed by Texas at Stanford at 8 p.m., both on ESPN2.
- Big Monday – beginning January 16, the 11th season of the seven-week series on ESPN2 will feature 13 of the top-15 teams in the espnW poll: No. 1 Notre Dame, No. 2 Louisville, No. 3 South Carolina, No. 4 UConn, No. 5 Baylor, No. 6 Texas, No. 7 Maryland, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 9 UCLA, No. 10 Stanford, No. 11 Tennessee, No. 12 Mississippi State and No. 15 Florida State.
- Feast Week presented by Lowe’s – features two matchups among top-ranked programs: UConn at LSU on Sunday, Nov. 20 (5:30 p.m., ESPN) and South Carolina at Louisville on Sunday, Nov. 27 (1 p.m., ESPN2).
- Holiday Hoops presented by Zales – includes DePaul at Temple on Thursday, Dec. 15 (9 p.m., ESPNU) and UCLA at South Carolina on Sunday, Dec. 18 (2 p.m., ESPN2).
- Rivalry Week presented by Wendy’s –begins with a Big Monday doubleheader on February 6 featuring ACC opponents Louisville at Notre Dame at 7 p.m., followed by Pac-12 rivals UCLA at Stanford at 9 p.m. The week will conclude on Sunday, Feb. 12, with five games across ESPN2 and ESPNU.
Events/Tournaments
- SEC/Big 12 Challenge – on ESPN2, two teams from each conference will face off: Texas will host South Carolina on Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m., and Baylor will visit Tennessee on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 3 p.m.
- Jimmy V Women’s Classic Presented by Corona and hosted by the Basketball Hall of Fame – in its 15th year, the annual event will feature UConn vs. Texas on Sunday, Dec. 4 (4 p.m., ESPN) from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. While both teams have faced each other in regular- and post-season action, this will be their first matchup as part of this event. UConn is 7-0 all-time against Texas, including four wins in the NCAA Women’s Championship. Texas is appearing for the second time, while UConn is making its sixth consecutive appearance in the Jimmy V Women’s Classic.
- We Back Pat – the SEC’s “We Back Pat” initiative honoring the late Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt will expand to one week – kicking off with a Big Monday matchup of Notre Dame and Tennessee in Knoxville (Jan. 16, TIME), including five games on Sunday, Jan. 22 (ESPN2 and ESPNU), and concluding with a matchup between Mississippi State and South Carolina on Monday, January 23 (7 p.m., ESPN2) also part of Big Monday.
- Play 4Kay – ESPN’s annual Play 4Kay – highlighting the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, in partnership with The V Foundation and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) – will air multiple games across ESPN2 and ESPNU on Sunday, Feb. 19. Two top-10 matchups – No. 7 Maryland at No. 8 Ohio State and No. 5 Baylor at No. No. 6 Texas – airs February 20, as part of Big Monday.
ESPN: Home of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship presented by Capital One
This year marks the 30th anniversary of ESPN’s coverage of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship. Beginning Friday, March 17, every round of the championship will be carried on ESPN or ESPN2. The Women’s Final Four will be live from American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, March 31 and Sunday, April 2. Details and a complete schedule will be available at a later date.
espnW
- A comprehensive two-week season preview October 31-November 11 will include a preseason top-25 poll, preseason All-America teams, preseason Bracketology and a ranking of the top 25 players in the nation.
- Writers Mechelle Voepel, Graham Hays and Charlie Creme, 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 Creme and a game preview for that night’s matchup, as well as postgame coverage with video analysis.
- For the fifth consecutive season, espnW will name a national player of the week each Monday.
ESPN The Magazine
A variety of topics in the Big & Tall issue relating to college basketball – available on newsstands beginning Friday, Nov. 18. Featured content includes:
- Men’s and Women’s Top 25 Power Rankings
- The return of the true center: After Brittany Griner graduated, there was a dearth of true bigs in the women’s game. Then along came Elena Coates (6’4). In a time of hybrid post players, the South Carolina senior has the skills and technique of an old-school center. That will pay off handsomely in the WNBA, which could make her the No. 1 pick next year. For now, with Coates in tandem with likely preseason player of the year A’ja Wilson, the Gamecocks’ front court is going to make them tough to beat.
Content will also live throughout the year on SportsCenter, espnW, ESPN Radio and many more ESPN properties.
The regular-season will culminate with ESPN’s Champ Week presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods conference tournament coverage March 3-12.
All games aired on an ESPN network will also be available through WatchESPN, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and streaming devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.
2016-2017 NCAA Div. I Women’s Basketball Schedule (Subject to change)
Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Network |
Mon, Nov 14 | 6 p.m. | College Hoops Tip-off Marathon: UConn at Florida State | ESPN2 |
8 p.m. | College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon: Texas at Stanford | ESPN2 | |
Wed, Nov 16 | Noon | Houston Baptist at Texas | Longhorn Network |
Sun, Nov 20 | 5:30 p.m. | Feast Week presented by Lowe’s: UConn at LSU | ESPN |
6 p.m. | Texas at Mississippi State | SEC Network | |
Wed, Nov 23 | 8 p.m. | Northwestern State at Texas | Longhorn Network |
Sun, Nov 27 | 1 p.m. | Feast Week presented by Lowe’s: South Carolina at Louisville | ESPN2 |
2 p.m. | Indiana at Auburn | SEC Network | |
Thu, Dec 1 | 7 p.m. | Oklahoma at Kentucky | SEC Network |
SEC/Big 12 Challenge: South Carolina at Texas | ESPN2 | ||
Sat, Dec 3 | 4 p.m. | Texas Tech at Arkansas | SEC Network |
Sun, Dec 4 | Noon | Kansas at Alabama | SEC Network |
2 p.m. | TCU at LSU | SEC Network | |
3 p.m. | SEC/Big 12 Challenge: Baylor at Tennessee | ESPN2 | |
4 p.m. | Jimmy V Women’s Classic presented by Corona and hosted by the Basketball Hall of Fame: UConn vs. Texas
(Uncasville, Conn.) |
ESPN | |
Wed, Dec 7 | 7 p.m. | UConn at Notre Dame | ESPN2 |
Sun, Dec 11 | 1 p.m. | Arizona State at Kentucky | SEC Network |
3 p.m. | Minnesota at South Carolina | SEC Network | |
Thu, Dec 15 | 7 p.m. | Clemson at South Carolina | SEC Network |
8 p.m. | UT Rio Grande Valley at Texas | Longhorn Network | |
9 p.m. | Holiday Hoops presented by Zales: DePaul at Temple | ESPNU | |
Sat, Dec 17 | 6 p.m. | Texas-San Antonio at Texas | Longhorn Network |
Sun, Dec 18 | 2 p.m. | Holiday Hoops presented by Zales: UCLA at South Carolina | ESPN2 |
3 p.m. | Stanford at Tennessee | SEC Network | |
5 p.m. | Virginia Tech at Auburn | SEC Network | |
Mon, Dec 19 | 7 p.m. | Virginia at Georgia | SEC Network |
Tue, Dec 20 | 8 p.m. | New Orleans at Texas | Longhorn Network |
Wed, Dec 28 | 5 p.m. | Vanderbilt at Memphis | ESPNU |
Thu, Dec 29 | 6 p.m. | UConn at Maryland | ESPN2 |
8 p.m. | Texas Tech at Texas | Longhorn Network | |
Sun, Jan 1 | 1 p.m. | Georgia at Missouri | SEC Network |
2 p.m. | Alabama at South Carolina | ESPN2 | |
3 p.m. | LSU at Mississippi State | SEC Network | |
4 p.m. | Kentucky at Tennessee | ESPN2 | |
4:30 p.m. | Tulsa at Houston | ESPNU | |
5 p.m. | Arkansas at Ole Miss | SEC Network | |
6 p.m. | Temple at Memphis | ESPN2 | |
Mon, Jan 2 | 7 p.m. | Louisville at Duke | ESPNU |
Vanderbilt at Texas A&M | SEC Network | ||
Thu, Jan 5 | 5 p.m. | UT Martin at Belmont | ESPNU |
7 p.m. | Missouri at Kentucky | SEC Network | |
9 p.m. | Tennessee at Vanderbilt | SEC Network | |
Sat, Jan 7 | 7 p.m. | TCU at Texas | Longhorn Network |
Sun, Jan 8 | Noon | Vanderbilt at Georgia | SEC Network |
South Carolina at Florida | ESPNU | ||
1 p.m. | Tulane at Temple | ESPN2 | |
2 p.m. | Kansas at Iowa State | ESPNU | |
Texas A&M at Kentucky | SEC Network | ||
3 p.m. | Notre Dame at Miami or Duke at Florida State | ESPN2 or ESPN3 | |
4 p.m. | Ole Miss at Auburn | SEC Network | |
5 p.m. | UCLA at Washington | ESPN2 | |
Tue, Jan 10 | 8 p.m. | Oklahoma State at Texas | Longhorn Network |
Thu, Jan 12 | 7 p.m. | Georgia at South Carolina | SEC Network |
9 p.m. | Florida at Mississippi State | SEC Network | |
Sun, Jan 15 | Noon | Dayton at Saint Louis | ESPNU |
1 p.m. | Texas A&M at Florida | SEC Network | |
1:30 p.m. | Miami at Louisville | ESPN2 | |
2 p.m. | Baylor at Kansas | ESPNU | |
3 p.m. | Georgia at Kentucky | SEC Network | |
3:30 p.m. | Ohio State at Purdue | ESPN2 | |
5 p.m. | Arkansas at Alabama | SEC Network | |
Mon, Jan 16 | 7 p.m. | We Back Pat as part of Big Monday: Notre Dame at Tennessee | ESPN2 |
Ole Miss at Mississippi State | SEC Network | ||
Thu, Jan 19 | 7 p.m. | Ole Miss at South Carolina | SEC Network |
9 p.m. | Texas A&M at Missouri | SEC Network | |
Sun, Jan 22 | Noon | We Back Pat: North Carolina at Notre Dame | ESPNU |
1 p.m. | We Back Pat: Tulane at UConn | ESPN2 | |
Florida at Georgia | SEC Network | ||
2 p.m. | We Back Pat: Louisville at USF | ESPNU | |
3 p.m. | We Back Pat: Rutgers at Maryland | ESPN2 | |
Kentucky at Auburn | SEC Network | ||
5 p.m. | We Back Pat: Vanderbilt at Tennessee | ESPN2 | |
LSU at Texas A&M | SEC Network | ||
Mon, Jan 23 | 7 p.m. | We Back Pat as part of Big Monday: Mississippi State at South Carolina | ESPN2 |
Missouri at Arkansas | SEC Network | ||
Thu, Jan 26 | 7 p.m. | South Carolina at Georgia | SEC Network |
9 p.m. | Alabama at Vanderbilt | SEC Network | |
Sun, Jan 29 | Noon | Virginia at Notre Dame | ESPNU |
2 p.m. | Iowa at Maryland | ESPN2 | |
Oregon at Oregon State | ESPNU | ||
Arkansas at LSU | SEC Network | ||
4 p.m. | Texas A&M at Mississippi State | SEC Network | |
6 p.m. | Oklahoma at Baylor | ESPN2 | |
Auburn at Alabama | SEC Network | ||
Mon, Jan 30 | 6 p.m. | Big Monday: Tennessee at South Carolina | ESPN2 |
7 p.m. | Kentucky at Missouri | SEC Network | |
Thu, Feb 2 | 7 p.m. | South Carolina at Kentucky | SEC Network |
9 p.m. | Mississippi State at Auburn | SEC Network | |
Sat, Feb 4 | 8 p.m. | Kansas State at Texas | Longhorn Network |
Sun, Feb 5 | Noon | Maryland at Indiana | ESPN2 |
Vanderbilt at Kentucky | SEC Network | ||
2 p.m. | Auburn at Texas A&M | SEC Network | |
South Carolina at Arkansas | ESPN2 | ||
2:30 p.m. | Missouri at Mississippi State | ESPNU | |
4 p.m. | Alabama at LSU | SEC Network | |
Tennessee at Georgia | ESPN2 | ||
6:30 p.m. | USF at Memphis | ESPNU | |
Mon, Feb 6 | 7 p.m. | Big Monday as part of Rivalry Week: Louisville at Notre Dame | ESPN2 |
Ole Miss at Florida | SEC Network | ||
9 p.m. | Big Monday as part of Rivalry Week: UCLA at Stanford | ESPN2 | |
Thu, Feb 9 | 7 p.m. | Missouri at Tennessee | SEC Network |
9 p.m. | Vanderbilt at Mississippi State | SEC Network | |
Sat, Feb 11 | 2:30 p.m. | Kansas at Texas | Longhorn Network |
Sun, Feb 12 | Noon | Rivalry Week presented by Wendy’s: Tulane at USF | ESPN2 |
Rivalry Week presented by Wendy’s: Dayton at George Washington | ESPNU | ||
2 p.m. | Florida at Alabama | SEC Network | |
Rivalry Week presented by Wendy’s: Maryland at Michigan State | ESPN2 | ||
Rivalry Week presented by Wendy’s: Texas A&M at Tennessee | ESPNU | ||
4 p.m. | Mississippi State at Ole Miss | SEC Network | |
Rivalry Week presented by Wendy’s: Baylor at TCU | ESPN2 | ||
6 p.m. | Arkansas at Missouri | SEC Network | |
Mon, Feb 13 | 7 p.m. | Big Monday: Texas at Florida State | ESPN2 |
LSU at Vanderbilt | SEC Network | ||
9 p.m. | Big Monday: South Carolina at UConn | ESPN2 | |
Thu, Feb 16 | 7 p.m. | Vanderbilt at South Carolina | SEC Network |
9 p.m. | Auburn at Ole Miss | SEC Network | |
Fri, Feb 17 | 5 p.m. | Iona at Quinnipiac | ESPNU |
Sun, Feb 19 | Noon | Play 4Kay: North Carolina at Louisville | ESPNU |
1 p.m. | Florida at Kentucky | SEC Network | |
Play 4Kay: Temple at USF | ESPN2 | ||
2 p.m. | Play 4Kay: Wake Forest at NC State | ESPNU | |
3 p.m. | Arkansas at Tennessee | SEC Network | |
Play 4Kay: South Carolina at Missouri | ESPN2 | ||
5 p.m. | Mississippi State at Texas A&M | SEC Network | |
Play 4Kay: Notre Dame at Syracuse | ESPN2 | ||
Mon, Feb 20 | 7 p.m. | Play 4Kay as part of Big Monday: Maryland at Ohio State | ESPN2 |
Alabama at Auburn | SEC Network | ||
9 p.m. | Play 4Kay as part of Big Monday: Baylor at Texas | ESPN2 | |
Thu, Feb 23 | 7 p.m. | Tennessee at Florida | SEC Network |
9 p.m. | South Carolina at Texas A&M | SEC Network | |
Fri, Feb 24 | 8:30 p.m. | Iowa State at Texas | Longhorn Network |
Sun, Feb 26 | Noon | Georgia at Florida | ESPNU |
1 p.m. | Vanderbilt at LSU | SEC Network | |
Florida State at Notre Dame | ESPN2 | ||
3 p.m. | Auburn at Arkansas | SEC Network | |
Ohio State at Rutgers | ESPN2 | ||
5 p.m. | Texas A&M at Ole Miss | SEC Network | |
Kentucky at South Carolina or Tennessee at Mississippi State | ESPN2 or ESPNU* | ||
Mon, Feb 27 | 7 p.m. | Big Monday: UConn at USF | ESPN2 |
* will air at 2 p.m. ET if game is on ESPNU
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