ESPN Announces 2014-15 Women’s College Basketball Schedule

ESPN Announces 2014-15 Women’s College Basketball Schedule

ESPN2 Opens Season Nov. 17 with Four Ranked Teams as Part of Tip-Off Marathon

ESPN’s 2014-15 women’s college basketball regular-season schedule includes 131 games across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and Longhorn Network. The addition of ESPN3 exclusive games and ESPN FULL COURT, the pay-per-view package, to be announced at a later date will result in a record number of coverage this season.

The schedule boasts 22 programs on the espnW 2014-15 preseason top 25 poll – created by bracketologist Charlie Creme at the conclusion of the 2014 Final Four – which includes 20 of the top 25 teams on the schedule. espnW.com will provide season-long original content and supporting material for ESPN’s top games.

Every game will also be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 or Xbox One to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.

Schedule Highlights:

·         ESPN2 – Home to 36 games this season, ESPN2 will include top early-season matchups, all Big Monday contests and most Sundays throughout the conference season.

·         ESPNU – A schedule of 19 games, ESPNU matchups include doubleheaders on most Sundays during the conference schedule.

·         SEC Network – The introduction of the new network ensures every SEC women’s basketball game is available nationwide. SEC Network will air more than 60 games, including a doubleheader every Thursday and a game-of-the-week on Mondays.

·         Longhorn Network – ESPN’s 24-hour network devoted to The University of Texas, will air 13 games, including seven featuring a Big 12 opponent.

·         Tip-Off Marathon Presented by Dish – Four ranked teams open the seventh annual marathon with an ESPN2 doubleheader on Monday, Nov. 17. Two-time defending national champion Connecticut will travel to 2014 Final Four participant and No. 20 Stanford in the second game at 9 p.m., while No. 13 Baylor will face No. 6 Kentucky in the first matchup at 7 p.m.

·         Jimmy V Women’s Classic Presented by Corona – The 13th annual game features a rematch of the 2014 NCAA Championship title game – pitting No. 1 Connecticut against No. 5 Notre Dame on Saturday, Dec. 6, at 3:15 p.m. on ESPN. Notre Dame will play in the event for the first time, hosting the game at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Ind., while the Huskies will appear for the fourth straight year and seventh time overall.

·         Big Monday Presented by Verizon – The ninth season of the seven-week series on ESPN2 will begin on January 19 and run through March 2. The schedule includes doubleheaders on February 16 and 23 and a robust schedule of ranked teams: No. 1 Connecticut, No. 2 South Carolina, No. 3 Tennessee, No. 4 Texas A&M, No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 7 Duke, No. 8 Michigan State, No. 14 Maryland and No. 16 Louisville.

·         We Back Pat – No. 4 Texas A&M will play at No. 2 South Carolina in a January 26 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. 22. Two top-25 matchups – featuring SEC rivals No. 3 Tennessee at No. 2 South Carolina and new ACC foes No. 16 Louisville at No. 4 Notre Dame – airs Monday, Feb. 23, as part of Big Monday.

espnW

·         Season preview November 3-7 will include an updated preseason top-25 poll, preseason All-Americans and a ranking of the 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 third consecutive season, espnW will name a national player of the week each Monday.

ESPN The Magazine

A women’s hoop preview in its upcoming College Hoops Tip-Off Preview issue (on sale October 31) includes a rundown of the top-10 teams by espnW’s Mechelle Voepel, plus a ScoutTake profile on the genius of UConn’s Breanna Stewart.

Postseason Coverage

ESPN networks will also have a full lineup of games during Championship Week Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods and will continue to carry all 63 games of the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship culminating with the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Tampa, Fla., on April 5 and 7. The schedules will be announced at a later date.

Week-long men’s and women’s conference tournaments can been seen across ESPN platforms during Championship Week Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods from Thursday, March 5 to Sunday, March 15.

ESPN will present the exclusive live announcement of the 64-team NCAA Championship field as part of Selection Monday on March 16, 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 2015 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship will air on ESPN networks for the 10^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. The complete schedule will be announced at a later date.

2014-15 ESPN Network’s Women’s Basketball Schedule (subject to change)