NCAA Division II announced a slate of 27 regular-season men’s and women’s basketball games that will be carried on either the American Sports Network or ESPN3. Any games streaming live on ESPN3 also will be accessible on WatchESPN and the ESPN app.
The lineup will tip off with coverage of three men’s basketball games at the inaugural Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic and will be followed by 12 doubleheader matchups throughout the regular season, each starting with a women’s basketball game and followed by a men’s basketball game.
“Division II’s broadcast agreement will continue to highlight Division II student-athletes and their accomplishments on a national stage,” said Terri Steeb Gronau, vice president of Division II. “This is an exciting opportunity for men’s and women’s basketball student-athletes to demonstrate that they are not only great students and members of their community, but that they are truly skilled athletes as well.”
The Small College Basketball Hall of Fame Classic begins at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time Saturday on ESPN3 and will feature three games: Lincoln Memorial University vs. the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Bellarmine University vs. Florida Southern College, and the University of Southern Indiana vs. Kentucky Wesleyan College.
The showcase schedule also includes defending men’s basketball national champion Augustana University (South Dakota), women’s basketball national champion Lubbock Christian University and the 2016 Division II Award of Excellence winner Lee University. In total, 16 teams featured in the showcase enter the regular season ranked in either the men’s or women’s basketball national coaches polls. Also, 15 conferences will have at least one of their member institutions highlighted.
An additional four flex doubleheaders (two per network) will be finalized later in the basketball season and played the weeks of Feb. 20 and 27. The flex games are expected to highlight premier and pivotal matchups.
ESPN3 is ESPN’s live multiscreen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices through WatchESPN and the ESPN app. The network is currently available nationwide at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. It is also available at no cost to U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.
ASN is a division of Sinclair Networks Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country. Sinclair owns 173 television stations and operates and/or provides services in 81 markets, broadcasting 482 channels. Sinclair is the leading local news provider in the country, as well as a producer of live sports content. Sinclair’s content is delivered via multiple platforms, including over-the-air, multichannel video program distributors, and digital platforms. In addition, ASN’s content is syndicated to other broadcasters and regional sports networks. ASN, which launched in August 2014, produced 250 college events in nine sports in its first year, and in the current 2016-17 academic year, it plans to produce and broadcast more than 300 NCAA events.
Full schedule (all times Eastern):
4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19 – Lincoln Memorial University vs. University of Alabama in Huntsville (men) – ESPN3
7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19 – Bellarmine University vs. Florida Southern College (men) – ESPN3
9:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19 – University of Southern Indiana vs. Kentucky Wesleyan College (men) – ESPN3
1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 – West Liberty University at Fairmont State University (women) – ASN
4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 – West Liberty University at Fairmont State University (men) – ASN
5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 – Northern State University at Augustana University (South Dakota) (women) – ESPN3
7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 – Northern State University at Augustana University (South Dakota) (men) – ESPN3
5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 – Chowan University at Virginia State University (women) – ESPN3
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 – Chowan University at Virginia State University (men) – ESPN3
Noon Saturday, Jan. 21 – Saginaw Valley State University at Grand Valley State University (women) – ASN
2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21 – Saginaw Valley State University at Grand Valley State University (men) – ASN
6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26 – Union University at Lee University (women) – ESPN3
8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26 – Union University at Lee University (men) – ESPN3
Noon Saturday, Jan. 28 – Arkansas Tech University at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (women) – ASN
2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 – Arkansas Tech University at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (men) – ASN
7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2 – Texas A&M International University at Lubbock Christian University (women) – ASN
9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2 – Texas A&M International University at Lubbock Christian University (men) – ASN
Noon Saturday, Feb. 4 – Wingate University at Lincoln Memorial University (women) – ASN
2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 – Wingate University at Lincoln Memorial University (men) – ASN
6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 – Fort Hays State University at Washburn University of Topeka (women) – ESPN3
8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 – Fort Hays State University at Washburn University of Topeka (men) – ESPN3
1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 – Indiana University of Pennsylvania at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (women) – ASN
3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 – Indiana University of Pennsylvania at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania (men) – ASN
3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 – Angelo State University at Tarleton State University (women) – ESPN3
5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 – Angelo State University at Tarleton State University (men) – ESPN3
7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17 – Colorado School of Mines at Fort Lewis College (women) – ASN
9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17 – Colorado School of Mines at Fort Lewis College (men) – ASN
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