Full Conference Schedule (PDF)
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference released the 2014-15 women's basketball composite league schedule on Thursday. The 99 game conference schedule is highlighted by national televised games on ESPN and CBS Sports Network. The league also announced a number of non-conference games that will be carried by its national television partners.
American women’s basketball enjoyed tremendous success in its inaugural season. UConn won a NCAA record ninth women’s basketball title while five teams qualified for postseason play (UConn, East Carolina, USF, SMU, and Tulane). Additionally, over 400,000 fans attended home games this past season.
“The American Athletic Conference is one of the premier women’s basketball conferences in the country,” Commissioner Mike Aresco said. We have established programs rich in tradition as well as an outstanding roster of coaches. Our student-athletes have been finalists on the Naismith, Lieberman and Wade Watch Lists. We are pleased with the exposure our teams will receive on national television through our partnerships with ESPN and CBS Sports Network.”
Ten of the 11 league squads will tip off the conference schedule the weekend of Saturday, Dec. 27.
UCF faces off with Houston while defending national champion UConn plays host to SMU on Saturday, Dec. 27. On Sunday, Dec. 28, East Carolina and Tulane open their first season in The American by traveling to USF and Cincinnati, respectively. The Pirates-Bulls matchup on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET) kicks off an ESPNU doubleheader for The American. Memphis plays host to Temple in the second half of the doubleheader at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Tulsa takes on Cincinnati on Wednesday, Dec. 31 in the first American matchup for the Golden Hurricane.
Tulane and USF, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament, kick off the televised games by CBS Sports Network on Sunday, Jan. 4 (3 or 5 p.m. ET).
The conference season concludes on Monday, March 2 with five games. The league finale is highlighted by an ESPN Big Monday matchup between UConn and USF (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2). The Huskies will be making their second appearance in a Big Monday game this season after hosting South Carolina on Monday, Feb. 9 (7 or 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2). UConn has additional televised non-conference matchups including games at Stanford (Mon., Nov. 17, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2), vs. UCLA at Mohegan Sun Arena (Sun., Dec. 21, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2), at Notre Dame (Sat., Dec., 6, 3:15 p.m. ET, ESPN), vs. St. John’s in the Maggie Dixon Classic at Madison Square Garden (Sun., Jan. 4, 1 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and at Duke (Mon., Dec. 29, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
Complete television and streaming designations, including contests on ESPN3, the American Digital Network and games in the American Women’s Basketball Championship, will be announced at a later date.