2017-18 Conference Schedule
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The American Athletic Conference released its 2017-18 women's basketball composite league schedule on Wednesday. The 96 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.
The American’s 12 members will play a 16-game schedule. With the addition of Wichita State, each team will play five of its 11 opponents twice, and six opponents once each – three at home and three away.
The conference enjoyed tremendous basketball success in 2016-17 highlighted by UConn winning an NCAA record 111 consecutive games and advancing to its 10
th straight Final Four. Six teams – UCF, UConn, USF, SMU, Temple and Tulane – were selected for postseason play. Wichita State joined the conference as a full member on July 1.
All 12 league schools will tip off the conference schedule the final weekend of December.
ECU plays host to Cincinnati, while UCF welcomes Temple to CFE Arena during conference opening action on Dec. 30. SMU takes on in-state rival Houston the same day in Dallas, and Wichita State makes its American Athletic Conference debut hosting Tulsa at the Charles Koch Arena (3 p.m. ET, ESPN3). Just 181 miles separate the two schools that were Missouri Valley Conference rivals from 1945 to 1996.
Tulane and USF, which made its fourth NCAA tournament appearance in the last five seasons a year ago, kick off the televised league games with a matchup on New Year’s Eve, Sunday, Dec. 31, on ESPNU (Noon ET). Defending American Athletic Conference champion UConn hosts Memphis at the XL Center the same day (1:30 p.m. ET, SNY/ESPN3).
Temple hosts Memphis in a nationally televised matchup on CBSSN (7 p.m. ET) during the final day of league play on Monday, Feb. 26. Six games highlight the final day of conference action, including UConn and USF’s ESPN2 appearance at 7 p.m. ET.
Fifteen conference women’s basketball games will be produced and distributed live by The American Digital Network (ADN) and will air on
www.youtube.com/americanathleticconf free of charge. Games on the ADN will be available on all mobile, tablet and desktop devices as well as on the conference’s official Roku app.
The American Digital Network begins coverage on Saturday, Jan. 6, with UCF hosting Wichita State. Throughout the conference schedule, The American Digital Network will make stops at 10 campuses, closing out the regular season on Monday, Feb. 26 in Tulsa with the Hurricane hosting Wichita State at 8 p.m. ET.
The American’s non-conference televised slate includes UConn and Maryland facing off at the XL Center (Sunday, Nov. 19, 1:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), UConn hosting Notre Dame in the Jimmy V Classic (Sunday, Dec. 3, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN), Cincinnati hosting Ohio State (Sunday, Dec. 17, 4 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and Temple taking on South Carolina at the Liacouras Center (Thursday, Dec. 21, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3). Mid-season non-conference tilts see USF hosting Ohio State at the Sun Dome (Sunday, Feb. 11, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and UConn squaring off with Louisville on Monday, Feb. 12 (7 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
The 2018 American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship will take place March 3-6 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT. Similar to last year, ESPN networks will provide live coverage of every game of the tournament. ESPN3 will carry six championship games, including four first round matchups on Saturday, March 3 and the afternoon quarterfinal games on Sunday, March 4. The evening quarterfinal games and conference semifinals (Monday, March 5) will air on ESPNU and ESPN2 while the championship on Tuesday, March 6 will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
All games aired on an ESPN network will also be available through the ESPN app, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider. Each of the CBS Sports games will be available to stream live in more than 150 U.S. markets via the CBS All Access subscription service, with additional coverage on CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports app.