The “Pursuit of Perfection” will continue when undefeated and No. 1 seeds Connecticut and Notre Dame face off in the NCAA Women’s National Championship from Bridgestone Arena, in Nashville, on Tuesday, April 8, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and WatchESPN.
The hour-long NCAA Women’s Championship Special Presented by Capital One show hosted by Kevin Negandhi, Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo from inside the arena will precede the National Championship game at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN and WatchESPN. Former Notre Dame and current WNBA star Skylar Diggins will join crew on set.
SportsCenter will present in-depth coverage from Negandhi, Lawson and Lobo, as well as from reports from Bob Holtzman, Doris Burke and Holly Rowe every hour beginning with Tuesday’s 9 a.m. edition live from the Nashville Renaissance Hotel, then from Bridgestone Arena.
Additional content and features will be added over the next 48 hours.
ESPN will cover the top storylines leading into and following the “Pursuit of Perfection” title game. Feature highlights:
- A historical perspective on NCAA undefeated teams playing for a national title;
- Comparing Geno Auriemma and Muffet McGraw, including hailing from Philadelphia and getting their starts at Saint Joseph’s;
- The rivalry of the past was Connecticut-Tennessee but present day is the Connecticut and Notre Dame matchup;
- Why Notre Dame has dominated the series with UConn as of late when no other teams can touch the Huskies;
- Auriemma and the Huskies are looking for their record ninth NCAA Championship title, passing legendary Tennessee coach Pat Summitt;
- What does the Notre Dame fight song mean to the Fighting Irish each time it is played;
- Playing in their final collegiate game, Connecticut’s Stefanie Dolson and Notre Dame’s Kayla McBride talk about rivalries and the end of their career.
“ESPN3 Surround” – an alternative viewing experience with different camera angles and natural audio sound from inside Bridgestone Arena. ESPN3 will also carry the postgame celebration, trophy presentation and the net cutting
WatchESPN delivers live access on computers, smartphones, tablets, Xbox, Apple TV, Roku and Amazon Fire TV. It is currently accessible in 67.5 million households nationwide to fans who receive ESPN’s linear networks as part of their video subscription from AT&T U-verse® TV, Bright House Networks, Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Charter, Comcast Xfinity TV, Cox, DISH, Google Fiber, Midcontinent Communications, NRTC, Time Warner Cable, and Verizon FiOS TV.
ESPN International networks will offer the title game to fans on ESPN2 Australia, ESPN Brazil HD, ESPN Caribbean, ESPN Latin North, ESPN Tres North, ESPN Tres South and ESPN UK.
NCAA Division I Women’s Final Four Schedule (subject to change)
| Date | Time (ET) | Telecast | Networks |
| Tue, Apr 8 | 6 p.m. | College Basketball Live: NCAA Women’s Championship Special Matt Schick, Nell Fortner, Brooke Weisbrod |
ESPNU / WatchESPN |
| 7:30 p.m. | NCAA Women’s Championship Special Presented by Capital One Kevin Negandhi, Kara Lawson, Rebecca Lobo |
ESPN / WatchESPN | |
| 8:30 p.m. | National Final (Nashville, Tenn.): No. 1 seed Connecticut (39-0) vs. No. 1 seed Notre Dame (37-0) Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke, Holly Rowe |
ESPN / WatchESPN |
ESPN Classic will feature a marathon of recent Connecticut and Notre Dame games Tuesday, April 8, beginning at 8 a.m.
ESPN Classic NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Schedule
| Date | Time (ET) | Game |
| Mon, Apr 8 | 8 a.m. | 2011 NCAA National Semifinal: Notre Dame vs. Connecticut |
| 9:30 a.m. | 2012 NCAA National Semifinal: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame | |
| 11:30 a.m. | 2013 BIG EAST Championship: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame | |
| 1:30 p.m. | 2013 NCAA National Semifinal: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame | |
| 3:30 p.m. | 2001 NCAA National Semifinal: Notre Dame vs. Purdue | |
| 5:30 p.m. | 2013 NCAA National Championship: Louisville vs. Connecticut |
espnW @ The Championship
espnW.com continues its in-depth coverage of the 2014 NCAA Division I Women’s Championship with the title clash of undefeated teams: Connecticut vs. Notre Dame. Highlights and features:
- Columnist Mechelle Voepel will examine whether a perfect season – the third unbeaten season in four years – is good or bad for the sport, while also examining the legendary coaches for both teams;
- Features from Graham Hays and Michelle Smith on Connecticut’s Moriah Jefferson and how Notre Dame will continue to make up the loss of injured Natalie Achonwa;
- A profile of Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw;
- Analysts Kara Lawson and Rebecca Lobo offer their keys to Tuesday’s title game
- Charlie Creme’s X’s and O’s preview of the NCAA Championship, breaking down the matchup by position and each team’s biggest strengths;
- Tourney Snapshots includes team and fan-submitted social media photos and video with behind-the-scenes access to the teams, players and coaches (www.espnw.com/tourneyphotos);
- Expert picks and analysis from espnW’s staff;
- Slideshow of other highly anticipated women’s sporting events, from the 1999 Women’s World Cup final to Serena and Venus Williams meeting for a Grand Slam title;
- Title game preview from ESPN analysts LaChina Robinson and Carolyn Peck and an interview with former UConn All-American and WNBA star Tina Charles;
- Player blog from Dolson and season wrap-ups from Stanford’s Chiney Ogwumike and Maryland’s Chloe Pavlech;
- Campus reports and fan reaction from South Bend, Ind. and Storrs, Conn.
- Live in-game chat and analysis from espnW writers in Nashville;
- Creme’s instant analysis at halftime and immediately following the final buzzer;
- Postgame features and columns, as well as video highlights and interviews of the top performers.
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