INDIANAPOLIS – Spring Hill College's home doubleheader against Central State University on Saturday, Feb. 2 will be part of a 24-game NCAA Division II showcase on ESPN3 or NCAA social media in January and February, the NCAA has announced. The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) doubleheader, which is also a Breast Cancer Awareness event, is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start for the women's game, followed by the men at 4 p.m. CT.
"Obviously, we could not be more excited about the opportunity for our program, our student-athletes and the College to be featured on the ESPN network. Being in our first season of NCAA Division II membership has been thrilling and this just adds to our excitement, as well as that of the students, faculty and staff on campus," said
Chad LeBlanc, Spring Hill's interim athletics director.
The doubleheader broadcast is part of a new national media agreement intended to promote NCAA Division II on several platforms throughout the academic year. In addition to the men's and women's basketball games already scheduled, an four doubleheaders will be finalized in February, which are expected to be pivotal matchups to close the regular season.
Per the NCAA, the new media agreement features two distribution models for basketball and football. For basketball, 18 games will stream exclusively on ESPN3, available on the ESPN app. Eighteen additional games are part of the hybrid model, and they have the flexibility to be distributed on TV and online. The division will work with the TV partners of participating conferences and schools on the opportunity to air games on TV. These games also will be distributed online through NCAA social media accounts — specifically, Division II Facebook (
facebook.com/ncaadivisionii) and Twitter (@NCAADII) — and could be distributed through conference or school digital networks.
"We are excited for the second half of the basketball season and look forward to featuring the accomplishments of Division II basketball student-athletes on ESPN3 and in the division's hybrid model," said Terri Steeb Gronau, vice president of Division II. "Fans will continue to watch talented student-athletes who make a difference in the classroom and in their communities."
The current schedule, which spans December through February, features 14 of the 24 basketball-sponsoring conferences in Division II and is created from a pool of conference nominations. One conference declined to participate due to an existing media rights agreement.
ESPN3 is ESPN's live multiscreen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible on the ESPN app across mobile and TV-connected devices to fans who receive their high-speed internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. ESPN3 also is 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 networks.
The basketball showcase tipped off in December with two doubleheaders in the hybrid model — Daemen versus Roberts Wesleyan and Bloomfield versus Caldwell. The 2019 portion of the schedule began Wednesday, Jan. 9, with a doubleheader between Columbus State and North Georgia on ESPN3.
Full schedule (all times Eastern):
| Wednesday, Dec. 5 |
Daemen at Roberts Wesleyan (Women) — Hybrid |
| Wednesday, Dec. 5 |
Daemen at Roberts Wesleyan (Men) — Hybrid |
| Saturday, Dec. 8 |
Bloomfield at Caldwell (Women) — Hybrid |
| Saturday, Dec. 8 |
Bloomfield at Caldwell (Men) — Hybrid |
| 5:35 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9 |
Columbus State at North Georgia (Women) — ESPN3 |
| 7:35 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9 |
Columbus State at North Georgia (Men) — ESPN3 |
| 6:35 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 |
Rogers State at Lubbock Christian (Women) — ESPN3 |
| 8:35 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 |
Rogers State at Lubbock Christian (Men) — ESPN3 |
| 2:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19 |
Fort Hays State at Washburn (Women) — Hybrid |
| 4:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19 |
Fort Hays State at Washburn (Men) — Hybrid |
| 5:35 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 |
Drury at Bellarmine (Women) — Hybrid |
| 8:05 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 |
Drury at Bellarmine (Men) — Hybrid |
| 4:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 |
San Francisco State at Cal Poly Pomona (Women) — ESPN3 |
| 6:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 |
San Francisco State at Cal Poly Pomona (Men) — ESPN3 |
| 1:35 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 |
Fairmont State at West Liberty (Women) — Hybrid |
| 4:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 |
Fairmont State at West Liberty (Men) — Hybrid |
| 3:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 |
Central State (Ohio) at Spring Hill (Women) — ESPN3 |
| 5:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 |
Central State (Ohio) at Spring Hill (Men) — ESPN3 |
| 5:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 |
Stonehill at Bentley (Women) — Hybrid |
| 7:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 |
Stonehill at Bentley (Men) — Hybrid |
| 5:35 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 |
Ashland at Ferris State (Women) — ESPN3 |
| 7:35 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 |
Ashland at Ferris State (Men) — ESPN3 |
| 8:35 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 |
Hawaii Pacific at Azusa Pacific (Women) — ESPN3 |
| 10:35 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 |
Hawaii Pacific at Azusa Pacific (Men) — ESPN3 |
| 5:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 |
Bowie State at Virginia State (Women) — Hybrid |
| 7:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 |
Bowie State at Virginia State (Men) — Hybrid |
| 5:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 |
Florida Southern at Eckerd (Women) — ESPN3 |
| 7:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 |
Florida Southern at Eckerd (Men) — ESPN3 |
| Monday, Feb. 25-Sunday, March 3 |
To be determined |
| Monday, March 4-Sunday, March 10 |
To be determined |
