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March Madness 2023: NCAA women’s basketball tournament TV schedule, game times and announcers

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch this year’s women’s tournament on TV and online.

Maddy Siegrist (center) and Villanova have brought the Philadelphia area its best women's college basketball team in a generation.
Maddy Siegrist (center) and Villanova have brought the Philadelphia area its best women's college basketball team in a generation.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer

From Maddy Siegrest to Aliyah Boston to Caitlin Clark, this year’s NCAA women’s basketball tournament field is full of big stars and big teams. It also has a big change from the past. Instead of four regional-round sites, now there are just two — including one just down the road from Dawn Staley’s No. 1-ranked, defending champion South Carolina.

There’s also a change to the TV broadcast schedule: the national championship game will air on ABC on Sunday afternoon (3 p.m. on April 2) instead of on ESPN in prime time.

Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about how to watch this year’s women’s half of March Madness on TV and online.

Click here to play Bracket Jawn, our NCAA women’s tournament bracket contest, and click on the links below to jump straight to the schedule for each round of games.

» READ MORE: Villanova is a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Here’s how they got there.

The host cities

First Four: Campus sites on Wednesday, March 15 and Thursday, March 16 (listed in order of games) — Notre Dame, Ind. (6. Notre Dame); Stanford, Calif. (1. Stanford); Columbus, Ohio (6. Ohio State); Bloomington, Ind. (1. Indiana)

First and second rounds: Campus sites from Friday, March 17 through Monday, March 20 (listed in order of seed) — Blacksburg, Va. (Virginia Tech); Bloomington, Ind. (1. Indiana), Columbia. S.C. (1. South Carolina); Stanford, Calif, (1. Stanford); College Park, Md. (2. Maryland); Iowa City, Iowa (2. Iowa); Salt Lake City, Utah (2. Utah); Storrs, Conn. (Connecticut); Baton Rouge, La. (Louisiana State); Columbus, Ohio (3. Ohio State); Durham, N.C. (3. Duke); Notre Dame, Ind. (3. Notre Dame); Austin, Texas (4. Texas); Knoxville, Tenn. (4. Tennessee); Los Angeles, Calif. (4. UCLA); Villanova, Pa. (4. Villanova).

Regional rounds: Greenville, S.C. (Bon Secours Wellness Arena) and Seattle (Climate Pledge Arena) from Friday, March 24 through Monday, March 27

Note that the NCAA doesn’t officially use geographic designations for its women’s bracket quadrants the way the men do. It didn’t last year with four regional-round sites, and now with two sites it doesn’t make sense anymore.

Final Four and championship game: Dallas (American Airlines Center) on Friday, March 31 and Sunday, April 2.

» READ MORE: NCAA men’s basketball tournament TV schedule, game times and announcers

TV and streaming

ESPN has the rights to everything, so games shouldn’t be too hard to find — once you know what TV channel each game is on, that is. Games will be spread across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNews, with every game in its own national TV window.

Online streaming of all games is through ESPN’s app and website, with authentication through TV providers.

Note that games before the Final Four are not available on ESPN+, the network’s subscription streaming platform that has content beyond what’s on the TV channels.

Here’s the full NCAA women’s basketball tournament schedule for this year. All times listed are Eastern, and are when broadcast windows start. Tip times should be pretty close to that.

» READ MORE: 25 things to know about the NCAA women’s tournament teams

First Four

Wednesday, March 15

7 p.m.: 11a. Mississippi State vs. 11b. Illinois at Notre Dame, Ind. (ESPNU — Jenn Hildreth and Mike Thibault)

9 p.m.: 16a. Sacred Heart vs. 16b. Southern at Stanford, Calif. (ESPNU — Roy Philpott and Brooke Weisbrod)

Thursday, March 16

7 p.m.: 11a. St. John’s vs. 11b. Purdue at Columbus, Ohio (ESPN2 — Sam Gore and Kim Adams)

9 p.m.: 16b. Monmouth vs. 16b. Tennessee Tech at Bloomington, Ind. (ESPN2 — Brenda VanLengen and Holly Warlick)

First round

Friday, March 17

11:30 a.m.: 8. South Florida vs. Marquette at Columbia, S.C. (ESPN2 — Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck)

Noon: 7. Arizona vs. 10. West Virginia at College Park, Md. (ESPN — Tiffany Greene and Jimmy Dykes)

1:30 p.m.: 7. Florida State vs. 10. Georgia at Iowa City, Iowa (ESPN2 — Dave O’Brien and Christy Winters-Scott)

2 p.m.: 1. South Carolina vs. 16. Norfolk State at Columbia, S.C. (ESPN — Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck)

2:30 p.m.: 2. Maryland vs. 15. Holy Cross at College Park, Md. (ESPNews — Tiffany Greene and Jimmy Dykes)

3 p.m.: 6. Michigan vs 11. UNLV at Baton Rouge La. (ESPNU — Kevin Fitzgerald and Andrea Lloyd)

3:30 p.m.: 3. Notre Dame vs. 14. Southern Utah at Notre Dame, Ind. (ESPN2 — Jenn Hildreth and Mike Thibault)

4 p.m.: 2. Iowa vs. 15. Southeastern Louisiana at Iowa City, Iowa (ESPN — Dave O’Brien and Christy Winters-Scott)

5:30 p.m.: 3. Louisiana State vs. 14. Hawai’i at Baton Rouge, La. (ESPN2 — Kevin Fitzgerald and Andrea Lloyd)

5:30 p.m.: 1. Virginia Tech vs. 16. Chattanooga at Blacksburg, Va. (ESPNU — Angel Gray and Helen Williams)

6 p.m.: 6. Creighton vs. 11a. Mississippi State at Notre Dame, Ind. (ESPNews — Jenn Hildreth and Mike Thibault)

7:30 p.m.: 1. Stanford vs. 16b. Sacred Heart at Stanford, Calif. (ESPN2 — Roy Philpott and Brooke Weisbrod)

7:30 p.m.: 2. Utah vs. 15. Gardner-Webb at Salt Lake City, Utah (ESPNU — Elise Woodward and Dan Hughes)

8 p.m.: 8. Southern California vs. 9. South Dakota State at Blacksburg, Va. (ESPNews — Angel Gray and Helen Williams)

10 p.m.: 7. North Carolina State vs. 10. Princeton at Salt Lake City, Utah (ESPN2 — Elise Woodward and Dan Hughes)

10 p.m.: 8. Mississippi vs. 9. Gonzaga at Stanford, Calif. (ESPNU — Roy Philpott and Brooke Weisbrod)

Saturday, March 18

11:30 a.m.: 1. Indiana vs. 16a. Tennessee Tech at Bloomington, Ind. (ESPN2 — Brendan VanLengen and Holly Warlick)

1 p.m.: 4. Tennessee vs. 13. Saint Louis at Knoxville, Tenn. (ABC — Pam Ward and Stephanie White)

1:30 p.m.: 3. Ohio State vs. 14. James Madison at Columbus, Ohio (ESPN2 — Sam Gore and Kim Adams)

2 p.m.: 8. Oklahoma State vs. 9. Miami (Fla.) at Bloomington, Ind. (ESPN — Brenda VanLengen and Holly Warlick)

2:30 p.m.: 5. Washington State vs. 12. Florida Gulf Coast at Villanova, Pa. (ESPNU — John Brickley and Aja Ellison)

3 p.m.: 2. Connecticut vs. 15. Vermont at Storrs, Conn. (ABC — Beth Mowins and Christy Tomaskutty)

3:30 p.m.: 5. Iowa State vs. 12. Toledo at Knoxville, Tenn. (ESPN2 — Pam Ward and Stephanie White)

4 p.m.: 6. North Carolina vs. 11b. St. John’s at Columbus, Ohio (ESPN — Sam Gore and Kim Adams)

5 p.m.: 4. Villanova vs. 13. Cleveland State at Villanova, Pa. (ESPNU — John Brickley and Aja Ellison)

5:30 p.m.: 7. Baylor vs. 10. Alabama at Storrs, Conn. (ESPN2 — Beth Mowins and Christy Thomaskutty)

7 p.m.: 6. Colorado vs. 11. Middle Tennessee at Durham, N.C. (ESPN2 — Sam Ravech and Kelly Gramlich)

7:30 p.m.: 5. Louisville vs. 12. Drake at Austin, Texas (ESPN2 — Eric Frede and Tamika Catchings)

9 p.m.: 5. Oklahoma vs. 12. Portland at Los Angeles, Calif. (ESPNU — Ann Schatz and Meghan McKeown)

9:30 p.m.: 3. Duke vs. 14. Iona at Durham, N.C. (ESPN2 — Sam Ravech and Kelly Gramlich)

10 p.m.: 4. Texas vs. 13. East Carolina at Austin, Texas (ESPN — Eric Frede and Tamika Catchings)

11:30 p.m.: 4. UCLA vs. 13. Sacramento State at Los Angeles, Calif. (ESPN2 — Ann Schatz and Meghan McKeown)

Second round

Sunday, March 19

1 p.m.: 1. South Carolina vs. 8. South Florida at Columbia, S.C. (ABC — Courtney Lyle and Carolyn Peck)

3 p.m.: 2. Iowa vs. 10. Georgia at Iowa City, Iowa (ABC — Dave O’Brien and Christy Winters-Scott)

3:30 p.m.: 3. Notre Dame vs. 11a. Mississippi State at Notre Dame, Ind. (ESPN — Jenn Hildreth and Mike Thibault)

5 p.m.: 1. Virginia Tech vs. 9. South Dakota State at Blacksburg, Va. (ESPN2 — Angel Gray and Helen Williams)

5:30 p.m.: 2. Maryland vs. 7. Arizona at College Park, Md. (ESPN — Tiffany Greene and Jimmy Dykes)

7 p.m.: 2. Utah vs. 10. Princeton at Salt Lake City (ESPN2 — Elise Woodward and Dan Hughes)

7:30 p.m.: 3. Louisiana State vs. 6. Michigan at Baton Rouge, La. (ESPN — Kevin Fitzgerald and Andrea Lloyd)

9:30 p.m.: 1. Stanford vs. 8. Mississippi at Stanford, Calif. (ESPN — Roy Philpott and Brooke Weisbrod)

Monday, March 20

4 p.m.: 3. Ohio State vs. 6. North Carolina at Columbus, Ohio (ESPN — Sam Gore and Kim Adams)

6 p.m.: 4. Tennessee vs. 12. Toledo at Knoxville, Tenn. (ESPN2 — Pam Ward and Stephanie White)

7 p.m.: 4. Villanova vs. 12. Florida Gulf Coast at Villanova, Pa. (ESPNU — John Brickely and Aja Ellison)

7 p.m.: 4. Texas vs. 5. Louisville at Austin, Texas (ESPN — Eric Frede and Tamika Catchings)

8 p.m.: 1. Indiana vs. 9. Miami (Fla.) at Bloomington, Ind. (ESPN2 — Brenda VanLengen and Holly Warlick)

9 p.m.: 2. Connecticut vs. 7. Baylor at Storrs, Conn. (ESPN — Beth Mowins and Christy Thomaskutty)

9 p.m.: 3. Duke vs. 6. Colorado at Durham, N.C. (ESPNU — Sam Ravech and Kelly Gramlich)

10 p.m.: 4. UCLA vs. 5. Oklahoma at Los Angeles (ESPN2 — Ann Schatz and Meghan McKeown)

Sweet 16

Friday, March 24

2:30 p.m.: 4. Villanova vs. 9. Miami (Fla.) at Greenville, S.C. (ESPN — Courtney Lyle, Carolyn Peck and Brooke Weisbrod)

5 p.m.: 2. Utah vs. 3. Louisiana State at Greenville, S.C. (ESPN — Courtney Lyle, Carolyn Peck and Brooke Weisbrod)

7:30 p.m.: 2. Iowa vs. 6. Colorado at Seattle (ESPN — Pam Ward, Stephanie White and Holly Rowe)

10 p.m.: 5. Louisville vs. 8. Mississippi at Seattle (ESPN — Pam Ward, Stephanie White and Holly Rowe)

Saturday, March 25

11:30 a.m.: 2. Maryland vs. 3. Notre Dame at Greenville, S.C. (ESPN — Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli and Angel Gray)

2 p.m.: 1. South Carolina vs. 4. UCLA at Greenville, S.C. (ESPN — Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli and Angel Gray)

4 p.m.: 2. Connecticut vs. 3. Ohio State at Seattle (ABC — Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Andraya Carter and Holly Rowe)

6:30 p.m.: 1. Virginia Tech vs. 4. Tennessee at Seattle (ESPN2 — Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Andraya Carter and Holly Rowe)

Elite 8

Sunday, March 26

7 p.m.: 3. Louisiana State vs. 9. Miami (Fla.) at Greenville, S.C. (ESPN — Courtney Lyle, Carolyn Peck and Brooke Weisbrod)

9 p.m.: 2. Iowa vs. 5. Louisville at Seattle (ESPN — Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Andraya Carter and Holly Rowe)

Monday, March 27

7 p.m.: 1. South Carolina vs. 2. Maryland at Greenville, S.C. (ESPN — Beth Mowins, Debbie Antonelli and Angel Gray)

9 p.m.: 1. Virginia Tech vs. 3. Ohio State at Seattle (ESPN — Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Andraya Carter and Holly Rowe)

Final Four

Friday, March 31

Along with ESPN’s main broadcast, ESPN2 has a “Manningcast”-style simulcast with Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi and a range of celebrity guests. Both channels carry the main pregame show starting at 6 p.m. before their separate broadcasts start at around 7 p.m.

The games will be available online via TV provider authenticated streaming and ESPN+, the network’s subscription streaming service. ESPN+ will also have special feeds: an overhead camera broadcast with enhanced states, and a courtside camera on a rail. The “Bird and Taurasi Show” will also be on ESPN+.

7 p.m.: 1. Virginia Tech vs. 3. Louisiana State at Dallas (ESPN, ESPNU, ESPN+ — Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Andraya Carter and Holly Rowe)

9:47 p.m.: 1. South Carolina vs. 2. Iowa at Dallas (ESPN, ESPN+ — Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Andraya Carter and Holly Rowe)

National championship game

Sunday, April 2

After 26 years on cable TV, the championship game is on network TV this year for the first time since CBS aired it in 1996. The Bird-Taurasi simulcast on ESPN2 runs for this game, too. Pregame coverage on both channnels starts at 2:30 p.m. Everything except the hour of pregame coverage is also on ESPN+.

3:30 p.m.: 2. Iowa vs. 3. Louisiana State at Dallas (ABC, ESPN3, ESPN+ — Ryan Ruocco, Rebecca Lobo, Andraya Carter and Holly Rowe)