The 2022 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament begins Wednesday, with No. 1 overall seed South Carolina looking to cement their dominant season while Stanford will look to defend its 2021 title.
The tournament opens with First Four matchups on Wednesday and Thursday, which will take place on ESPNU and ESPN2 beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
This is the first year the tournament has been expanded to 68 teams and included a First Four. It’s also the first year that the “March Madness” branding will be used for the women’s tournament.
The rest of the tournament will be aired across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPNEWS.
The first round will begin on March 18 at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN2. No. 1 South Carolina’s matchup will take place at 2 p.m. on ESPN. The second slate of games in the first round will then take place Saturday starting at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN2. Two games will air on ABC on Saturday: No. 2 UConn vs. No. 15 Mercer at 1 p.m. and No. 4 Tennessee vs. No. 13 Buffalo at 3 p.m.
The second round begins Sunday, March 20 starting at 1 p.m. while Monday’s matchups will begin at 4 p.m. The Sweet 16 will then take place starting on March 25 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. Elite Eight matchups will air March 27 and 28 beginning at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Following two weeks of competition, the Final Four will air April 1 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on ESPN.
For the first time ever, ESPN will air the national championship game in primetime, announcing that they have moved the time slot up to 8 p.m. on April 3. Prior to that game, a one-hour NCAA Women’s Championship Special will take place beginning at 7 p.m.