Reigning NCAA basketball champion UConn is facing a change of scenery, with the ongoing government shutdown forcing the top-ranked Huskies to move their November 4th season-opener against the No. 20 Louisville Cardinals from Germany's Ramstein Air Base to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Dubbed the Armed Forces Classic, the game was originally on track to be Ramstein's first-ever women's matchup, with this season's Huskies following in the overseas footsteps of the UConn men, who defeated Michigan State in the inaugural Classic in 2012.

This year's 10th edition would have marked the third Armed Forces Classic at Ramstein, after the 2017 game between Texas A&M and West Virginia also took place at the German base.

Though the move is an unplanned pivot, this season's matchup will not be the first time that the Armed Forces Classic occurs on domestic soil, with previous iterations bringing NCAA games to US military sites in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Texas, Alaska, and California.

"We're excited to have [the] opportunity to play at the academy," Louisville head coach Jeff Walz told The AP after last week's venue change. "It's going to be a great experience for our players. Everyone was excited about going to Germany and playing at Ramstein, but we will make the best of this."

Overseas bases operate at reduced levels during a government shutdown, impacting on-ground access for both the schools and broadcasters.

"We're appreciative of the Naval Academy for helping provide a first-class venue for this first-ever women's college basketball matchup that will showcase perennial powers Louisville and UConn," added ESPN VP of events Clint Overby.

How to watch the UConn vs. Louisville in the Armed Forces Classic

The No. 1 UConn Huskies will tip off the 2025/26 NCAA basketball season by taking on the No. 20 Louisville Cardinals at the US Naval Academy on Tuesday, November 4th.

The clash will tip off at 5:30 PM ET on ESPN.

The 2024/25 NCAA basketball season is down to its 10 final days of competition, with conference tournament seeding hanging in the balance as top teams try to build up some March Madness momentum.

Proving that nothing is guaranteed, two teams suffered upset losses on Thursday night.

In the ACC, No. 11 Duke fell to unranked Louisville 70-62. Though senior guard Jayda Curry led both the Cardinals and the game with 24 points, Louisville's victory came largely from the free throw line, where the Cards snagged 22 points but the Blue Devils only banked four.

The Big Ten followed suit, when unranked Indiana downed No. 8 Ohio State 71-61. Fueled by double-digit performances from four different Hoosiers, Indiana took an early lead and never relented, outshooting and out-rebounding the Buckeyes to hand them their fourth loss on the season.

NCAA conference titles take center court in decisive weekend matchups

While some teams are stumbling at the finish line, others have a shot at clinching conference hardware this weekend.

With a two-win lead on the ACC table, No. 1 Notre Dame has the chance to lock down the conference's regular-season title on Sunday, when the Irish will take on second-place No. 13 NC State.

The consequential clash has earned Raleigh a visit from ESPN’s College Gameday, with the pre-game show slated to build upon last weekend’s success in South Carolina with another high-stakes matchup.

Meanwhile in the SEC, No. 7 LSU’s season is also on the line. Unlike the Irish, however, the Tigers are simply trying to keep their dwindling conference title hopes alive, facing a must-win game against No. 14 Kentucky on Sunday.

To claim the SEC’s No. 1 seed, LSU would also need both No. 2 Texas and No. 6 South Carolina to stumble in their regular-season home stretch.

Beyond conference titles, the regular season’s wind-down can provide insights into how far teams can run into the postseason, as any upsets this week could spell busted brackets — or unexpected surges — come March.

How to watch Sunday's Top 15 NCAA basketball games

No. 1 Notre Dame will tip off the ranked Sunday action against No. 13 NC State at 12 PM ET, with live coverage of the ACC titans airing on ESPN.

Then at 4 PM ET, No. 7 LSU will try to steal a road win over No. 14 Kentucky, with ESPN also airing the decisive SEC meeting.