To put on any event for television is a major task.
From setting the actual matchup months ahead of time, to the production elements in the truck, to the behind-the-scenes setup or the research done by the on-air commentators, this women’s basketball game featuring No. 5 Stanford at No. 4 Connecticut was no different.
The game, held at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., aired Monday, Nov. 21, on ESPNU as the first women’s college game on ESPN networks this season.
The video above provides a behind-the-scenes look at the production elements involved.
The Huskies prevailed 68-58 in a closely contest game that was called by veteran play-by-play announcer Beth Mowins and analyst Rebecca Lobo. Mowins was in the midst of an 18-day, multi-sport road trip featured throughout on espnW and on ESPN Front Row last week.
The Stanford-UConn game serves as prelude to a marquee matchup tonight in the same venue.
The last three NCAA Women’s Basketball National Champions will be represented when No. 2 Connecticut (2009, 2010) and No. 7 Texas A&M (2011) face off in the 10th annual Jimmy V Women’s Classic Presented by Corona Extra at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
ESPN, in conjunction with The V Foundation for Cancer Research, stages and televises the annual event.
This year, it falls on the same night as the men’s Jimmy V Classic from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Those games will tip off at 7 p.m. with No. 13 Missouri versus Villanova, followed by Washington meeeting No. 16 Marquette at 9 p.m., both on ESPN.
Check out the photo gallery below featuring coach Gary Blair and the defending women’s NCAA champion Aggies, who visited ESPN’s Bristol campus on Monday.
