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It’s no secret that TNT Sports is expanding its offerings to fans. It was once again home to some of the top NASCAR races this season, and this college football season has been the place where folks can catch Big 12 and Mountain West games. And during the women’s college basketball season, fans are going to be able to watch a whole lot of Big East action on TNT and truTV for the first time. TNT Sports’ first Big East women’s basketball game will air on Wednesday and feature the nation’s No. 1 team and reigning national champions — UConn — take on Loyola Chicago of the A-10. The clash between the Huskies and Ramblers tips off from Storrs, Connecticut, at 7:30 p.m. ET on truTV. In addition to broadcasting a full slate of games, TNT Sports will also have a studio show accompanying contests featuring two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker, former UConn All-American guard Renee Montgomery, and host Lauren Jbara. Autumn Johnson and Christy Winters‑Scott will contribute to coverage as well. “Anytime you have a perennial champion like UConn, every team knows they’re testing themselves against the best of the best every single night,” Parker said. “That standard elevates the entire conference and pushes everyone to compete at a higher level.” A season ago, the Big East got just two teams into the NCAA Tournament, but it has historically been a league that garners more bids. It aims to get back to that standard this season with teams on the rise like Marquette, Seton Hall, Villanova and Georgetown. Marquette was the only team in the country to not lose a single player from last season’s roster, Seton Hall received a first-place vote in the league’s preseason poll, and Villanova returns Canadian national team member Jasmine Bascoe. Creighton, which joined UConn in March Madness last season, should be strong again as well. But it’s the Hoyas that Parker is the most interested in watching, along with UConn’s All-American stars. “I’m really intrigued by Georgetown. They went through their share of ups and downs last year, but adding six transfers alongside the return of Brianna Scott makes them a fascinating team to watch,” Parker said. “And of course, players like Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong bring a lot of excitement and star power to the league.” In all, TNT Sports will broadcast 15 games featuring Big East action this season on either TNT or truTV, and fans can also stream those contests on HBO Max. And eight of those games will include UConn, which will be led by the must-watch talents of Strong and Fudd. A season ago as a freshman, Strong was just one of four players nationally last season to average at least 16 points, eight rebounds and three assists per game. Fudd, meanwhile, is coming off a campaign in which she shot 43.6 percent from 3-point land — which was 14th nationally — and was named the Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four. The questions are: Can Fudd and Strong be the bus drivers for UConn following the departure of Paige Bueckers? And can the Big East raise its level of play and parity to become a league that once again sends a handful of teams to the NCAA Tournament? Answers might be found in games that air on TNT platforms. “The game has evolved tremendously — not just in how players can find the best fit for their strengths through NIL and the transfer portal, but also in the style of play,” Parker said. “The pace, spacing, physicality, and overall athleticism have all taken major leaps, making the women’s game faster, deeper, and more dynamic than ever.” Here’s the rest of the Big East women’s basketball slate for TNT Sports: Dec. 28: UConn at Butler, TNT Dec. 28: Creighton at Georgetown, truTV Jan. 7: St. John’s at UConn, truTV Jan. 8: Creighton at Marquette, truTV Jan. 11: Villanova at Providence, truTV Jan. 11: UConn at Creighton, truTV Jan. 22: UConn at Georgetown, TNT Feb. 1: Creighton at Seton Hall, truTV Feb. 1: Marquette at Georgetown, truTV Feb. 4: UConn at DePaul, truTV Feb. 15: Villanova at Creighton, truTV Feb. 26: Georgetown at UConn, TNT Feb. 26: Providence at Creighton, TNT March 1: UConn at St. John’s, TNT All games also available via streaming on HBO Max.
