By FHSU SPORTS INFORMATION
INDIANAPOLIS – NCAA Division II announced regular-season men’s and women’s basketball games that will be highlighted in January and February on NCAA social media or ESPN3 as part of a new media agreement intended to promote the division on several platforms throughout the academic year. An additional four flex doubleheaders will be finalized in February, and the games are expected to highlight premier and pivotal matchups toward the end of the season.
The new media agreement features two distribution models for basketball and football. For basketball, 18 games will stream exclusively on ESPN3, available on the ESPN app. Eighteen additional games are part of the hybrid model, and they have the flexibility to be distributed on TV and online. The division will work with the TV partners of participating conferences and schools on the opportunity to air games on TV. These games also will be distributed online through NCAA social media accounts – specifically, Division II Facebook (facebook.com/ncaadivisionii) and Twitter (@NCAADII) – and could be distributed through conference or school digital networks.
The games between Fort Hays State and Washburn on January 19 in Topeka are part of the hybrid model. The games will be available for viewing on both the Division II Facebook and Twitter accounts, and the Fort Hays State Athletics Facebook page. Local television channels that will carry the game are still being finalized, so an announcement of what channels will carry the game will be released in the coming days.
Below is the schedule for the Division II Basketball Showcase.
| 5:35 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 | Rogers State at Lubbock Christian (Women) – ESPN3 |
| 7:35 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 | Rogers State at Lubbock Christian (Men) – ESPN3 |
| 1:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19 | Fort Hays State at Washburn (Women) – Hybrid |
| 3:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19 | Fort Hays State at Washburn (Men) – Hybrid |
| 4:35 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 | Drury at Bellarmine (Women) – Hybrid |
| 7:05 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24 | Drury at Bellarmine (Men) – Hybrid |
| 3:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 | San Francisco State at Cal Poly Pomona (Women) – ESPN3 |
| 5:05 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 | San Francisco State at Cal Poly Pomona (Men) – ESPN3 |
| 12:35 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 | Fairmont State at West Liberty (Women) – Hybrid |
| 3:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 | Fairmont State at West Liberty (Men) – Hybrid |
| 2:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 | Central State (Ohio) at Spring Hill (Women) – ESPN3 |
| 4:05 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2 | Central State (Ohio) at Spring Hill (Men) – ESPN3 |
| 4:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 | Stonehill at Bentley (Women) – Hybrid |
| 6:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 | Stonehill at Bentley (Men) – Hybrid |
| 4:35 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 | Ashland at Ferris State (Women) – ESPN3 |
| 6:35 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 | Ashland at Ferris State (Men) – ESPN3 |
| 7:35 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 | Hawaii Pacific at Azusa Pacific (Women) – ESPN3 |
| 9:35 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 | Hawaii Pacific at Azusa Pacific (Men) – ESPN3 |
| 4:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 | Bowie State at Virginia State (Women) – Hybrid |
| 6:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 | Bowie State at Virginia State (Men) – Hybrid |
| 4:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 | Florida Southern at Eckerd (Women) – ESPN3 |
| 6:35 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 | Florida Southern at Eckerd (Men) – ESPN3 |
| Monday, Feb. 25-Sunday, March 3 | To be determined |
| Monday, March 4-Sunday, March 10 | To be determined |