Charlotte, NC - The NJCAA has announced the inaugural slate of NJCAA Men's and Women's Basketball games that will stream on ESPN+. The first two-year college basketball action on ESPN+ will take place November 25-26 and will feature the Chapman Automotive Thanksgiving Basketball Classic, hosted by Arizona Western, and the Trinity Valley Women's Basketball Classic. Following these classics, game selections on ESPN+ will be announced two weeks in advance.
This announcement comes shortly after the NJCAA and ESPN released news of a multi-year media rights agreement, to begin with the 2022-23 academic year that also includes nationally televised championship games for Division I Football, Division I Men's Basketball, and Division I Women's Basketball that will air on an ESPN linear network, as well as regular season content on ESPN+.
| Schedule - Men's Basketball | |||||
| Date | Time | Matchup | Location | ||
| Friday, November 25 | 3:30 PM ET | Yavapai vs. Southern Nevada | Yuma, AZ | ||
| Friday, November 25 | 7:30 PM ET | Arizona Western vs. Snow | Yuma, AZ | ||
| Saturday, November 26 | 3:30 PM ET | Yavapai vs. Snow | Yuma, AZ | ||
| Saturday, November 26 | 7:30 PM ET | Arizona Western vs. Southern Nevada | Yuma, AZ | ||
| Schedule - Women's Basketball | |||||
| Date | Time | Matchup | Location | ||
| Friday, November 25 | 1:00 PM ET | South Plains vs. Paris | Athens, TX | ||
| Friday, November 25 | 3:00 PM ET | Panola vs. Columbia State | Athens, TX | ||
| Friday, November 25 | 5:00 PM ET | Trinity Valley vs. Hill | Athens, TX | ||
| Friday, November 25 | 7:00 PM ET | Angelina vs. Northwest Florida State | Athens, TX | ||
| Friday, November 25 | 9:00 PM ET | Arizona Western vs. Frank Phillips | Yuma, AZ | ||
| Saturday, November 26 | 1:00 PM ET | South Plains vs. Panola | Athens, TX | ||
| Saturday, November 26 | 3:00 PM ET | Paris vs. Hill | Athens, TX | ||
| Saturday, November 26 | 5:00 PM ET | Trinity Valley vs. Northwest Florida State | Athens, TX | ||
| Saturday, November 26 | 5:30 PM ET | Central Arizona vs. Frank Phillips | Yuma, AZ | ||
| Saturday, November 26 | 7:00 PM ET | Angelina vs. Columbia State | Athens, TX | ||
The Chapman Automotive Thanksgiving Basketball Classic will be hosted on the campus of Arizona Western College in Yuma, AZ. The two-day event will feature four men's teams, including Yavapai, Southern Nevada, No. 14 Snow, and receiving votes Arizona Western, and three women's teams, including No. 14 Arizona Western, Central Arizona, and Frank Phillips. The Snow Badgers men's basketball program advanced to the second round of the NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Championship in Hutchinson, KS, during the 2021 season. Last season, the Arizona Western women's basketball program advanced to the quarterfinal round of the national tournament before falling to eventual national champion Tyler. Central Arizona's Vaqueros women's basketball team boasts the most national tournament appearances if all Division I women's programs with 33.
The Trinity Valley Women's Basketball Classic will feature eight games showcasing eight total teams, including No. 1 Trinity Valley, No. 2 Northwest Florida State, No. 24 South Plains, and receiving votes Panola. The Trinity Valley women's basketball program is one of the most historically successful programs in the association. With eight national titles, the Cardinals have made 15 consecutive national tournament appearances. Northwest Florida State has also been a consistently dominant program in recent years. The Raiders claimed the program's first national title in 2021 by defeating Trinity Valley 67-60. The South Plains Lady Texas have made four consecutive national tournament appearances and advanced to the quarterfinal round in 2021 as the No. 13 seed.
For more on the NJCAA and ESPN multi-year agreement, visit: HERE.
For more on the NJCAA Game of the Week on ESPN+, visit: HERE.
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