Two-day event to showcase eight regionalized games, and three national telecasts
ESPN will support the Kay Yow Cancer Fund®, in partnership with the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and The V Foundation, for women’s cancer research during its sixth annual initiative, now entitled Play 4Kay and its women’s basketball games on Sunday, Feb. 12 and Monday, Feb. 13. The Fund is named in memory of former North Carolina State head coach Kay Yow, who died Jan. 24, 2009, after a long, courageous battle with breast cancer.
Play 4Kay will showcase eight regionalized games in high definition within two ESPN2 telecast windows on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET and 5 p.m., plus a full-national telecast on ESPNU at 3:30 p.m. The majority of the country will see the best action of the day with switches between sites and updates from other games. In the 16 home markets of the competing teams, ESPN2 will start and remain primarily with the game of local interest, while ESPN3 will have full coverage of 12 games. Also, as part of the initiative are two Big Monday Presented by Bud Light games on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Studio Coverage
ESPN’s Cindy Brunson, Kara Lawson and Carolyn Peck will be in the Bristol, Conn., studio providing in-depth analysis, along with taking the viewer to-and-from each game throughout Play 4Kay.
Game Coverage
Play 4Kay features an event-high 23 teams across ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3 – with its first-ever game on ESPN 3D – and includes 11 programs ranked in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll. The schedule showcases five matchups featuring top 10 teams, three top 25 games and one between top 10 programs. Highlights (full schedule below):
- An ACC battle pitting No. 6 Miami at No. 8 Maryland at 2 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN3
- No. 19 Purdue battles at No. 10 Ohio State in a Big Ten game at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN3
- As part of Big Monday Presented by Bud Light – No. 7 Kentucky faces No. 11 Tennessee in an SEC clash at 7 p.m. on ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN 3D – the first ever women’s game on the network’s channel
- Top five teams also in action – No. 2 Notre Dame hosts West Virginia at 3:30 p.m. in a full national telecast on ESPNU and No. 3 Connecticut travels to Oklahoma as part of Big Monday Presented by Bud Light at 9 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN3
Public Service Announcements
Play 4Kay public service announcements will run on ESPN networks, ESPN.com and espnW. Social media vehicles will utilize #Play4Kay.
ESPN Bottom Line
ESPN’s Bottom Line will promote the Kay Yow Cancer Fund during the ESPN2 Play 4Kay telecasts on Sunday and Monday with the graphic – “To donate, go to www.Play4Kay.org”
ESPN.com/espnW
ESPN.com and espnW will have coverage online and onsite during Play 4Kay. Highlights:
- An ESPN.com article by Graham Hays showcasing Duke’s Allison Vernerey, who spent the offseason working in a cancer research lab and how it revitalized her passion for basketball
- ESPN.com’s Mechelle Voepel features Iowa State head coach Bill Fennelly and his battle with throat cancer
- espnW feature by Pat Borzi on Ohio State’s Tayler Hill, who has helped lead Buckeyes to 19-1 record and top-10 ranking, and her relationship with brother, PJ, who also played at OSU
- On-site game coverage by Hays at Miami-Maryland on Sunday and Voepel at UConn-Oklahoma on Monday
- Video highlights with preview and review segments from all the games on Sunday and Monday
- CoverItLive chat on ESPN.com on Monday from 7-11 p.m.
- The annual Quick Dish will sum up all the top storylines from the day’s whiparound coverage and also hand out the Frenzies – ESPN.com’s own fictional awards to honor the highlights from the day
On-Campus Initiatives
The color pink has become synonymous as the official color of the breast and women’s cancer brand to help express support for women afflicted with the disease. Throughout the telecasts, the viewer will be engaged through pink elements from the teams, along with their fans, who are sporting pink apparel and raising funds in support of women’s cancer research.
Kay Yow Legacy
Yow’s coaching career spanned more than 38 years, including 34 with NC State. She had a record of 737-344, which encompassed 20 NCAA Championship bids, a Final Four appearance in 1998 and four ACC Tournament championships. She also coached the U.S. Olympic women’s team to a gold medal in 1988 and was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
2012 Play 4Kay Schedule (Subject to change)
| Date | Time (ET) | Game/Commentator | Network(s) |
| Sun, Feb 12 | 2 p.m. | **Marquette at No. 22 DePaul Beth Mowins & Brooke Weisbrod |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 |
| 2 p.m. | **No. 6 Miami at No. 8 Maryland Pam Ward & Rebecca Lobo |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 | |
| 2 p.m. | **Iowa State at Texas Tech Brenda VanLengen & Rosalyn Gold-Onwude |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 | |
| 2 p.m. | **Arkansas at Auburn Holly Rowe & Abby Waner |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 | |
| 3:30 p.m. | West Virginia at No. 2 Notre Dame Anne Marie Anderson & Kayte Christensen |
ESPNU | |
| 5 p.m. | **St. John’s at No. 16 Rutgers Bob Picozzi & LaChina Robinson |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 | |
| 5 p.m. | **Florida at No. 24 South Carolina Justin Kutcher & Krista Blunk |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 | |
| 5 p.m. | **No. 19 Purdue at No. 10 Ohio State Marc Kestecher & Tamika Raymond |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 | |
| 5 p.m. | **Wake Forest at NC State Mark Jones & Debbie Antonelli |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 | |
| Mon, Feb 13 | 7 p.m. | Big Monday Presented by Bud Light: No. 7 Kentucky at No. 11 Tennessee Beth Mowins & Stephanie White |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 / ESPN 3D |
| 9 p.m. | Big Monday Presented by Bud Light: No. 3 Connecticut at Oklahoma Pam Ward & Rebecca Lobo |
ESPN2 / ESPN3 |
Kay Yow Cancer Fund
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization committed to being a part of finding an answer in the fight against women’s cancers through raising money for scientific research, assisting the underserved, and unifying people for a common cause. For more information on the Kay Yow Cancer Fund or to make a donation, please visit www.KayYow.com.
About The V Foundation for Cancer Research
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since 1993, The Foundation has raised more than $115 million to fund cancer research grants nationwide. It awards 100 percent of all direct cash donations and net proceeds of events directly to cancer research and related programs. Administrative and fundraising expenses are paid by the Foundation’s endowment. The Foundation awards grants through a competitive awards process strictly supervised by a Scientific Advisory Board. For more information on The V Foundation or to make a donation, please visit www.jimmyv.org.
The WBCA
Founded in 1981, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association promotes women’s basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. For more information on the WBCA, please visit www.wbca.org.
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