COLLEGE STATION, TX — No. 14 and fourth-seeded Texas A&M looks for its second straight trip to the NCAA Sweet 16, facing No. 18 and fifth-seeded Marquette in a Second Round game Sunday, March 24 at 1 p.m. inside Reed Arena.
The game is broadcast on ESPN2 with Lowell Galindo and A'ja Wilson on the call. The game is market-protected on cable providers in Texas and Wisconsin, which will show the game in its entirety. Satellite subscribers nationwide have a specific ESPN2 feed for each game of the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament.
Every game of the Championship is available on WatchESPN and the ESPN app on smartphones, computers, tablets and connected devices (Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One). Radio listeners can hear Tom Turbiville and Tap Bentz on the Texas A&M Sports Network, broadcast locally in Bryan-College Station on WTAW 1620 AM.
The Aggies (25-7) are looking for the eighth Sweet 16 appearance in program history, and to reach the second weekend in back-to-back years for the first time since 2011-12. Texas A&M is playing in the Second Round for the fourth consecutive season, and the 12th time in the past 13 years.
“We've played in big games before, and I think it helps that we're at home at a court that we're used to and having the 12th Man behind us,” said Texas A&M guard Kayla Wells. “I feel like it takes a lot of pressure off of our backs. I think we're all ready for this game. We're excited.”
Friday’s 84-61 win against Wright State was Texas A&M's largest in an NCAA Tournament game since the 2013 First Round, and ran the Aggies' record in First Round games to 13-3 overall and 6-0 at home.
“This whole team has sort of played this year with a chip on our shoulder because of the no-respect card,” said head coach Gary Blair. “We want to prove some people wrong. We can win with whoever we put a uniform on out there.”
“To get this team to the Sweet 16 would validate what we've done ever since I've been here,” added Blair. “We compete for championships.”
No. 5-seed Marquette (27-7) rallied back from a nine-point deficit with just under three minutes to defeat No. 12-seed Rice in overtime, 58-54. Natisha Hiedeman led the team with 13 points to send the Golden Eagles to the NCAA Second Round.
This is the second all-time meeting between the teams, with Texas A&M winning 84-64 inside Reed Arena during the 2012-13 season.
The winner of this game advances to the NCAA Chicago Regional, taking on the winner between No. 1-seed Notre Dame and No. 9-seed Michigan State on March 30.
