ESPN’s College GameDay Covered by State Farm travels to Knoxville on Thurs., Jan. 26, for its first of three women’s college basketball shows this season. The one-hour program will air at 6 p.m. on ESPN, preceding the storied rivalry of No. 5 UConn and Tennessee that tips at 7 PM. The game is part of ESPN’s annual We Back Pat initiative honoring late women’s basketball coaching legend and Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt. Elle Duncan will host the show from inside Thompson-Boling Arena, alongside women’s college basketball commentators Andraya Carter, Rebecca Lobo, Carolyn Peck and Holly Rowe. Lobo and Rowe will join play-by-play voice Ryan Ruocco on the call for the game. Carter played for the Lady Vols from 2012-16, Lobo starred at UConn from 1991-95 and Peck was an assistant coach under Summitt from 1993-95.
“We are thrilled to continue integrating women’s college basketball into the College GameDay brand with additional shows this season,” said Patricia Lowry, ESPN vice president of production. “UConn-Tennessee is one of the preeminent rivalries in women’s college basketball and Pat Summitt remains the sport’s north star, while Geno Auriemma continues his historic run with the Huskies. Having the first show of 2023 at Tennessee for this matchup while supporting We Back Pat, with one of Summitt’s former players, Kellie (Jolly) Harper, now leading the Lady Vol program, it couldn’t be more fitting.”