Key women’s college basketball games this season

DEC. 11:

Maggie Dixon Classic

Another strong doubleheader at Madison Square Garden features Baylor against St. John’s in the opener. Tennessee faces DePaul in the second game. Pat Summitt will get the Maggie Dixon courage award between games and a likely rousing ovation from the New York crowd.

DEC. 13:

UCLA-LSU

Normally this would just be an interesting non-conference matchup between the Pac-12 and SEC. But that was before Nikki Caldwell left the Bruins to take the job at LSU this spring. Should be a strong test for both teams, once they get past the emotions and down to basketball.

JAN. 7, FEB. 27:

Connecticut-Notre Dame

The Irish were picked to win the conference for the first time since 2002 in the preseason Big East poll. Not a huge surprise since they have most of last season’s NCAA runner-up squad returning that knocked out UConn in the Final Four. Don’t expect the Huskies to go away quietly as they have won the last four conference championships. The talented UConn freshmen class led by Kaleena Mosquite-Lewis.

JAN. 7, JAN. 29:

Michigan State-Penn State

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