Ohio State to host Connecticut, Stanford

The early portion of the Ohio State women’s basketball team’s 2017-18 season won’t lack in schedule strength.

Ohio State announced Monday a pair of November games against Stanford and Connecticut. Both schools reached the Final Four this season and are coached by two of the three winningest coaches in NCAA women’s history.

Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer, who won 110 in five seasons as Ohio State’s coach before leaving for Stanford in 1985, will make her return to Columbus on Nov. 10 when the Cardinal meets Ohio State at St. John Arena.

On Nov. 12, Ohio State will face Connecticut in the previously announced “Countdown to Columbus” showcase event at Nationwide Arena, site of the 2018 Women’s Final Four. Also that day, Stanford will play Louisville at Nationwide.

Connecticut has won four of the past five NCAA women’s basketball titles. Led by coach Geno Auriemma, the Huskies reached their 10th straight Final Four in March but had their 111-game winning streak snapped when they lost a semifinal to Mississippi State in overtime.

The 2017-18 season will be the third straight in which Ohio State will face UConn. The Huskies defeated the Buckeyes by 19 points in Hartford, Connecticut, last December and by 44 at Value City Arena in November 2015.

The remainder of Ohio State’s schedule will be announced later, as will times and television broadcast info for the two showcase games.

The Buckeyes went 28-7 this season, won a share of the Big Ten regular-season title and for the second straight year reached the Sweet 16 before falling 99-76 to Notre Dame.