ESPN's 2009-2010 Extensive College Basketball Schedule

Here are highlights of what the ESPN family of networks has in store for us for college basketball this season. To say that ESPN is giving us a lot of college basketball games is like saying Dunkin' Donuts serves a lot of donuts. Overall, this release from ESPN totaled 18 pages. I'm not going to paste the entire release here, but I did try, but to edit took so long that I'm only giving you just bits and pieces. If you want to see the entire release in its full 18 page glory, I suggest you click on this link.

But I'll give you the text and some of the games you can expect to see on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and any other channel and/or platform in the Disney/ESPN family.

ESPN’s Men’s College Basketball Schedule: Approximately 1,100 Games across Multiple Platforms

Second Annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon Nov. 17; More than 900 Games on ESPN360.com, including Simulcast of All ESPN and ESPN2 Games; New SEC Agreement Begins; Most Games Ever on ESPNU; College GameDay and Saturday Primetime Return; Special Events, Franchise Programming and More

The 2009-10 ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ABC, ESPN360.com, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN Regional Television and ESPN FULL COURT men’s college basketball schedule will feature approximately 1,100 games beginning Monday, Nov. 9. Highlights include:

• The second annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon celebrating the start of the season with 12 live games in 24 hours on ESPN on Tuesday, Nov. 17. ESPN games are scheduled to tip off every two hours beginning at 12 a.m. ET (9 p.m. PT Nov. 16) with Cal State Fullerton at UCLA. The 6 and 8 a.m. telecasts mark the first time ESPN has televised a live college basketball game in either of in those time slots -- in more than 8,200 live matchups in 30 years;

• More than 900 games on ESPN360.com, including 10 original productions and simulcasts of every ESPN and ESPN2 game and ESPN FULL COURT pay-per-view game. ESPN Mobile TV will simulcast approximately 250 contests;

• A record number of games on ESPNU with more than 240;

• The newly created Conference Tip-Off Jan. 11-17, highlighting the launch of ESPN’s regular weekday and Saturday conference coverage with more than 42 games;

• The first year of a new agreement with the Western Athletic Conference, providing games across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, including a consistent schedule of Wednesday night ESPN2 telecasts;

• First national telecasts of the inaugural Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic and second annual Charleston Classic.

For the fifth straight season, ESPNU will offer the first nationally televised games beginning Monday, Nov. 9, with a tripleheader from the Coaches vs. Cancer: Florida International at North Carolina at 7 p.m., Albany at Syracuse at 9 p.m. and Murray State at California at 11 p.m.

Returning franchise programming will include ESPNU Campus Connection Week, Feast Week, Holiday Hoops, Rivalry Week, BracketBusters, Judgment Week and Championship Week. Special tournaments and events will include the SEC/BIG EAST Invitational, Puerto Rico Tip-Off, 76 Classic, Old Spice Classic, Coaches vs. Cancer, Maui Invitational, Big Ten/ACC Challenge, Jimmy V Classic, Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series, NIT Season Tip-Off, CBE Classic, Hall of Fame Showcase, All-College Classic and NIT.

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU Day-by-Day Lineup

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to offer top games throughout the season, including many in regular weekday time slots and every Saturday beginning Jan. 11, highlighted by (conference assignments can vary):

• Monday: ESPN’s weekly Big Monday doubleheader will feature the BIG EAST and Big 12 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., respectively;

• Tuesday: Super Tuesday will highlight an ESPN Big Ten and SEC doubleheader as well as a weekly ESPN2 prime-time matchup featuring the ACC, Big 12 or BIG EAST. Tuesday will also include a weekly doubleheader on ESPNU at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. showcasing various conferences;

• Wednesday: Wednesday Night Hoops will feature a weekly Big 12 game on ESPN2, weekly games featuring the ACC and BIG EAST on ESPN and ESPN2 and a new consistent WAC telecast on ESPN2. A Wednesday ESPNU doubleheader at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. will feature action from the BIG EAST, ACC, Big 12 and SEC;
• Thursday: The Thursday Night Showcase will include a new weekly SEC game joining the Big Ten telecast as well as games from the ACC, BIG EAST and Pac-10 on ESPN or ESPN2 at 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. In addition, ESPN2 and ESPNU will offer a consistent 11 p.m. West Coast Conference game;
• Saturdays: Afternoon and evening games across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU from top conferences including ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Conference USA and more. Saturday Primetime, a 9 p.m. game of the week on ESPN, will return for a sixth season.

College GameDay and Saturday Primetime

The sixth consecutive season of ESPN’s College GameDay, ESPN’s weekly college basketball road show, will originate from the site of the Saturday Primetime telecasts beginning Jan. 16 with a women’s matchup pitting Notre Dame and Connecticut. It will mark the first time the show has originated from a women’s game. College GameDay will feature two one-hour shows each Saturday: 11 a.m. (the morning show on Jan. 16 will begin at 10 a.m.) and 8 p.m. (the evening show on Jan. 30 will begin at 6 p.m.). The schedule (all Saturday Primetime telecasts at 9 p.m. except for Jan. 30 which will begin at 7 p.m.):

Date	Matchup
Jan 16	Notre Dame at Connecticut (women’s)
Jan 23	Duke at Clemson
Jan 30	Kansas at Kansas State
Feb 6	Michigan State at Illinois
Feb 13	Tennessee at Kentucky
Feb 20	UCLA at Washington
Feb 27	Villanova at Syracuse
Mar 6	North Carolina at Duke

ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com Game Highlights for 2009-10

A Sampling of Top Non-Conference Showdowns

Matchup	Network, Date and Time (ET)
Morehead State at Kentucky	ESPNU, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m.
Gonzaga at Michigan State (College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon)	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m.
Memphis vs. Kansas (Hall of Fame Showcase from St. Louis; College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon)	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Nov. 17 at 10 p.m.
Syracuse vs. California (2K Sports Classic)	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.
North Carolina vs. Ohio State (2K Sports Classic)	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Nov. 19 at 9 p.m.
Texas A&M vs. Clemson (76 Classic)	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Nov. 26 at 4:30 p.m.
Minnesota vs. Butler (76 Classic)	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Nov. 26 at 8:30 p.m.
Michigan State at North Carolina (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Dec. 1 at 9 p.m.
Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series: Arizona at Oklahoma	ESPNU, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m.
Butler vs. Georgetown (New York City – Jimmy V Classic)	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.
Indiana vs. Pittsburgh (New York City – Jimmy V Classic)	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Dec. 8 at 9 p.m.
Kentucky vs. Connecticut (New York City – SEC/BIG EAST Invitational)	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Dec. 9 at 9:30 p.m.
Syracuse vs. Florida (Tampa – SEC/BIG EAST Invitational)	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Dec. 10 at 9 p.m.
Ohio State at Butler	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Dec. 12 at noon
Michigan at Kansas	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Dec. 19 at noon
North Carolina vs. Texas (from Cowboys Stadium)	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m.
Michigan State at Texas	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m.
California at Kansas	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Dec. 22 at 9 p.m.
West Virginia at Purdue	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Jan. 1 at 2:30 p.m.
Duke vs. Iowa State (from Chicago)	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Jan. 6 at 10 p.m.

A Sampling of Top Conference Showdowns

Matchup	Network, Date and Time (ET)	Conference
Gonzaga at Portland	ESPNU, Jan. 9 at 10 p.m.	West Coast
Villanova at Louisville	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m.	BIG EAST
Kentucky at Florida	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Jan. 12 at 9 p.m.	SEC
North Carolina at Clemson	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Jan. 13 at 9 p.m.	ACC
Dayton at Xavier	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Jan. 16 at 11 a.m.	Atlantic 10
Texas A&M at Texas	ESPNU, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m.	Big 12
Purdue at Illinois	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Jan. 19 at 9 p.m.	Big Ten
Wake Forest at North Carolina	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.	ACC
Georgetown at Pittsburgh	ESPNU, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.	BIG EAST
Michigan State at Michigan	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.	Big Ten
Vanderbilt at Tennessee	ESPNU, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m.	SEC
Kansas at Kansas State	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Jan. 30 at 7 p.m.	Big 12
Southern Illinois at Northern Iowa	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Feb. 6 at 6 p.m.	Missouri Valley
Michigan State at Illinois	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Feb. 6 at 9 p.m.	Big Ten
Nevada at Utah State	ESPNU, Feb. 6 at 10 p.m.	Western Athletic
Villanova at West Virginia	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.	BIG EAST
Kansas at Texas	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Feb. 8 at 9 p.m.	Big 12
Purdue at Michigan State	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Feb. 9 at 9 p.m.	Big Ten
Connecticut at Syracuse	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m.	BIG EAST
Washington at California	ESPN or ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Feb. 11 at 9 p.m.	Pac-10
St. Mary’s at Gonzaga	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Feb. 11 at 11 p.m.	West Coast
Memphis at Tulsa	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.	C-USA
Tennessee at Kentucky	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Feb. 13 at 9 p.m.	SEC
Texas at Missouri	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Feb. 17 at 9 p.m.	Big 12
UCLA at Washington	ESPN and ESPN360.com, Feb. 20 at 9 p.m.	Pac-10
Oklahoma State at Texas	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Feb. 24 at 9 p.m.	Big 12
Louisville at Marquette	ESPNU, March 2 at 9:30 p.m.	BIG EAST
Duke at Maryland	ESPN and ESPN360.com, March 3 at 9 p.m.	ACC
Kent State at Akron	ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, March 5 at 8 p.m.	Mid-American
North Carolina at Duke	ESPN and ESPN360.com, March 6 at 9 p.m.	ACC

Tournaments/Special Events

Coaches vs. Cancer – ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Nov. 9-20

ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to televise 10 games of the event featuring the new format of 12 teams, each from a different conference, competing at four regional sites with each regional host -- North Carolina, Syracuse, California and Ohio State – automatically advancing to the championship rounds at Madison Square Garden in New York (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN2’s coverage).

CBE Classic –ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Nov. 15-24

ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to televise 10 games of the event featuring the second-year format of 12 teams competing at four regional sites (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN2’s coverage) with the regional hosts (Texas, Pittsburgh, Iowa and Wichita State) automatically advancing to the Championship Rounds in Kansas City. The remaining teams will advance to play a round-robin series at one of two other sites.

NIT Season Tip-Off – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Nov. 16-27

The networks will combine to present nine telecasts of the 25th year of the early-season tournament, including the semifinals and championship from Madison Square Garden in New York City (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN and ESPN2’s coverage). Participating teams include Duke, Connecticut, LSU and Arizona State.

Puerto Rico Tip-Off – ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Nov. 19-22

ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com will televise nine games of the third annual event from San Juan, Puerto Rico (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN2’s coverage). Participating teams include Villanova, Mississippi, Indiana, Georgia Tech, Dayton and Kansas State.

Charleston Classic – ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Nov. 19-22

ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com will televise three games of the second annual event from Charleston, S.C. (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN2’s coverage) marking the first-ever television coverage. Participating teams include Penn State, Miami and South Carolina.

Maui Invitational – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Nov. 23-25

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will televise all 12 games, marking the fifth straight year every game of the event will be televised (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN and ESPN2’s coverage). Host Chaminade will be joined by Gonzaga, Arizona, Wisconsin, Cincinnati, Maryland, Vanderbilt and Colorado.

76 Classic – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Nov. 26-29

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will televise all 12 games of the third annual event from Anaheim, Calif. (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN and ESPN2’s coverage). Participating teams include UCLA, West Virginia, Butler, Texas A&M, Minnesota, Clemson, Long Beach State and Portland.

Old Spice Classic – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Nov. 26-29

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will televise all 12 games of the fourth annual event from Orlando, Fla. (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN and ESPN2’s coverage). Participating teams include Marquette, Xavier, Michigan, Florida State, Alabama, Creighton, Baylor and Iona.

Big Ten/ACC Challenge – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Nov. 30-Dec. 2

ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to televise all 11 games of the 11th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN and ESPN2’s coverage) highlighted by Michigan State at North Carolina in a rematch of the 2009 NCAA championship game Dec. 1. It will mark the eighth consecutive year every game of the event between the two conferences playing for the Commissioner’s Cup will be televised.

Big 12/Pac-10 Hardwood Series – ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Dec. 3-6

ESPN2 (with simulcasts on ESPN360.com) will televise two matchups and ESPNU four of the annual event between two of the top conferences.

Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic – ESPN and ESPN360.com, Dec. 8

The 15th annual Jimmy V Men’s Basketball Classic will showcase four elite programs in an ESPN doubleheader December 8 (simulcast on ESPN360.com). For the sixth consecutive year, New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden will host the two-game, college basketball showcase: Butler vs. Georgetown at 7 p.m. followed by Indiana vs. Pittsburgh at 9 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit The V Foundation for Cancer Research.

SEC/BIG EAST Invitational – ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN360.com, Dec. 9-10

ESPN and ESPN2 will televise all four matchups of the third annual event between the two premier conferences from two neutral sites, highlighted by Kentucky vs. Connecticut at Madison Square Garden Dec. 9 (New York City and Tampa). ESPN360.com will simulcast the ESPN and ESPN2 telecasts.

Diamond Head Classic – ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, Dec. 22-25

ESPN2 and ESPNU will televise 10 games of the inaugural event from Honolulu (ESPN360.com will simulcast ESPN2’s coverage). Participating teams include Hawaii, USC, St. Mary’s (Calif.), UNLV, Western Michigan, SMU, College of Charleston and Northeastern.

NCAA Tournament Opening Round Game – ESPN, March 16

For the ninth straight year, ESPN (simulcast on ESPN360.com) will feature the matchup of seeds #65 and #64 from Dayton (March 16, 7:30 p.m.).

NIT – ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com, March 16-April 1

ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com will combine to feature extensive coverage of the NIT, culminating with coverage of the semifinals (March 30 at 7 and 9 p.m. on ESPN2) and championship (April 1 at 7 p.m. on ESPN) from New York (ESPN360.com will simulcast every ESPN and ESPN2 game).

Franchise Programming (ESPN360.com will simulcast every ESPN and ESPN2 telecast)

College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon – Nov. 17

• Creative way to mark the opening of the season with 24 consecutive hours of college basketball game action on ESPN Nov. 17 beginning at midnight (simulcasts on ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile).

• Nineteen games – 17 men’s and two women’s – totaling at least 38 hours of action within approximately 25-and-a-half hours across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN360.com.

Feast Week – Nov. 23-29

• Encompasses matchups surrounding Thanksgiving, including the Maui Invitational, NIT Season Tip-Off, Old Spice Classic, 76 Classic, CBE Classic and more.

Holiday Hoops – Dec. 19-25

• Sixth annual week highlighted by non-conference matchups, including the inaugural Diamond Head Classic. Other games: North Carolina vs. Texas from Cowboys Stadium (Dec. 19, ESPN), Michigan at Kansas (Dec. 19, ESPN), Michigan State at Texas (Dec. 22, ESPN2), Mississippi at West Virginia (Dec. 23, ESPN2), Illinois vs. Missouri from St. Louis (Dec. 23, ESPN2).

Conference Tip-Off – Jan. 11-17

• Inaugural effort highlights the first week of ESPN’s regular weekday and Saturday conference action, including Big Monday, Super Tuesday, Wednesday Night Hoops, Thursday Night Showcase and Saturday Primetime with 42 games, including Villanova at Louisville (Jan. 11, ESPN), Kentucky at Florida (Jan. 12, ESPN) and North Carolina at Clemson (Jan. 13, ESPN).

ESPNU Campus Connection Week – Jan. 25-31

• Second year of the special week featuring student involvement in content around games across the ESPN networks.
• Features 40 games, including: Georgetown at Syracuse (Jan. 25, ESPN), Miami at Maryland (Jan. 26, ESPNU), Florida State at Duke (Jan. 27, ESPN), Gonzaga at Santa Clara (Jan. 28, ESPN2), Oklahoma State at Missouri (Jan. 30, ESPN or ESPN2) and Vanderbilt at Kentucky (Jan. 30, ESPN).

Rivalry Week – Feb. 8-15

• Fourteenth year includes 47 games, highlighted by conference games: Kansas at Texas (Feb. 8, ESPN), Purdue at Michigan State (Feb. 9, ESPN), Connecticut at Syracuse (Feb. 10, ESPN), Duke at North Carolina (Feb. 10, ESPN), Mississippi at Mississippi State (Feb. 11, ESPN or ESPN2), Saint Mary’s (Calif.) at Gonzaga (Feb. 11, ESPN2), West Virginia at Pittsburgh (Feb. 12, ESPN), Providence at Villanova (Feb. 13, ESPNU) and Tennessee at Kentucky (Feb. 13, ESPN).

BracketBusters – Feb. 19-20

• Eighth annual two-day extravaganza pitting NCAA tournament hopefuls against each other features 11 games selected from a pool of 98 teams.

Judgment Week – Feb. 22-28

• Pivotal week in the stretch run for conference supremacy features 37 games, including West Virginia at Connecticut (Feb. 22, ESPN), Oklahoma at Kansas (Feb. 22, ESPN), Tennessee at Florida (Feb. 23, ESPN), Florida State at North Carolina (Feb. 24, ESPN), Arizona at California (Feb. 25, ESPN and ESPN2), Siena at Rider (Feb. 26, ESPNU) and Villanova at Syracuse (Feb. 27, ESPN).

Championship Week– March 4-14

• Twenty-fifth season of wall-to-wall conference tournament action featuring 66 Division I men’s games – four more than last year – from 25 conferences, including 24 championship games.

• New coverage includes all four first-round games of the BIG EAST Championship on ESPN2 or ESPNU and SEC semifinals and championship on ABC.

Other Game Coverage – ESPN, Inc.

ESPN Regional Television

ESPN Regional Television, the nation’s largest producer and distributor of collegiate sports programming, will present regional coverage of more than 200 men’s basketball games from top conferences, including the SEC, BIG EAST, Big 12, WAC, Colonial, America East and Metro Atlantic (MAAC). This year will mark the debut of games on the new SEC Network, a regionally syndicated package of SEC games in 62 markets.

In addition, ESPN Regional Television operates the 76 Classic, Old Spice Classic, Puerto Rico Tip-Off, Charleston Classic, All-College Classic, SEC/BIG EAST Invitational, BracketBusters and the newly created Diamond Head Classic. For more information, visit http://espnplus.com.

ESPN FULL COURT

The 2009-10 ESPN FULL COURT men’s college basketball pay-per-view package will feature more than 400 out-of-market games (up to 30 games per week) from top conferences, including the SEC, ACC, BIG EAST, Big 12, WAC and more.

So there you have it. Again, if you want to see the full ESPN college basketball schedule, go here.