NBA & College Hoops Crossover: Bilas Joins NBA Booth for Clippers-Knicks, Van Gundy to Call North Carolina at Virginia
Legler to Call Men’s College Hoops Game: La Salle vs. Temple Saturday
ESPN’s basketball analysts Jay Bilas and Jeff Van Gundy will join forces next week as they share their respective booth space. The unique crossover will begin on Friday, Jan. 17, when college basketball and NBA draft analyst Bilas will join the ESPN NBA team of Mike Breen, Van Gundy and Lisa Salters to provide commentary as the New York Knicks host the Los Angeles Clippers at 7 p.m. ET. Van Gundy will crossover and team with Bilas, play-by-play veteran Sean McDonough and reporter Jeannine Edwards for ESPN’s Big Monday Presented by Verizon contest featuring North Carolina at Virginia at 7 p.m.
“Jeff and Jay are two of the best in the business at delivering direct and knowledgeable analysis that entertains fans. We’ve recognized an on-air chemistry between them during their NBA Draft assignments and have been looking for an opportunity to have them work games together in their respective sports,” said Mark Gross, ESPN senior vice president & executive producer. “One thing a three-person combo of Jeff and Jay with their traditional on-air partners of Mike Breen and Sean McDonough will not be is boring or un-informative.”
Bilas will travel from New York City to the first week of ESPN College GameDay Covered by State Farm – the eight-week Saturday morning and evening college basketball program originating from the site of ESPN’s Saturday Primetime Presented by DIRECTV telecast. The first of the season is a special split-site show that will air live from the historic Palestra in Philadelphia at 10 a.m. ET on ESPNU and continues at 11 a.m. on ESPN. The 8 p.m. show will caravan to the site of the Saturday Primetime game – No. 18 Louisville at Connecticut at 9 p.m. on ESPN. Bilas is joined on GameDay by host Rece Davis and analysts Digger Phelps and Jalen Rose.
In addition to the Bilas and Van Gundy crossover, NBA analyst and La Salle legend Tim Legler will join John Saunders on the call of the La Salle vs. Temple men’s college hoops game at noon on ESPN2. Legler will also join the GameDay crew for a segment featuring the Philadelphia Big 5 – an informal and historic league of five prestigious Philadelphia universities: La Salle, Pennsylvania, Saint Joseph’s, Temple and Villanova. A member of La Salle’s Hall of Athletes, Legler played at the Palestra venue from 1984-88, leading the team to a NCAA Championship berth his senior year. At the time, Legler played for current Temple head coach Fran Dunphy, who previously served as lead assistant coach at La Salle.
The Saturday college programming is part of ESPN’s “My Home Court” initiative – culminating a week-long celebration of college basketball’s greatest venues.
| Date | Time (ET) | Game/Commentators | Networks |
| Fri, Jan. 17 | 7 p.m. | Los Angeles Clippers at New York Knicks Presented by State Farm
Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Jay Bilas & Lisa Salters |
ESPN / WatchESPN |
| Sat, Jan. 18 | 10 a.m. | College GameDay Covered by State Farm
Rece Davis, Bilas, Digger Phelps & Jalen Rose |
ESPNU / ESPN / WatchESPN |
| Noon | Temple vs. La Salle
John Saunders & Tim Legler |
ESPN / WatchESPN | |
| Mon, Jan. 20 | 7 p.m. | Big Monday Presented by Verizon: North Carolina at Virginia
Sean McDonough, Bilas, Van Gundy & Jeannine Edwards |
ESPN / WatchESPN |
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Men’s College Hoops: Three of Top Five in Action including No. 2 Syracuse against No. 22 Pitt, No. 25 Oklahoma at No. 12 Baylor
contact: rachel.m.siegal@espn.com
This week’s men’s college basketball schedule will include three of the top five ranked teams on Saturday, Jan. 18, and two matchups between ranked teams. Highlights:
· ESPN will televise five games on Saturday, Jan. 18, including three with ranked teams beginning at 4 p.m. with No. 22 Pitt at No. 2 Syracuse at 4 p.m. on ESPN. Syracuse and Pitt, former foes in the BIG EAST conference prior to beginning play as members of the ACC this season, are currently the top two teams in the conference. The day will close with No. 3 Wisconsin against Michigan in a Big Ten showdown at 6 p.m. and No. 18 Louisville at Connecticut in the Saturday Primetime telecast at 9 p.m.
· Two of ESPN2’s three games on Saturday, Jan. 18, will include a ranked team beginning with No. 25 Oklahoma at No. 12 Baylor at 2 p.m. Oklahoma is coming off a victory over previously unbeaten Iowa State on January 11 while Baylor’s only two losses on the season have been to undefeated Syracuse and one-loss Iowa State. The following matchups at 4 p.m. will showcase undefeated No. 5 Wichita State against Indiana State.
The schedule is also highlighted by the conclusion of the week-long “My Home Court” (Twitter #MyHomeCourt) initiative celebrating some of the best and most historic venues in the sport. Telecasts from Monday, Jan. 13, to Saturday, Jan. 18, feature vignettes and discussion about the venue. Topics include the arena’s history, notable moments, great athletes and coaches who appeared there, a look at the past and present, records made and broken in the facility, best and most unique seats in the building, and notable and passionate team fans who attend games.
| Thu, Jan 16 | 7 p.m. | Connecticut at No. 17 Memphis Dave O’Brien & Jay Bilas |
ESPN |
| Missouri at Vanderbilt Rece Davis & Bob Knight |
ESPN2 | ||
| Kennesaw State at Lipscomb | ESPN3 | ||
| USC Upstate at Florida Gulf Coast | ESPN3 | ||
| Belmont at Eastern Kentucky Rich Hollenberg & Adrian Branch |
ESPNU | ||
| 8:30 p.m. | Niagara at Fairfield Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy |
ESPN3 | |
| 8:45 p.m. | Lamar at New Orleans | ESPN3 | |
| 9 p.m. | No. 11 Ohio State at Minnesota Joe Tessitore & Sean Farnham |
ESPN2 | |
| BYU at San Francisco Roxy Bernstein & Corey Williams |
ESPNU | ||
| 10 p.m. | Cal-State Fullerton at UC Irvine | ESPN3 | |
| 11 p.m. | Long Beach State at UC Santa Barbara Kanoa Leahey & Bill Herenda |
ESPNU | |
| Fri, Jan 17 | 7 p.m. | Wisconsin-Green Bay at Wright State Jim Barbar & Malcolm Huckaby |
ESPNU |
| 9 p.m. | Canisius at Iona Doug Sherman & Tim McCormick |
ESPNU | |
| Sat, Jan 18 | 11 a.m. | Toledo at Akron Dan Gutowsky & Sean Harrington |
ESPNU |
| Noon | Boston College at North Carolina Carter Blackburn & Sean Farnham |
ESPN | |
| Temple at LaSalle John Saunders & Tim Legler |
ESPN2 | ||
| SMU at UCF Mike Patrick & TBD |
ESPNEWS | ||
| 1 p.m. | Missouri State at Northern Iowa Mitch Holthus & Tim Welsh |
ESPNU | |
| 2 p.m. | Alabama at Missouri Mark Jones & Jimmy Dykes |
ESPN | |
| No. 25 Oklahoma at No. 11 Baylor Jon Sciambi & Fran Fraschilla |
ESPN2 | ||
| 3 p.m. | Dayton at Richmond Bob Picozzi & Bob Valvano |
ESPNU | |
| 4 p.m. | No. 22 Pittsburgh at No. 2 Syracuse Dave O’Brien & Doris Burke |
ESPN | |
| Indiana State at No. 5 Wichita State Rich Hollenberg, Mark Adams & Len Elmore |
ESPN2 | ||
| Longwood at Radford | ESPN3 | ||
| Houston Baptist at McNeese State | ESPN3 | ||
| 5 p.m. | No. 19 Cincinnati at USF Adam Amin & Brooke Weisbrod |
ESPNU | |
| Mercer at Lipscomb | ESPN3 | ||
| 6 p.m. | Michigan at No. 3 Wisconsin ESPN: Bob Wischusen & Dan Dakich Radio: Marc Kestecher & Will Perdue |
ESPN & ESPN Radio | |
| 7 p.m. | Penn State at Purdue Mike Couzens & Darrin Horn |
ESPNU | |
| New Mexico at Fresno State Trey Bender & Bill Herenda |
ESPN3 | ||
| Utah State at Boise State Peter Young & Blaine Fowler |
ESPN3 | ||
| 7:30 p.m. | East Tennessee State at Florida Gulf Coast | ESPN3 | |
| 9 p.m. | No. 18 Louisville at Connecticut Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale & Shannon Spake |
ESPN | |
| Vanderbilt at LSU Tom Hart & Jon Sundvold |
ESPNU | ||
| 11 p.m. | Washington at Stanford Beth Mowins & Jon Crispin |
ESPNU | |
| Sun, Jan 19 | 6 p.m. | Virginia Tech at Notre Dame Carter Blackburn, Jay Williams & Allison Williams |
ESPNU |
| Hofstra at SMU | ESPN3 | ||
| 8 p.m. | Oregon at Oregon State Roxy Bernstein & Corey Williams |
ESPNU |
To Tweet this release: http://es.pn/1a2MqUR
Season Debut of Katz Korner Tuesday on ESPNU
Weekly Show Analyzes the On-Going College Basketball Season
The second season of ESPNU’s weekly Katz Korner men’s college basketball show will make its season debut Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 1 p.m. ET. The three-hour program hosted by veteran ESPN basketball reporter Andy Katz provides an all-encompassing look at the college basketball landscape. The ESPNU show will air every Tuesday at 1 p.m. throughout the college basketball season.
Each week, Katz will interview coaches and players of various college basketball programs. Highlighting Tuesday’s season premiere is a sit-down with North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams. The Tar Heels are 10-6 on the season, but 0-3 in ACC play.
Other weekly elements include:
· Journey to the Tourney: Bracketologist Joe Lunardi elaborates on his NCAA Tournament projection and provides a report on mid-major programs
· Freshmen Focus: Examination on the nation’s top freshmen
· Coaches’ Film: ESPNU’s college basketball analysts join Katz to evaluate game tapes
· Wooden Award: An update on the top players around the nation who are vying for the College Basketball Player of the Year award
· Roundtable Discussion: A dialogue on hot-button topics
ESPNU college basketball analysts scheduled to join Katz Korner this season include Bruce Pearl, Adrian Branch, Tim Welsh, Sean Farnham, Dino Gaudio, Paul Biancardi, Darrin Horn and LaPhonso Ellis. ESPN college basketball reporter Jeff Goodman will also join the program during the year.
Katz joined ESPN.com in 1999 as the national college basketball writer. While still contributing regularly for ESPN.com, his role on-air has continued to grow over the last 14 years which now includes hosting Katz Korner, and a college basketball podcast with analyst Seth Greenberg among other specials. Occasionally, Katz hosts ESPN’s award-winning Outside the Lines. Additionally, he provides analysis and reports from various college campuses and, every March, the White House.
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