Big West Conference Commissioner Dennis Farrell today announced that the ESPN Networks will televise a minimum of 12 men’s basketball games during the 2012-13 season.
Five conference regular season Big West games will be aired nationally on ESPN2 and ESPNU. In addition, the Big West Basketball Tournament semifinals and championship will appear on ESPN platforms. On Friday, March 15, the first semifinal will air live on ESPN3 at 6:30 p.m. (PT) and replayed at 11:00 p.m. (PT) on ESPNU. The second semifinal will tip at 9:00 p.m. (PT) on ESPNU. The championship game will be televised on Saturday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. (PT) on ESPN2.
Four consecutive league matchups will be carried on ESPNU, with the opener featuring UC Santa Barbara at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, December 29 followed by new Big West member Hawai‘i visiting UC Irvine on Wednesday, January 9. In a showdown between two schools who have battled each other in the three previous Big West Tournament championship games, UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State meet at the Walter Pyramid on Wednesday, January 30. The two-time defending regular season champion 49ers host the final ESPNU contest on Wednesday, February 13 against Cal State Fullerton.
The lineup also features a “Wild Card” Thursday on March 7 in which either Cal State Fullerton at UC Santa Barbara or Long Beach State at UC Davis will appear on ESPN2.
An additional four non-conference broadcasts are currently scheduled on the ESPN Networks. The annual ESPN College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, a 24-hour smorgasbord of college hoops, includes Hawai’i hosting Houston Baptist on Tuesday, November 15 at 1:00 a.m. (PT). Pacific then plays three games at the Anaheim Classic, the annual eight team men’s basketball Thanksgiving tournament hosted by the Big West at the Anaheim Convention Center. The Tigers begin the tournament with a Thanksgiving Day contest against Xavier on ESPNU at 11:00 a.m. (PT).
“We are excited to feature some of the Big West’s top rivalry matchups over the past several seasons on this year’s ESPN lineup,” said Farrell. “The crowd atmosphere at these venues and the buildup to what should be a competitive Big West race makes these selections attractive for an ESPN audience.”
Game times for the Big West matchups will be announced in the future.
2012-13 ESPN/Big West Basketball Television Schedule
| 2012-13 ESPN/BIG WEST BASKETBALL TELEVISION SCHEDULE |
| Day/Date |
Contest |
Tipoff |
Carrier |
| ESPN COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF MARATHON |
| Tuesday, November 13 |
Houston Baptist at Hawai‘i |
1:00 am |
ESPN |
| ANAHEIM CLASSIC • ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER ARENA |
| Thursday, November 22 |
Pacific vs. Xavier |
11:00 am |
ESPNU |
| Friday, November 23 |
Pacific vs. Drexel/Saint Mary’s |
12:30/3:00 pm |
ESPN2/ESPNU |
| Sunday, November 25 |
Pacific vs. TBA |
TBA |
ESPN2/ESPNU/ESPN3 |
| BIG WEST CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON GAMES |
| Saturday, December 29 |
UC Santa Barbara at Cal State Fullerton |
TBA |
ESPNU |
| Wednesday, January 9 |
Hawai‘i at UC Irvine |
TBA |
ESPNU |
| Wednesday, January 30 |
UC Santa Barbara at Long Beach State |
TBA |
ESPNU |
| Wednesday, February 13 |
Cal State Fullerton at Long Beach State |
TBA |
ESPNU |
| Thursday, March 7 |
Wild Card game selected from: |
TBA |
ESPN2 |
| |
Cal State Fullerton at UC Santa Barbara |
|
|
| |
Long Beach State at UC Davis |
|
|
| BIG WEST TOURNAMENT • HONDA CENTER |
| |
Men’s Semifinal #1 |
6:30 pm |
ESPN3 (live) |
| |
|
11:00 pm |
ESPNU (delayed) |
| Friday, March 15 |
Men’s Semifinal #2 |
9:00 pm |
ESPNU (live) |
| Saturday, March 16 |
Men’s Championship |
7:30 pm |
ESPN2 (live) |