2013-14 ESPN/Big West Basketball Television Schedule
Big West Conference Commissioner Dennis Farrell today announced that ESPN networks will televise a minimum of 19 men’s basketball games during the 2013-14 season.
Five regular season Big West contests will be aired nationally on ESPN2 and ESPNU. All matchups will be determined utilizing a “Wild Card” format in which ESPN will make its selections 3-4 weeks prior to the event. Four ESPNU games are slated for Jan. 16, Feb. 1, Mar. 1 and Mar. 6, while ESPN2 will also host a Mar. 1 game.
In addition, the Big West Basketball Tournament semifinals and championship at Honda Center will appear across various ESPN platforms. The Friday, Mar. 14 semifinals will be televised live on ESPN3 and ESPNU at 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. (PT), respectively. In addition, the first semifinal will be tape delayed on ESPNU at 11:00 p.m. (PT). The championship game will tip on ESPN2 on Saturday, Mar. 15 at 7:30 p.m. (PT).
An additional 11 non-conference telecasts are currently scheduled on ESPN networks. For the sixth straight year, Hawai‘i will participate in ESPN’s annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon, a smorgasbord of more than a dozen live games spanning more than 24 hours on ESPN platforms. The Rainbow Warriors host New Mexico State on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at midnight (HT) and 2:00 a.m. (PT) on ESPN2.
Big West schools are participating in three ESPN Regional Television (ERT) owned and operated eight-team holiday tournaments. All 12 games at each site will be aired on ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN3. Each tournament participant will play a total of three games. Long Beach State opens up on ESPN2 against last year’s national runner-up Michigan in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic on Thursday, Nov. 21. Cal State Fullerton hosts the first two days of the Wooden Legacy and the final day of competition will be at Honda Center. The Titans play Marquette in an ESPN2 Thanksgiving Day matchup on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 1:30 p.m. (PT). The holiday basketball festivities round out with the fifth edition of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, hosted by the University of Hawai‘i. The Rainbow Warriors take on Boise State in the opening round on Sunday, Dec. 22 on ESPNU.
Also included in the lineup is a Dec. 21 matchup on ESPN3 in which Cal Poly visits Pittsburgh.
“We’re thrilled with our continuing relationship with ESPN and anticipate another exciting season of Big West basketball on the ESPN networks,” said Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell. “The Big West will maintain a strong presence from the season’s start with the Tip-Off Marathon all the way through to March Madness and the conference tournament.”