Prime Ticket, the official regional telecast home of Big West Conference basketball, today announced the 2014-15 television schedule.
The television package features 14 games, including four Big West Tournament men’s quarterfinal contests and the women’s basketball championship.
The Prime Ticket lineup rolls out on Friday, November 21 as Long Beach State hosts Kansas State from the Big 12 Conference. The television audience will get its first glimpse at the Walter Pyramid’s state of the art, 60-foot wide video board, and the largest wall-mounted video display in an on-campus collegiate facility.
Eight consecutive regular season Big West games follow, commencing on Thursday, January 8 when Long Beach State travels to UC Irvine for a Black and Blue rivalry game. The defending regular season conference champion Anteaters showcase 7-foot-6 center Mamadou Ndiaye, who as a freshman broke the Big West’s single-season blocked shots record with 106 last year. The 49ers counter with two-time first-team all-conference point guard Mike Caffey.
Other key games include Long Beach State at UC Santa Barbara on Thursday, February 12. The Gauchos feature senior center Alan Williams, the reigning Big West Player of the Year, the conference’s scoring champion and the nation’s leader in rebounding a year ago. Cal Poly also visits UCSB for a televised matchup on Saturday, March 7, the final day of the regular season. The Mustangs won their first Big West Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament first round game to cap off the 2013-14 campaign.
Additionally, the package displays two “Wild Card” Saturday matchups on February 7 and 28 in which FOX will make advance selections 3-4 weeks prior to the games.
The regular season build up gives way to the 40th annual Big West Men’s Basketball Tournament and the four quarterfinal games slated for Prime Ticket on Thursday, March 12, and the Saturday, March 14 women’s basketball tournament final that determines the Big West’s representative to the NCAA Tournament.
“This Prime Ticket schedule features some of the biggest rivalries around the Big West Conference and promises to be exciting for our fans,” said Commissioner Dennis Farrell. “We’re thrilled once again to have our partners at FOX capture all the action.”
Additionally, Prime Ticket will debut two “Big West Now” specials, including one on Thursday, January 8 at 9:30PM and the second one to be announced at a later date.