ESPN’s 2011-12 men’s college basketball game and studio telecasts – the most extensive in network history with more than 1,450 games – will include the return of top commentators, including Basketball Hall of Famers Dick Vitale and Bob Knight, and the addition of several announcers.

Hall of Famers:

• Dick Vitale, entering his 33rd season with ESPN, will work top games from various conferences and the weekly Saturday Primetime Presented by DIRECTV series, primarily with Dan Shulman.
• Bob Knight will call the weekly Big Monday Big 12 game with Brent Musburger and reporter Holly Rowe as well as various non-conference games.

Sampling of Returning Analysts and Announcer Teams:

• Jay Bilas, entering his 17th season with ESPN, will work ESPN’s Big Monday BIG EAST telecasts with Sean McDonough and veteran analyst Bill Raftery, top games across various days, select Saturday Primetime telecasts, and the weekly Saturday College GameDay Driven by State Farm show.
• Fran Fraschilla, entering his 10th season with ESPN, will primarily work Big 12 and BIG EAST telecasts and provide studio analysis.
• Sean Farnham, who joined ESPN last year, will work games across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU from various conferences, including West Coast and Big 12.
• Brad Nessler and Jimmy Dykes will return to work SEC telecasts as part of ESPN’s Super Tuesday series and on Saturdays.
• Carter Blackburn and LaPhonso Ellis will pair up for a third season to work ESPNU’s Wednesday night action, primarily involving the BIG EAST.

New to College Hoops this Season:

• Mike Tirico, One of ESPN’s versatile commentators and the voice of Monday Night Football will work the weekly Big Ten Super Tuesday game with second-year analyst Dan Dakich.
• Mike Breen, Primary voice of ESPN’s NBA game telecasts will call select non-conference games in November. He will begin with Duke’s first two games of the season as head coach Mike Krzyzewski attempts to tie the Division I men’s all-time wins record on November 11 (Belmont at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU) and November 12  (Presbyterian at 4:30 p.m. on ESPNU). He will work with analyst Doris Burke on both telecasts.
• Jeff Van Gundy, ESPN’s lead NBA game analyst will work select non-conference games in November, including Rhode Island at Texas in the TicketCity Legends Classic with Breen on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN3.

Double-Duty Analysts Who Work Men’s and Women’s Games:

• Doris Burke, a top analyst on ESPN’s women’s and men’s coverage, will work on Thursday and Saturday BIG EAST telecasts.
• Kara Lawson, a leading voice of ESPN’s women’s college basketball coverage, will begin her second season working men’s games, primarily on SEC Network telecasts as well as select contests across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.

New Sunday Night Basketball Telecast:

• Game and studio analyst Hubert Davis will work ESPNU’s new weekly Sunday Night ACC Basketball series (at 6 p.m. beginning January 8) with commentator Jon Sciambi and reporter Allison Williams.

College GameDay and Studio Analysts:

• Rece Davis will return to host College GameDay with analysts Digger Phelps, Bilas and Hubert Davis. The two-hour weekly Saturday show will air on ESPNU at 10 a.m. and continue at 11 a.m. on ESPN. A one-hour evening edition leading into the Saturday Primetime game will begin at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
• Analysts making regular studio appearances throughout the season on ESPN and ESPN2 include Stephen Bardo, Adrian Branch, Dakich, Hubert Davis, Dykes, LaPhonso Ellis, Farnham, Fraschilla, Doug Gottlieb, Andy Katz, Phelps, Miles Simon, Dereck Whittenburg and Jay Williams.
• Dari Nowkhah or Anish Shroff will host ESPNU’s studio coverage with Branch, Dino Gaudio or Miles Simon. In addition, ESPN Regional Television will produce studio shows for games on the SEC Network (host Nowkhah with Barry Booker or Kyle Macy) and Big 12 Network (host Doug Bell with Bryndon Manzer).

Commentators appearing in regular weekly ESPN and ESPN2 time slots — Big Monday, Super Tuesday, Wednesday Night Hoops and Thursday Night Showcase– plus Saturdays throughout the season (conference assignments can vary):

Various Days

Network	Conference	Play-by-play	Analyst
ESPN or ESPN2	Select Games	Dan Shulman	Dick Vitale

Monday

Network	Conference	Play-by-play	Analyst	Reporter
ESPN	BIG EAST (Big Monday)	Sean McDonough	Jay Bilas and Bill Raftery
ESPN	Big 12 (Big Monday)	Brent Musburger	Bob Knight	Holly Rowe
ESPNU	Big 12	Dave Flemming	Sean Farnham

Tuesday

Network	Conference	Play-by-play	Analyst
ESPN	Big Ten (Super Tuesday)	Mike Tirico	Dan Dakich
ESPN	SEC (Super Tuesday)	Brad Nessler	Jimmy Dykes
ESPN2	Various Conferences	Jon Sciambi	Doug Gottlieb
ESPNU	ACC	Rob Stone	Jay Williams
ESPNU	SEC	Dari Nowkhah	Dino Gaudio

Wednesday

Network	Conference	Play-by-play	Analyst
ESPN or ESPN2	ACC (Wednesday Night Hoops)	Dan Shulman	Dick Vitale or Jay Bilas
ESPN or ESPN2	BIG EAST(Wednesday Night Hoops)	Bob Wischusen	Fran Fraschilla, Doug Gottlieb or LaPhonso Ellis
ESPN or ESPN2	Big 12 (Wednesday Night Hoops)	Jon Sciambi	Fran Fraschilla, Doug Gottlieb or Sean Farnham
ESPNU	Big 12	Mitch Holthus	Miles Simon
ESPNU	BIG EAST	Carter Blackburn	LaPhonso Ellis

Thursday                                                                    

Network	Conference	Play-by-play	Analyst	Reporter
ESPN or ESPN2	ACC (Thursday Night Showcase)	Mike Patrick	Len Elmore	Jeannine Edwards
ESPN or ESPN2	Big Ten (Thursday Night Showcase)	Dave O’Brien	Stephen Bardo
ESPN or ESPN2	SEC (Thursday Night Showcase)	Rece Davis or Brad Nessler	Hubert Davis, Jimmy Dykes or Kara Lawson
ESPN2	West Coast (Thursday Night Showcase)	Dave Flemming	Sean Farnham or Miles Simon
ESPNU	Various	Anish Shroff	Adrian Branch

Friday                                                                         

Network	Conference	Play-by-play	Analyst
ESPNU	MAAC	Doug Sherman	Tim O’Toole
ESPNU	Horizon	Jim Barbar	David Kaplan

Saturday

Network	Conference	Play-by-play	Analyst
ESPN	Saturday Primetime	Dan Shulman	Dick Vitale
ESPN or ESPN2	BIG EAST	Dave Pasch	Doris Burke
ESPN or ESPN2	Big Ten	Dave O’Brien	Dan Dakich
ESPN or ESPN2	Big 12	Mark Jones	Fran Fraschilla
ESPN or ESPN2	ACC	Mike Patrick	Len Elmore
ESPN or ESPN2	SEC	Brad Nessler	Jimmy Dykes
ESPNU	BIG EAST	Beth Mowins	Tim Welsh
ESPNU	Various	Mike Crispino	Bob Valvano
ESPNU	Various	Adam Amin	Brooke Weisbrod
ESPNU	Various	Justin Kutcher	Dickey Simpkins

Sunday

Network	Conference	Play-by-play	Analyst	Reporter
ESPNU	ACC Sunday Night Basketball	Jon Sciambi	Hubert Davis	Allison Williams
ESPNU	Missouri Valley	Mitch Holthus	David Kaplan

In addition to regular assignments on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, ESPN Regional Television will produce and syndicate an extensive schedule of games from the SEC, BIG EAST and Big 12:

SEC Network	Play-by-play	Analyst
Wednesday and Saturday	Carter Blackburn, Clay Matvick or Dave Neal	Kara Lawson or Joe Dean, Jr.

 

Big 12 Network	Play-by-play	Analyst
Saturday and select weekdays	Dave Armstrong, Mitch Holthus or Brad Sham	Reid Gettys, Jon Sunvold or Stephen Howard

 

BIG EAST Network	Play-by-play	Analyst
Saturday and select Sundays	Mike Gleason	Bob Wenzel

ESPN’s 2011-12 men’s college basketball schedule on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN3.com, ESPN Regional Television and ESPN FULL COURT will feature a network record 1,450 games.

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