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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