- ESPN College Basketball Analysts Fran Fraschilla, Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich Lead 2018 TBT Commentator Team
- Regional Events Tip Off July 13-15 in Richmond, Va. (South) and Los Angeles (West)
- $2 Million Winner-Take-All Championship Returns to Baltimore on Aug. 3
ESPN college basketball analysts Fran Fraschilla, Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich headline the commentator team for The Basketball Tournament (TBT), the single-elimination, five-on-five, open-application tournament with a winner-take-all $2 million prize. The fifth annual TBT event tips off this weekend, July 13-15, with regional events in Richmond, Va. (South) and Los Angeles (West) to be streamed live on ESPN3. The semifinals and Championship will be played Aug. 2-3 in Baltimore, to be televised live on ESPN.
The network schedule and commentator teams for TBT 2018 were announced today. In all, ESPN networks will present live coverage of 63 games across its networks and the ESPN App, with 15 games airing live on ESPN (up from seven in 2017), six on ESPN2, and one on ESPNU. In addition, TBT games will be streamed live and on-demand via the ESPN Player to more than 120 countries and territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia.
Commentators Include:
- Fran Fraschilla – Fraschilla has covered basketball at every level since joining ESPN as an analyst in 2003, including college, NBA Draft, FIBA events and more.
- Seth Greenberg – Greenberg is one of the network’s top analysts, working games and studio shows, including College GameDay.
- Dan Dakich – Dakich has worked games and in-studio for ESPN since joining the network in 2010.
- Bob Rathbun – The longtime voice of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, Rathbun will call multiple rounds, including the TBT semifinals and Championship.
- Tom Hart – The SEC Network play-by-play voice will call Super 16 and Regional games in Atlanta.
- Robbie Hummel – The Purdue legend joined ESPN as a college analyst in 2017.
- Tracy Murray – The UCLA legend and former NBA player is now an analyst for UCLA basketball.
- Dan Bonner – A veteran college analyst, Bonner annually calls NCAA Tournament games.
- Matt Martucci – The voice of St. Joseph’s basketball, Martucci called regional games in TBT 2017.
- Tim Welsh – The former Providence head coach joined ESPN as a college analyst in 2008.
- Jen Hale – Hale, who covers the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans in addition to her national assignments, will handle sideline reporting for all late-round games in TBT 2018.
TBT Regionals, Semifinals and Championship:
- South Regional: July 13-15 in Richmond, Va. (The Siegel Center at VCU / Benedictine College Preparatory – Friday only)
- West Regional: July 13-15 in Los Angeles (The University Gymnasium at California State University)
- Northeast Regional: July 20-22 in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Steinberg Wellness Center at LIU)
- Midwest Regional: July 20-22 in Columbus, Ohio (The Capital Center at Capital University)
- Super 16: July 26-29 in Atlanta (The Georgia State University Sports Arena)
- Semifinals and $2 Million Championship: August 2-3 in Baltimore, Md. (The Fieldhouse at Morgan State University)
TBT features a 72-team bracket of 5-on-5 professional basketball, with college alumni teams, international basketball stars, ex-NBA players, future NBA players and more competing in a single-elimination tournament. Fans win 10%, or $200,000, of the $2 million prize.
TBT has attracted some of the best basketball players in the world. In all, more than 70 players with NBA experience are set to be involved in this year’s tournament, including multiple former lottery picks and All-Stars with 11 NBA championships between them. In addition, 24 players competing in this year’s tournament competed in NCAA basketball this past season. Sixteen TBT 2017 players signed deals with NBA teams this past season. Overseas Elite, a team of American stars currently playing in top leagues around the world, won for the third consecutive year in 2017. Back to defend their title, they have taken home an astounding $5 million over three years. For more information: www.thetournament.com
The Basketball Tournament 2018 Broadcast and Commentator Schedule:
TBT South Regional / Richmond, Va.:
| Date | Time (ET) | Game / Announcers | Network |
| Sat
July 14 |
9 a.m. | Game 3: (4) Louisiana United vs. (13) ATL All-Stars
Matt Martucci and Tim Scarborough |
ESPN3 |
| 10:50 a.m. | Game 4: (6) Team DRC vs. (11) NC Prodigal Sons
Martucci and Scarborough |
ESPN3 | |
| 12:40 p.m. | Game 5: (5) Wake the Nation (Wake Forest) vs. (12) Showtime
Martucci and Scarborough |
ESPN3 | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Game 6: (3) Memphis State (Memphis) vs. (14) Brooklyn Vultures
Martucci and Scarborough |
ESPN3 | |
| 4:20 p.m. | Game 7: (8) Monarch Nation (ODU) vs. (9) Hilltop Dawgs (UMBC)
Brock Bowling and Dan Bonner |
ESPN3 | |
| 6:10 p.m. | Game 8: (1) Overseas Elite vs. (16) Rock City Scorchers / (17) Team ABC play-in winner
Bowling and Bonner |
ESPN3 | |
| 8 p.m. | Game 9: (2) Ram Nation (VCU) vs. (15) Tampa 20/20 / (18) Cancer +1 play-in winner
Bowling and Bonner |
ESPN3 | |
| 9:50 p.m. | Game 10: (7) Atlanta Dirty South vs. (10) Purple & Black (Kansas St.)
Bowling and Bonner |
ESPN3 | |
| Sun
July 15 |
11 a.m. | Game 11: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner
Martucci and Scarborough |
ESPN3 |
| 12:50 p.m. | Game 12: Game 4 winner vs. Game 6 winner
Martucci and Scarborough |
ESPN3 | |
| 2:40 p.m. | Game 13: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner
Bowling and Bonner |
ESPN3 | |
| 4:30 p.m. | Game 14: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner
Bowling and Bonner |
ESPN3 |
TBT West Regional / Los Angeles:
| Date | Time (ET) | Game / Announcers | Network |
| Fri
July 13 |
10 p.m. | Game 1: (15) Kimchi Express vs. (18) Dubois Dream
Sam Farber and Richie Schueler |
ESPN3 |
| 11:50 p.m. | Game 2: (16) Utah Valor vs. (17) Fort Hood Wounded Warriors
Farber and Schueler |
ESPN3 | |
| Sat
July 14 |
2 p.m. | Game 3: (2) Team Colorado vs. Game 1 winner
Farber and Schueler |
ESPN3 |
| 3:50 p.m. | Game 4: (7) Eberlein Drive vs. (10) Broad Street Brawlers
Farber and Schueler |
ESPN3 | |
| 5:40 p.m. | Game 5: (1) Team Challenge ALS vs. Game 2 winner
Eric Duick and Schueler |
ESPN3 | |
| 7:30 p.m. | Game 6: (8) Team 23 vs. (9) CitiTeam Blazers
Duick and Tracy Murray |
ESPN3 | |
| 9:20 p.m. | Game 7: (4) Sons of Westwood (UCLA) vs. (13) D3
Duick and Murray |
ESPN3 | |
| 11:10 p.m. | Game 8: (5) Forks Up (Arizona State) vs. (12) Albuquerque Hoops
Duick and Murray |
ESPN3 | |
| Sun
July 15 |
4 p.m. | Game 9: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner
Farber and Schueler |
ESPN3 |
| 5:50 p.m. | Game 10: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner
Farber and Murray |
ESPN3 | |
| 7:40 p.m. | Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner
Duick and Murray |
ESPN3 |
TBT Northeast Regional / Brooklyn:
| Date | Time (ET) | Game / Announcers | Network |
| Fri
July 20 |
7 p.m. | Game 1: (15) Talladega Knights vs. (18) Queens Struggle
Eric Duick and Tim Scarborough |
ESPN3 |
| 8:50 p.m. | Game 2: (16) Philadelphia Stars vs. (17) South Jamaica Kings
Duick and Scarborough |
ESPN3 | |
| Sat
July 21 |
11:30 a.m. | Game 3: (7) Team Arkansas (Arkansas) vs. (10) Tim Thomas Playaz
Duick and Scarborough |
ESPN3 |
| 1:20 p.m. | Game 4: (2) HBC Sicklerville vs. Game 1 winner
Duick and Scarborough |
ESPN3 | |
| 3:10 p.m. | Game 5: (4) Armored Athlete vs. (13) DC On Point
Duick and Scarborough |
ESPN3 | |
| 5 p.m. | Game 6: (5) Gael Nation (Iona) vs. (12) Sideline Cancer
Dave Popkin and Tim Welsh |
ESPN3 | |
| 6:50 p.m. | Game 7: (1) Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse) vs. Game 2 winner
Popkin and Welsh |
ESPN3 | |
| 8:40 p.m. | Game 8: (8) Team Fancy vs. (9) Saints Alive (Siena)
Popkin and Welsh |
ESPN3 | |
| Sun
July 22 |
1 p.m. | Game 9: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner
Duick and Scarborough |
ESPN3 |
| 2:50 p.m. | Game 10: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner
Popkin and Welsh |
ESPN3 | |
| 4:40 p.m. | Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner
Popkin and Welsh |
ESPN3 |
TBT Midwest Regional / Columbus, Ohio:
| Date | Time (ET) | Game / Announcers | Network |
| Fri
July 20 |
6 p.m. | Game 1: (15) Peoria All Stars vs. (18) West Coast Ronin
Brian Bedo and Rich Zvosec |
ESPN3 |
| 7:50 p.m. | Game 2: (16) West Va. Wildcats vs. (17) Charlotte Chess Center
Bedo and Zvosec |
ESPN3 | |
| Sat
July 21 |
8:10 a.m. | Game 3: (5) Always A Brave (Bradley) vs. (12) Primetime Players
Bedo and Zvosec |
ESPN3 |
| 10 a.m. | Game 4: (4) Big X vs. (13) Chattanooga Lookouts
Bedo and Zvosec |
ESPN3 | |
| 12 p.m. | Game 5: (2) Team Fredette vs. Game 1 winner
Chris Vosters, Robbie Hummel and Jen Hale |
ESPN | |
| 2 p.m. | Game 6: (8) Bearcat Jam vs. (9) Matadors (Texas Tech)
Paul Keels, Dan Dakich and Hale |
ESPN | |
| 4 p.m. | Game 7: (1) Scarlet & Gray (Ohio State) vs. Game 2 winner
Keels, Dakich and Hale |
ESPN | |
| 6 p.m. | Game 8: (7) Zoo Crew (Pittsburgh) vs. (10) Jackson TN Underdawgs
Vosters and Hummel |
ESPN3 | |
| 7:50 p.m. | Game 9: (6) Fort Wayne Champs vs. (11) The Region
Vosters and Hummel |
ESPN3 | |
| 9:40 p.m. | Game 10: (3) Hilton Magic Legends (Iowa State) vs. (14) Illinois BC
Vosters and Hummel |
ESPN3 | |
| Sun
July 22 |
12 p.m. | Game 11: Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 winner
Keels, Dakich and Hale |
ESPN |
| 2 p.m. | Game 12: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner
Keels, Dakich and Hale |
ESPN | |
| 4 p.m. | Game 13: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner
Vosters, Hummel and Hale |
ESPN2 | |
| 6 p.m. | Game 14: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner
Vosters, Hummel and Hale |
ESPN2 |
TBT Super 16 & Quarterfinals / Atlanta:
| Date | Time (ET) | Game / Announcers | Network |
| Thurs
July 26 |
7 p.m. | Super 16 South Region:
Tom Hart, Dan Dakich, Seth Greenberg and Jen Hale |
ESPN2 |
| 9 p.m. | Super 16 South Region:
Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale |
ESPN2 | |
| Fri
July 27 |
7 p.m. | Super 16 Midwest Region:
Bob Rathbun, Fran Fraschilla and Hale |
ESPN2 |
| 9 p.m. | Super 16 Midwest Region:
Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale |
ESPN | |
| Sat
July 28 |
11 a.m. | Super 16 Northeast Region:
Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale |
ESPN |
| 1 p.m. | Super 16 Northeast Region:
Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale |
ESPN | |
| 3 p.m. | Super 16: West Region
Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale |
ESPN | |
| 5 p.m. | Super 16: West Region
Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale |
ESPNU | |
| Sun
July 29 |
11 a.m. | Quarterfinals:
Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale |
ESPN |
| 1 p.m. | Quarterfinals:
Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale |
ESPN | |
| 3 p.m. | Quarterfinals:
Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale |
ESPN | |
| 7 p.m. | Quarterfinals:
Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale |
ESPN2 |
TBT Semifinals & Championship / Baltimore:
| Date | Time (ET) | Game / Announcers | Network |
| Thurs
Aug 2 |
7 p.m. | Semifinals:
Bob Rathbun, Fran Fraschilla and Jen Hale |
ESPN |
| 9 p.m. | Semifinals:
Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale |
ESPN | |
| Fri
Aug 3 |
9 p.m. | Championship:
Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale |
ESPN |
* The colleges/universities of collegiate basketball alumni teams are noted in parentheses
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