Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
Here’s the release…PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The BIG EAST 2012-13 men’s basketball conference schedule has two familiar traits. Every conference game will be televised and more than half – 56 percent — will be seen on national television. The schedule also is loaded with heavy duty matchups. Nearly 80 percent of the league contests will include at least one team that played in last season’s NCAA Championship and 27 percent will feature two NCAA squads.
On the national television slate, ESPN & ESPN2 will carry 45 conference games. At least 24 league games will be televised on ESPNU, which reaches more than 73 million homes. CBS Sports has six BIG EAST contests, its highest number of conference games in 20 years, and one non-league game. ESPN will continue to televise The BIG EAST Championship presented by American Eagle Outfitters from Madison Square Garden in New York. The dates for the 2013 event are March 12-16. It will be the 31st BIG EAST tournament at MSG.
At least 75 of the 135 regular-season BIG EAST games will be on national television. One hundred seven of the 135 will include one team that played in the 2012 NCAA Championship. Thirty seven games will have two NCAA squads. BIG EAST teams will play, on average, 10 nationally televised games during their 18-game league schedules. The remaining conference games will be produced by ESPN Regional Television for the BIG EAST Network. All BIG EAST Network games will be available on ESPN3.
It is the sixth consecutive season that every league game will be televised.
The league also announced a partial schedule of non-conference games that will be televised on national networks. At least 34 intersectional games will receive national exposure.
“BIG EAST men’s basketball and unparalleled national media exposure have always been synonymous,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Mike Aresco. “The 2012-13 schedule is unmatched in its scope of telecasts nationally, regionally and locally. Our coaches and student-athletes are committed to excellence at the highest level. I know the upcoming season will be full of outstanding and exciting play.”
The BIG EAST has always enjoyed a leadership position in college sports television. Eleven of the 15 BIG EAST teams reside in the top 35 media markets in the country.
ESPN and BIG EAST again will partner in the network’s Big Monday format. The league also will make regular appearances on ESPN and ESPN2 on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Once again, there will be conference games played on every day of the week.
In addition, the BIG EAST and ESPN Regional Television will carry the BIG EAST Network Game of the Week on Saturdays and Sundays. The BIG EAST Network Game of the Week package will include over 40 affiliates reaching more than 43 million households which represent 37.6 percent of the U.S.
Some of the highlights of the 2012-13 schedule include:
Big Monday – The BIG EAST schedule on ESPN’s Big Monday includes eight games over seven weeks. The series starts with Louisville at Connecticut, the league’s most recent Final Four teams, on Jan. 14. A week later, there is the usual doubleheader on the Martin Luther King Day holiday. Cincinnati plays at Syracuse at 3:30 p.m. ET with Georgetown visiting Notre Dame at 7:30. Prior to the official Big Monday schedule, Notre Dame will play at Cincinnati on Monday, Jan. 7, on ESPN2. Four other conference games will be shown on Mondays on ESPNU.
Wednesdays – ESPN or ESPN2 will show seven Wednesday games involving BIG EAST teams during the 10-week conference season. The Wednesday schedule begins Jan. 9 with Louisville at Seton Hall on ESPN2. Ten BIG EAST teams will be featured on the Wednesday games.
Saturdays – ESPN or ESPN2 will telecast 14 BIG EAST games on Saturdays during the conference season. The Saturday schedule includes a doubleheader on the final day of the regular season, March 9, Syracuse visits Georgetown on ESPN and Marquette plays at St. John’s on ESPN or ESPN2. The BIG EAST Network Game of the Week package continues on Saturdays and Sundays.
Sundays – ESPN will carry three league games on Sunday afternoons. On Feb. 3, Marquette plays at Louisville. St. John’s visits Syracuse on Feb. 10. On Feb. 17, Louisville plays at USF.
CBS Sports — The seven-game schedule on CBS Sports features eight BIG EAST squads. The first of six conference games will be St. John’s at Georgetown on Feb. 2. On March 9, the final day of the regular season, Notre Dame plays at Louisville. The Cardinals will be featured on the only non-conference telecast when they host Kentucky Dec. 29. The BIG EAST and CBS Sports have been formal television partners since 1983-84, the longest relationship of any conference and national broadcast network.
ESPN College GameDay – The BIG EAST again will be the only conference scheduled to host ESPN’s signature College GameDay series twice. On Feb. 9, The GameDay crew will on site for either Louisville at Notre Dame or Pittsburgh at Cincinnati. It is the first “Wild Card” situation ever in the GameDay series for two games in the same conference. The site will be determined as the season progresses. On March 9, GameDay visits Georgetown for the first time when the Hoyas will host Syracuse in the regular-season finale for both teams.
ESPN Rivalry Week – The BIG EAST will have 11 appearances on the network’s Rivalry Week. The week begins on Feb. 11, with Marquette at Georgetown in a Big Monday battle. The week concludes with Rutgers at Villanova on ESPNU Feb. 18.
New Year’s – The BIG EAST league schedule opens Dec. 31 with an afternoon contest between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh on ESPN2 at the Panthers’ Petersen Events Center. On Jan. 1, Connecticut plays at Marquette on ESPNU. Four conference games are slated for Jan. 2, including St. John’s at Villanova on ESPNU.
Jimmy V Classic – The BIG EAST often places teams in both games of prestigious Jimmy V Classic. This season, Georgetown battles Texas and Connecticut meets North Carolina State on Dec. 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
SEC-BIG EAST Challenge – The SEC-BIG EAST Challenge, which was previously announced, will match 12 teams from each conference over three nights, Nov. 29-Dec. 1. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will provide exclusive coverage. All 12 games will played at home sites with each conference hosting six contests.
NBA All-Star Weekend Game – A BIG EAST game has become a regular part of the NBA All-Star Weekend. This season, Georgetown will play at Cincinnati on Feb. 15.
The BIG EAST Network local telecast schedules will be announced in the near future.
2012-13 BIG EAST CONFERENCE COMPOSITE MEN’S BASKETBALL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Monday, Dec. 31
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Noon
ESPN2
Tuesday, Jan. 1
Connecticut at Marquette
8 p.m.
ESPNU
Wednesday, Jan. 2
Providence at Louisville
BIG EAST Network
Rutgers at Syracuse
BIG EAST Network
Seton Hall at DePaul
BIG EAST Network
St. John’s at Villanova
8 p.m.
ESPNU
Saturday, Jan. 5
DePaul at Providence
BIG EAST Network
Georgetown at Marquette
BIG EAST Network
Pittsburgh at Rutgers
11 a.m.
ESPN2
Seton Hall at Notre Dame
BIG EAST Network
St. John’s at Cincinnati
4 p.m.
ESPNU
Sunday, Jan. 6
Syracuse at USF
BIG EAST Network
Monday, Jan. 7
Notre Dame at Cincinnati
7 p.m.
ESPN2
Tuesday, Jan. 8
DePaul at Connecticut
BIG EAST Network
Pittsburgh at Georgetown
9 p.m.
ESPNU
Wednesday, Jan. 9
Louisville at Seton Hall
7 p.m.
ESPN2
Rutgers at St. John’s
BIG EAST Network
Syracuse at Providence
BIG EAST Network
Villanova at USF
BIG EAST Network
Saturday, Jan. 12
Cincinnati at Rutgers
BIG EAST Network
Connecticut at Notre Dame
BIG EAST Network
Georgetown at St. John’s
11 a.m.
ESPN2
Marquette at Pittsburgh
Noon
ESPNU
USF at Louisville
BIG EAST Network
Villanova at Syracuse
BIG EAST Network
Sunday, Jan. 13
Providence at Seton Hall
BIG EAST Network
Monday, Jan. 14
Louisville at Connecticut
7 p.m.
ESPN
Tuesday, Jan. 15
Cincinnati at DePaul
BIG EAST Network
Notre Dame at St. John’s
7 p.m.
ESPN2
Wednesday, Jan. 16
Pittsburgh at Villanova
7 p.m.
ESPNU
Providence at Georgetown
BIG EAST Network
Seton Hall at Marquette
BIG EAST Network
Thursday, Jan. 17
USF at Rutgers
9 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, Jan. 19
Connecticut at Pittsburgh
Noon/1 p.m.
ESPN2
Georgetown at USF
BIG EAST Network
Marquette at Cincinnati
5 p.m./7 p.m.
ESPNU
Rutgers at Notre Dame
BIG EAST Network
St. John’s at DePaul
BIG EAST Network
Syracuse at Louisville
4 p.m.
ESPN
Villanova at Providence
BIG EAST Network
Monday, Jan. 21
Cincinnati at Syracuse
3:30 p.m.
ESPN
Georgetown at Notre Dame
7:30 p.m.
ESPN
Tuesday, Jan. 22
Louisville at Villanova
BIG EAST Network
Pittsburgh at Providence
7 p.m.
ESPN2
Wednesday, Jan. 23
St. John’s at Rutgers
BIG EAST Network
USF at Seton Hall
7 p.m.
ESPNU
Saturday, Jan. 26
DePaul at Pittsburgh
BIG EAST Network
Louisville at Georgetown
Noon
ESPN
Notre Dame at USF
BIG EAST Network
Providence at Marquette
BIG EAST Network
Syracuse at Villanova
11 a.m.
ESPNU
Sunday, Jan. 27
Rutgers at Connecticut
BIG EAST Network
Seton Hall at St. John’s
BIG EAST Network
Monday, Jan. 28
Pittsburgh at Louisville
7 p.m.
ESPN
USF at Marquette
9 p.m.
ESPNU
Wednesday, Jan. 30
DePaul at St. John’s
9 p.m.
ESPNU
Rutgers at Cincinnati
BIG EAST Network
Seton Hall at Georgetown
BIG EAST Network
Villanova at Notre Dame
7 p.m.
ESPN2
Thursday, Jan. 31
Connecticut at Providence
7 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 2
Cincinnati at Seton Hall
11 a.m.
ESPNU
Notre Dame at DePaul
2 p.m.
ESPN2
St. John’s at Georgetown
4 p.m.
CBS
Syracuse at Pittsburgh
Noon
ESPN
Sunday, Feb. 3
Marquette at Louisville
2 p.m.
ESPN
Providence at Villanova
BIG EAST Network
USF at Connecticut
BIG EAST Network
Monday, Feb. 4
Notre Dame at Syracuse
7 p.m.
ESPN
Seton Hall at Pittsburgh
9 p.m.
ESPNU
Tuesday, Feb. 5
Villanova at DePaul
7 p.m.
ESPN2
Wednesday, Feb. 6
Cincinnati at Providence
BIG EAST Network
Connecticut at St. John’s
7 p.m.
ESPNU
Louisville at Rutgers
BIG EAST Network
Marquette at USF
7 p.m./9 p.m.
ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 9
DePaul at Marquette
BIG EAST Network
Georgetown at Rutgers
BIG EAST Network
Louisville at Notre Dame
9 p.m./6 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati
9 p.m./6 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
USF at Villanova
3 p.m.
ESPNU
Sunday, Feb. 10
Connecticut at Seton Hall
BIG EAST Network
St. John’s at Syracuse
1 p.m.
ESPN
Monday, Feb. 11
Marquette at Georgetown
7 p.m.
ESPN
Tuesday, Feb. 12
Seton Hall at Rutgers
7 p.m.
ESPN2
Villanova at Cincinnati
BIG EAST Network
Wednesday, Feb. 13
DePaul at Notre Dame
BIG EAST Network
Providence at USF
9 p.m.
ESPNU
Syracuse at Connecticut
7 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Thursday, Feb. 14
St. John’s at Louisville
9 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Friday, Feb. 15
Georgetown at Cincinnati
9 p.m.
ESPN
Saturday, Feb. 16
Notre Dame at Providence
BIG EAST Network
Pittsburgh at Marquette
1 p.m.
CBS
Rutgers at DePaul
1 p.m.
ESPNU
Syracuse at Seton Hall
BIG EAST Network
Villanova at Connecticut
Noon
ESPN/ESPN2
Sunday, Feb. 17
Louisville at USF
1 p.m.
ESPN
Monday, Feb. 18
Notre Dame at Pittsburgh
7 p.m.
ESPN
Rutgers at Villanova
9 p.m.
ESPNU
Tuesday, Feb. 19
Marquette at Seton Hall
BIG EAST Network
Wednesday, Feb. 20
DePaul at Georgetown
BIG EAST Network
Providence at Syracuse
7 p.m.
ESPN2
USF at St. John’s
BIG EAST Network
Thursday, Feb. 21
Cincinnati at Connecticut
7 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Saturday, Feb. 23
Connecticut at DePaul
BIG EAST Network
Georgetown at Syracuse
4 p.m.
CBS
Marquette at Villanova
6 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Providence at Rutgers
9 p.m.
ESPNU
Seton Hall at Louisville
BIG EAST Network
Sunday, Feb. 24
Cincinnati at Notre Dame
2 p.m.
CBS
Pittsburgh at St. John’s
BIG EAST Network
Monday, Feb. 25
Syracuse at Marquette
7 p.m.
ESPN
Villanova at Seton Hall
9 p.m.
ESPNU
Wednesday, Feb. 27
Georgetown at Connecticut
7 p.m.
ESPN2
Louisville at DePaul
9 p.m.
ESPNU
USF at Pittsburgh
BIG EAST Network
Saturday, March 2
Connecticut at Cincinnati
BIG EAST Network
Louisville at Syracuse
Noon
CBS
Notre Dame at Marquette
2 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Rutgers at Georgetown
9 p.m.
ESPNU
St. John’s at Providence
BIG EAST Network
Sunday, March 3
DePaul at USF
BIG EAST Network
Villanova at Pittsburgh
BIG EAST Network
Monday, March 4
Cincinnati at Louisville
7 p.m.
ESPN
Tuesday, March 5
Marquette at Rutgers
BIG EAST Network
Seton Hall at Providence
BIG EAST Network
St. John’s at Notre Dame
7 p.m.
ESPN2
Wednesday, March 6
Connecticut at USF
9 p.m.
ESPNU
DePaul at Syracuse
BIG EAST Network
Georgetown at Villanova
7 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Friday, March 8
Rutgers at Seton Hall
BIG EAST Network
Saturday, March 9
Marquette at St. John’s
2 p.m.
ESPN/ESPN2
Notre Dame at Louisville
4 p.m.
CBS
Pittsburgh at DePaul
BIG EAST Network
Providence at Connecticut
Noon
ESPNU
Syracuse at Georgetown
Noon
ESPN
USF at Cincinnati
BIG EAST Network
Note: All conference games not listed with CBS, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU above will be televised by ESPN Regional/BIG EAST Network. Games listed as ‘ESPN/ESPN2’ will be selected to either ESPN or ESPN2, but the start time will not change.
2012-13 BIG EAST CONFERENCE MEN’S BASKETBALL NONCONFERENCE GAMES ON CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, AND ESPNU* partial schedule – more games to be announced
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
Here’s the release…
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The BIG EAST 2012-13 men’s basketball conference schedule has two familiar traits. Every conference game will be televised and more than half – 56 percent — will be seen on national television. The schedule also is loaded with heavy duty matchups. Nearly 80 percent of the league contests will include at least one team that played in last season’s NCAA Championship and 27 percent will feature two NCAA squads.
On the national television slate, ESPN & ESPN2 will carry 45 conference games. At least 24 league games will be televised on ESPNU, which reaches more than 73 million homes. CBS Sports has six BIG EAST contests, its highest number of conference games in 20 years, and one non-league game. ESPN will continue to televise The BIG EAST Championship presented by American Eagle Outfitters from Madison Square Garden in New York. The dates for the 2013 event are March 12-16. It will be the 31st BIG EAST tournament at MSG.
At least 75 of the 135 regular-season BIG EAST games will be on national television. One hundred seven of the 135 will include one team that played in the 2012 NCAA Championship. Thirty seven games will have two NCAA squads. BIG EAST teams will play, on average, 10 nationally televised games during their 18-game league schedules. The remaining conference games will be produced by ESPN Regional Television for the BIG EAST Network. All BIG EAST Network games will be available on ESPN3.
It is the sixth consecutive season that every league game will be televised.
The league also announced a partial schedule of non-conference games that will be televised on national networks. At least 34 intersectional games will receive national exposure.
“BIG EAST men’s basketball and unparalleled national media exposure have always been synonymous,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Mike Aresco. “The 2012-13 schedule is unmatched in its scope of telecasts nationally, regionally and locally. Our coaches and student-athletes are committed to excellence at the highest level. I know the upcoming season will be full of outstanding and exciting play.”
The BIG EAST has always enjoyed a leadership position in college sports television. Eleven of the 15 BIG EAST teams reside in the top 35 media markets in the country.
ESPN and BIG EAST again will partner in the network’s Big Monday format. The league also will make regular appearances on ESPN and ESPN2 on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Once again, there will be conference games played on every day of the week.
In addition, the BIG EAST and ESPN Regional Television will carry the BIG EAST Network Game of the Week on Saturdays and Sundays. The BIG EAST Network Game of the Week package will include over 40 affiliates reaching more than 43 million households which represent 37.6 percent of the U.S.
Some of the highlights of the 2012-13 schedule include:
Big Monday – The BIG EAST schedule on ESPN’s Big Monday includes eight games over seven weeks. The series starts with Louisville at Connecticut, the league’s most recent Final Four teams, on Jan. 14. A week later, there is the usual doubleheader on the Martin Luther King Day holiday. Cincinnati plays at Syracuse at 3:30 p.m. ET with Georgetown visiting Notre Dame at 7:30. Prior to the official Big Monday schedule, Notre Dame will play at Cincinnati on Monday, Jan. 7, on ESPN2. Four other conference games will be shown on Mondays on ESPNU.
Wednesdays – ESPN or ESPN2 will show seven Wednesday games involving BIG EAST teams during the 10-week conference season. The Wednesday schedule begins Jan. 9 with Louisville at Seton Hall on ESPN2. Ten BIG EAST teams will be featured on the Wednesday games.
Saturdays – ESPN or ESPN2 will telecast 14 BIG EAST games on Saturdays during the conference season. The Saturday schedule includes a doubleheader on the final day of the regular season, March 9, Syracuse visits Georgetown on ESPN and Marquette plays at St. John’s on ESPN or ESPN2. The BIG EAST Network Game of the Week package continues on Saturdays and Sundays.
Sundays – ESPN will carry three league games on Sunday afternoons. On Feb. 3, Marquette plays at Louisville. St. John’s visits Syracuse on Feb. 10. On Feb. 17, Louisville plays at USF.
CBS Sports — The seven-game schedule on CBS Sports features eight BIG EAST squads. The first of six conference games will be St. John’s at Georgetown on Feb. 2. On March 9, the final day of the regular season, Notre Dame plays at Louisville. The Cardinals will be featured on the only non-conference telecast when they host Kentucky Dec. 29. The BIG EAST and CBS Sports have been formal television partners since 1983-84, the longest relationship of any conference and national broadcast network.
ESPN College GameDay – The BIG EAST again will be the only conference scheduled to host ESPN’s signature College GameDay series twice. On Feb. 9, The GameDay crew will on site for either Louisville at Notre Dame or Pittsburgh at Cincinnati. It is the first “Wild Card” situation ever in the GameDay series for two games in the same conference. The site will be determined as the season progresses. On March 9, GameDay visits Georgetown for the first time when the Hoyas will host Syracuse in the regular-season finale for both teams.
ESPN Rivalry Week – The BIG EAST will have 11 appearances on the network’s Rivalry Week. The week begins on Feb. 11, with Marquette at Georgetown in a Big Monday battle. The week concludes with Rutgers at Villanova on ESPNU Feb. 18.
New Year’s – The BIG EAST league schedule opens Dec. 31 with an afternoon contest between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh on ESPN2 at the Panthers’ Petersen Events Center. On Jan. 1, Connecticut plays at Marquette on ESPNU. Four conference games are slated for Jan. 2, including St. John’s at Villanova on ESPNU.
Jimmy V Classic – The BIG EAST often places teams in both games of prestigious Jimmy V Classic. This season, Georgetown battles Texas and Connecticut meets North Carolina State on Dec. 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
SEC-BIG EAST Challenge – The SEC-BIG EAST Challenge, which was previously announced, will match 12 teams from each conference over three nights, Nov. 29-Dec. 1. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will provide exclusive coverage. All 12 games will played at home sites with each conference hosting six contests.
NBA All-Star Weekend Game – A BIG EAST game has become a regular part of the NBA All-Star Weekend. This season, Georgetown will play at Cincinnati on Feb. 15.
The BIG EAST Network local telecast schedules will be announced in the near future.
2012-13 BIG EAST CONFERENCE COMPOSITE MEN’S BASKETBALL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
