ESPN ThisWeek — January 9, 2012

NBA

• Celtics/Mavericks, Heat/Clippers Headline Star-Studded Wednesday Doubleheader

COLLEGE BASKETBALL, SPORTSNATION IN 3D, CONTENT OF CHARACTER & MORE

• Men’s College Basketball: Three Remaining Undefeated Teams, No. 2 Kentucky on Road
• Four Women’s College Basketball Games Sunday , Big Monday Tips Off
• SportsNation to Shoot First-Ever ESPN Studio Show in 3D at CES: Michelle Beadle to be Sawed into Three in 3D on Wednesday’s Episode
• ESPN Celebrates MLK, Jr., Day with Content of Character
• Indianapolis Colts Kicker Adam Vinatieri Visits ESPN on Thursday
• Major League Soccer: 2012 MLS SuperDraft Thursday
• ESPNHS Presents the 2012 Spalding Hoop Hall Classic
• espnW This Week: Annika Sorenstam, Hoops Across America and Sage Steele’s runDisney Marathon Training

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Celtics/Mavericks, Heat/Clippers Headline Star-Studded Wednesday Doubleheader
contacts: ben.cafardo@espn.com; nate.smeltz@espn.com
ESPN will televise a star-studded NBA doubleheader Wednesday, Jan. 11, beginning with the defending NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki visiting the Boston Celtics and their big four of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. The telecast begins at 8 p.m. ET with Mike Breen and analyst Jeff Van Gundy providing commentary with Doris Burke reporting. In the nightcap, the Los Angeles Clippers – led by Chris Paul and Blake Griffin – host the red-hot Miami Heat and their All-Star trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The action begins at 10:30 p.m. with Dan Shulman and Hubie Brown calling the game and Lisa Salters reporting. ESPN’s NBA coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. with Kia NBA Countdown with analysts Magic Johnson, Jon Barry, Michael Wilbon and Chris Broussard.

In addition, ESPN2’s NBA Coast to Coast – an interactive whiparound-format show – returns Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 9 p.m.  The weekly show features live look-ins to games around the league, fan engagement via social media, fantasy updates, highlights, and more.

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Men’s College Basketball: Three Remaining Undefeated Teams, No. 2 Kentucky on Road
contact: michael.c.humes@espn.com
Men’s college basketball action on ESPN networks kicks into high gear after a shakeup in the top 10 of the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll, with its regular daily lineup beginning Wednesday, Jan. 11, including Wednesday Night Hoops Presented by Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Thursday Night Showcase Presented by T. Rowe Price and the return of Saturday Primetime Presented by DIRECTV.

Highlights include:

• The remaining undefeated teams in the nation are in action – No. 1 Syracuse (17-0) at Villanova on Wednesday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN3 as part of the Wednesday Night Hoops Presented by Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups; Oklahoma State at No. 4 Baylor (15-0) at 3 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN3 as part of Saturday Showcase Presented by 5-hour Energy and No. 14 Murray State (16-0) hosting Tennessee Tech on Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPNU
• No. 2 Kentucky travels to SEC rival Tennessee on Saturday at noon in a Saturday Showcase Presented by 5-hour Energy
• Saturday Primetime Presented by DIRECTV returns for the eight-week series as part of College GameDay Covered State Farm by visiting the Florida State campus for a matchup between the Seminoles and No. 3 North Carolina at 2 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN3

* Exclusive

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Four Women’s College Basketball Games Sunday , Big Monday Tips Off
contact: rachel.l.margolis@espn.com
Several ranked women’s college basketball teams take to the court Sunday, Jan. 15, in two separate doubleheaders on ESPN2 HD and ESPNU – featuring conference games from the BIG EAST, Atlantic 10, ACC and Big Ten. Syracuse travels to No. 16 Georgetown in a BIG EAST showdown at noon on ESPNU, followed by an ACC matchup of No. 13 Miami at Florida State at 3:30 p.m. On ESPN2 HD and ESPN3, Atlantic 10 opponents Temple and Dayton faceoff at 2 p.m., followed by No. 11 Ohio State at Michigan State at 4 p.m.

Big Monday Presented by Bud Light tips off its seven-week series Monday, Jan. 16, with No. 23 North Carolina visiting No. 2 Connecticut at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 HD and ESPN3. Pam Ward and Rebecca Lobo will have the call of the game.

* Exclusive

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SportsNation to Shoot First-Ever ESPN Studio Show in 3D at CES: Michelle Beadle to be Sawed in Three in 3D on Wednesday’s Episode
contact: jayjay.nesheim@espn.com
SportsNation will be the first ESPN studio show to air an entire episode live in 3D with a telecast from the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show taking place in Las Vegas this week. Hosts Colin Cowherd and Michelle Beadle will be joined by the UFC’s Dana White as they tackle some of the days’ sports topics Vegas-style, including the “10 Luckiest Plays of the Football Season.” To add special drama to the show, Beadle has volunteered to be sawed into three, in 3D, by Las Vegas magician Shimshi. SportsNation in 3D at CES airs live Wednesday at 5 p.m. on ESPN2 and ESPN 3D, and is presented by Toyota and sponsored by Sony 3D and The PlayStation Vita.

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ESPN Celebrates MLK, Jr., Day with Content of Character
contact: kimberly.jarvis@espn.com
As part of the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, ESPN presents Content of Character, a week-long, multi-platform series of original programming, vignettes and interstitials, celebrating the life and contributions of the civil rights leader.  The Content of Character series began today, and will end on the national holiday, Monday, Jan. 16.  The week is highlighted by the Friday, Jan. 13, debut of an original program Content of Character presented by Red Tails -- a one-hour discussion exploring Dr. King’s impact through the lens of sports -- at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

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Indianapolis Colts Kicker Adam Vinatieri Visits ESPN on Thursday
contact: allison.r.stoneberg@espn.com
Four-time Super Bowl champion kicker Adam Vinatieri of the Indianapolis Colts will visit the ESPN campus Thursday, Jan. 12. He will appear on multiple programs throughout the day, including SportsCenter (9:20 a.m. ET), Mike and Mike in the Morning (9:40 a.m.), First Take (11 a.m.), The Herd with Colin Cowherd (11:15 a.m.), Scott Van Pelt Show (1:45 p.m.), NFL Live (4:40 p.m.), and NFL32 (6:15 p.m.).

The first kicker to win four Super Bowl rings, Vinatieri joined the Colts in 2006 after 10 seasons with the New England Patriots. He kicked game-winning field goals for the Patriots in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII, as well as a key 45-yarder in the snow in the infamous “Tuck Rule” AFC Divisional playoff game, which occurred 10 years ago next week (Jan. 19, 2002).

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Major League Soccer: 2012 MLS SuperDraft Thursday
contact:  mac.nwulu@espn.com
ESPN2, ESPN3 and ESPN Mobile TV will combine to present the first round of the 2012 Major League Soccer SuperDraft on Thursday, Jan. 12, at 12 p.m.  ESPN’s lead MLS play-by-play commentator Adrian Healey will host the two-hour telecast, joined by analysts Taylor Twellman and Alexi Lalas, live from  Kansas City, Mo.

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ESPNHS Presents the 2012 Spalding Hoop Hall Classic
contact: colleen.s.lynch@espn.com
The 2012 Spalding Hoop Hall Classic airs on ESPN, ESPNU and ESPN3 this weekend, January 15-16.  The event brings together several ranked teams for a weekend of basketball in the birthplace of basketball, Springfield, Mass. Top teams and players from across the nation playing at Blake Arena include Shabazz Muhammad (Bishop Gorman, Nev.), Mitch McGary (Brewster, N.H.), Isaiah Austin (Grace Prep, Tex.), Brandon Ashley (Findlay Prep, Nev.) and more.

Adam Amin, Dave Telep and Justin Kutcher share play-by-play duties throughout the tournament with analysis provided by Paul Biancardi and Jay Williams. Eamon McAnaney serves as studio host.

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espnW This Week: Annika Sorenstam, Hoops Across America and Sage Steele’s runDisney Marathon Training
contact: colleen.s.lynch@espn.com
Following last week’s comments by Serena Williams, former LPGA champion Annika Sorenstam contributes her own story on walking away from the game while at the peak of her career. ESPN anchor Sage Steele continues her training for the runDisney Princess Half Marathon slated for February 26 at Walt Disney World.  Several new personal video diaries have been added to the site and fans can also follow her progress on Twitter via #runSage. espnW’s Hoops Across America series continues on Wednesday when Mechelle Voepel takes an in-depth look at Old Dominion’s basketball team. Also this week, Bonnie Ford will cover the U.S. marathon trials from Houston where the top three women will earn a spot for the London Olympics.

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