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ThisWeek — January 17, 2012

Posted by Editor • January 17, 2012 • Printer-friendly

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

NBA, COLLEGE HOOPS, SPANISH SOCCER & MORE

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Aussie Open All Night, Every Night Down Under on ESPN2 & ESPN3
contact: dave.nagle@espn.com 
Tennis’ first Major of 2012 – the Australian Open presented by Franklin Templeton Investments– is underway Down Under with late-night/overnight marathons on ESPN2 HD, ESPN3 and ESPN’s digital platforms.  ESPN2 again will televise more than 100 live hours, plus afternoon highlights and replays from overnight action.  The telecasts are also available through WatchESPN online at WatchESPN.com and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app.  Expanded digital coverage includes 600 hours on ESPN3, all live, with users choosing between action on seven courts with all matches available on-demand after completion.

Cliff Drysdale – who has been with ESPN since its first tennis telecast in 1979 – leads the ESPN2 team.  Chris Evert, who joined ESPN last year for Wimbledon and the US Open, is making her Australian Open debut.  Darren Cahill, Mary Joe Fernandez, Brad Gilbert, Patrick McEnroe and Pam Shriver return as analysts.  Chris Fowler again hosts and calls select matches, with Chris McKendry also hosting.  Tom Rinaldi contributes features, news and interviews during event coverage and on SportsCenter.

This week’s schedule:

Date Time (ET) Event  
Wed, Jan 18 Noon – 3 p.m. Early Round Action Same-day
  11 p.m. – 3 a.m. “ LIVE
  3 – 7 a.m. “ LIVE
Thur, Jan 19 Noon – 3 p.m. “ Same-day
  11 p.m. – 3 a.m. “ LIVE
  3 – 7 a.m. “ LIVE
Fri, Jan 20 Noon – 3 p.m. “ Same-day
  9 p.m. – 3 a.m. “ LIVE
  3 – 7 a.m. “ LIVE
Sat, Jan 21 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. “ Same-day
  9 p.m. – 2 a.m. Round of 16 LIVE
  3 – 7 a.m. “ LIVE
Sun, Jan 22 11 a.m.  – 3 p.m. “ Same-day
  9 p.m. – 2 a.m. “ LIVE
  3:30 – 6 a.m. “ LIVE

Note: For these charts, all times are Eastern, and each day “begins” at 6 a.m. ET. Therefore, the listing for Sun., Jan. 15 at 3 a.m. ET is very late on Sunday night.

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NBA on ESPN: Kobe, LeBron, Wade, Paul, Howard & Nowitzki in Action
contacts: ben.cafardo@espn.com; nate.smeltz@espn.com 
ESPN presents five NBA games in three days, January 18-20, featuring several top stars, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Dirk Nowitzki. The action begins Wednesday, Jan. 18, with the Kia NBA Countdown pregame show at 7:30 p.m., followed by a primetime doubleheader – Portland at Atlanta at 8 p.m.; Dallas at L.A. Clippers at 10:30 p.m. NBA games on ESPN are regularly available via ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV and the WatchESPN app.

Date Time (ET) Telecast Commentators Network
Wed, Jan 18 7:30 p.m. Kia NBA Countdown Magic Johnson, Michael Wilbon, Jon Barry, Chris Broussard ESPN
  8 p.m. Portland Trail Blazers at Atlanta Hawks Terry Gannon, Chris Mullin ESPN
  10:30 p.m. Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Clippers Dan Shulman, Hubie Brown, Ric Bucher ESPN
Thu, Jan 19 7:15 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Miami Heat Jim Durham, Dr. Jack Ramsay ESPN Radio
Fri, Jan 20 7:30 p.m. Kia NBA Countdown Johnson, Wilbon, Barry, Broussard ESPN
  8 p.m. Los Angeles Lakers at Orlando Magic Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy, Lisa Salters ESPN
  10:30 p.m. Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Clippers Shulman, Brown, Bucher ESPN

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Men’s College Basketball: Undefeateds No. 1 Syracuse & No. 10 Murray State; Top-5 Showdown on Saturday
contact: michael.c.humes@espn.com 
ESPN’s men’s college basketball schedule for Saturday, Jan. 21, showcases the two remaining undefeated teams, a matchup between top-five programs and the Saturday Primetime Presented by DIRECTV series.

  • ESPN and ESPNU combine to televise two unbeaten teams, both on the road, beginning with No. 1 Syracuse at Notre Dame on ESPN at 6 p.m. followed by No. 10 Murray State at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
  • A 2 p.m. telecast on ESPN features two one-loss, ranked programs when No. 5 Missouri travels to No. 3 Baylor.
  • The second installment of ESPN’s eight-week men’s college basketball College GameDay Covered by State Farm and Saturday Primetime series originates from Pittsburgh for the Panthers’ contest against No. 21 Louisville at 9 p.m. College GameDay airs at 10 a.m. on ESPNU, continuing at 11 a.m. on ESPN and at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
  • ESPN also has No. 4 Duke against Florida State, which is coming off a 90-57 upset victory over then-No. 3 North Carolina last Saturday, at 4 p.m.

In addition, ESPNU’s first season of the ACC Sunday Night Basketball series, featuring a weekly game from the conference at 6 p.m., pits Virginia Tech at No. 17 Virginia.

Date Time (ET) Game/Commentators Network
Wed, Jan 18 7 p.m. Cincinnati at No. 11 Connecticut
Bob Wischusen & Doug Gottlieb		 ESPN2 / ESPN3
  7 p.m. Seton Hall at Villanova
Adam Amin & Tim Welsh		 ESPNU
  7 p.m. Delaware at George Mason ESPN3 *
  9 p.m. Texas at Kansas State
Jon Sciambi & Fran Fraschilla		 ESPN2 / ESPN3
  9 p.m. Oklahoma State at Iowa State
Mitch Holthus & Miles Simon		 ESPNU
Thu, Jan 19 7 p.m. Wake Forest at No. 4 Duke
Mike Patrick, Len Elmore & Jeannine Edwards		 ESPN / ESPN3
  7 p.m. Vanderbilt at Alabama
Rece Davis & Hubert Davis		 ESPN2 / ESPN3
  7 p.m. Albany at Vermont ESPN3 *
  7 p.m. College of Charleston at Davidson ESPN3 *
  8 p.m. William & Mary at Virginia Commonwealth
Anish Shroff & Adrian Branch		 ESPNU
  8 p.m. Arkansas State at Middle Tennessee State ESPN3 *
  8:30 p.m. Butler at UIC ESPN3 *
  8:30 a.m. Niagara at Canisius ESPN3 *
  9 p.m. No. 8 North Carolina at Virginia Tech
John Saunders & Jay Bilas		 ESPN / ESPN3
  9 p.m. No. 25 Illinois at Penn State
Dave O’Brien & Stephen Bardo		 ESPN2 / ESPN3
  10 p.m. San Francisco at Gonzaga
Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham		 ESPNU
Fri, Jan 20 7 p.m. Milwaukee at Youngstown State ESPN3 *
  8 p.m. Green Bay at Cleveland State
Jim Barbar & David Kaplan		 ESPNU
  9 p.m. Manhattan at Marist ESPN3 *
  10 p.m. Rider at Iona
Doug Sherman & Tim O’Toole		 ESPNU
Sat, Jan 21 11 a.m. Maryland at Temple
Mike Crispino & Bob Valvano		 ESPNU
  Noon Purdue at No. 9 Michigan State
Dave O’Brien & Dan Dakich		 ESPN / ESPN3
  1 p.m. Xavier at Dayton
John Saunders & LaPhonso Ellis		 ESPN2 / ESPN3
  1 p.m. Villanova at St. John’s
Beth Mowins & Tim Welsh		 ESPNU
  2 p.m. No. 5 Missouri at No. 3 Baylor
Mark Jones & Fran Fraschilla		 ESPN / ESPN3
  3 p.m. Indiana State at No. 18 Creighton
Bob Wischusen & Stephen Bardo		 ESPN2 / ESPN3
  3 p.m. Cincinnati at West Virginia
Justin Kutcher & Dickey Simpkins		 ESPNU
  4 p.m. Florida State at No. 4 Duke
Mike Patrick & Len Elmore		 ESPN / ESPN3
  4:30 p.m. North Florida at Mercer ESPN3 *
  5 p.m. Iowa State at Texas Tech
TBD & Sean Farnham		 ESPN2 / ESPN3
  6 p.m. No. 1 Syracuse at Notre Dame
Dave Pasch & Doris Burke		 ESPN / ESPN3
  7 p.m. No. 15 Mississippi State at Vanderbilt
Brad Nessler & Jimmy Dykes		 ESPN2 / ESPN3
  7 p.m. Long Island at Wagner
Adam Amin & Brooke Weisbrod		 ESPNU
  9 p.m. No. 21 Louisville at Pittsburgh
Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale & Erin Andrews		 ESPN / ESPN3
  9 p.m. No. 10 Murray State at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville
Rich Hollenberg & Mark Adams		 ESPNU
  11 p.m. Long Beach State at UC Santa Barbara
Mark Neely & Jalen Rose		 ESPNU
Sun, Jan 22 2 p.m. South Florida at DePaul
Lou Canellis & Dickey Simpkins		 ESPN3 *
  6 p.m. Virginia Tech at No. 17 Virginia
Jon Sciambi, Hubert Davis & Allison Williams		 ESPNU
  8 p.m. Drake at Northern Iowa
Mitch Holthus & David Kaplan		 ESPNU

* Exclusive

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Two Exclusive Women’s College Basketball Games on ESPN3
contact: rachel.l.margolis@espn.com  
ESPN3 is home to two exclusive women’s college basketball games this week including an ACC matchup between two top teams in No. 5 Duke at national vote-getter Georgia Tech on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m. Mike Morgan and Maria Taylor have the call of the game.

Also, Niagara travels to Canisius in a Metro Atlantic Athletics Conference (MAAC) game Thursday, Jan. 19, at 6 p.m.

Date Time (ET) Game Network(s)
Wed, Jan 18 7 p.m. No. 5 Duke at Georgia Tech
Mike Morgan & Maria Taylor		 ESPN3*
Thu, Jan 19 6 p.m. Niagara at Canisius ESPN3*

* - exclusive

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ESPNU Wednesday: Exclusive Access inside Undefeated Murray State
contact: gracie.blackburn@espn.com 
On Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 6 p.m. ESPNU All-Access tips off a season of inside looks at college basketball teams with undefeated men of Murray State. ESPNU rides to work with first-year head coach Steve Prohm and joins him for lunch with Racer greats Bennie Purcell and Howard Crittenden. Cameras also capture a shooting competition between senior forward Donte Poole and assistant coach Matt McMahon, while coaches are wired for practice. The behind-the-scenes access continues pre- and post-game from Murray State’s locker room last Thursday when the Racers beat Jacksonville State and seal a new 17-0 school record.

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Copa del Rey Quarterfinals: Historic Rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona Face off Twice
contact: gabriela.nunez@espn.com 
Continuing its extensive multi-platform coverage of Spanish soccer, ESPN provides unparalleled programming of the Clasico Spanish rivals, Real Madrid and Barcelona, which face each other twice within a week – first on Wednesday, Jan. 18, and again Wednesday, Jan. 25, for the Copa del Rey quarterfinals. Coverage of both matches starts at 3:00 p.m. across platforms. Full Release 

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espnW This Week: Hoops Across America, Mom Knows Best  and Sage Steele’s runDisney Marathon Training Highlight the Week
contact: colleen.s.lynch@espn.com 
espnW’s Hoops Across America series continues this week with a focus on Notre Dame.  Missy Isaacson takes an in-depth look at the traditions, fans, coaches and community that support the Fighting Irish. ESPN anchor Sage Steele continues her training for the runDisney Princess Half Marathon slated for February 26 at Walt Disney Word.  Several new personal video diaries have been added to the site, and fans can also follow her progress on Twitter via #runSage. Adena Andrews will feature Landon Collins, a football recruit for Alabama whose decision on live television dismayed his mom.  Andrews tells fans why mom usually knows best. 

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ESPNHS.COM Launches The Great State Debate Focusing on Quarterbacks
contact: colleen.s.lynch@espn.com 
ESPNHS.com debuts five days of stories, videos and photo galleries that present arguments for which state has grown the best quarterbacks.  The quarterback position is one of the most glamorous positions in sports, and this year they have been front and center through the play of Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and the late-game heroics of Tim Tebow. Five states have developed the most quarterbacks – Alabama, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. The Great State Debate is based on five criteria: NFL Hall of Famers, Heisman Trophy winners, current top ranked NFL quarterbacks, current top ranked college quarterbacks and top ranked Class of 2012 high school quarterbacks. Fans are encouraged to vote at ESPNHS.com for the state they think should win.

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