ESPN College Basketball Coverage Complemented with Prominent Voices

ESPN Images

• Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Maria Taylor Return to Call Saturday Primetime
• Adam Amin, Kara Lawson, Rebecca Lobo and Holly Rowe Back as Lead Women’s Basketball Team
• Hall of Fame Analyst Dick Vitale Enters 40^th Season with ESPN
• New Additions to Roster include Jordan Cornette, Andy Kennedy and Stan Van Gundy
• Carolyn Peck Returns to ESPN; Will be a Fixture on SEC Women’s Basketball Coverage

ESPN’s industry-leading college basketball coverage will boast some of the most prominent voices in the sport. Commentators – from rookies to veterans – can be heard across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and Longhorn Network on more than 980 games this season.

New additions to the roster include former Ole Miss head coach Andy Kennedy, Jordan Cornette, former Notre Dame standout who holds the school record as all-time leading shot blocker, and veteran NBA head coach Stan Van Gundy, all serving as game and studio analysts. ESPN also welcomes back Carolyn Peck, who will be a fixture on SEC Network’s women’s college basketball coverage. Peck is the youngest national champion coach, winning a title at Purdue.

Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas and Maria Taylor will call Saturday Primetime and marquee matchups throughout the season.

College GameDay covered by State Farm returns for the 15^th season, with host Rece Davis and Bilas, Seth Greenberg and Jay Williams, beginning January 19.

Adam Amin, Rebecca Lobo, Kara Lawson and Holly Rowe return as the lead women’s college basketball team and will call a number of NCAA Div. I Women’s Championship games, as well as the Women’s Final Four.

Longtime analyst Dick Vitale enters his 40^th season with ESPN. The Hall of Fame veteran has called over 1,000 games for the network, establishing a prolific career with his many household phrases: “Awesome, Baby!,” “Get a TO, Baby!” (call a timeout), “PTP’er” (prime-time player), “M & M’er” (a mismatch), “Rolls Roycer” (a flat out superstar), “diaper dandy” (freshman star), “All-Windex Performer” (ferocious rebounder) and “Maalox time” (the final minutes of a close game).

Commentator Highlights

Men’s Basketball Coverage

• Big Monday: The team of Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas or Vitale and Allison Williams will work ACC games, while Bob Wischusen, Fran Fraschilla and Holly Rowe cover Big 12 matchups
• Super Tuesday voices include Dave Flemming, Dan Dakich and Molly McGrath for Big Ten matchups, Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes and Laura Rutledge calling SEC men’s basketball games, and ACC matchups called by Rece Davis and LaPhonso Ellis
• The dynamic duo of Dave Pasch and Bill Walton will continue to call Pac-12 matchups
• Wischusen and Vitale will partner to work on multiple conference matchups on Saturdays throughout the season
• Amin and John Thompson III will work on a number of American Athletic Conference games
• Play-by-by commentators include Jon Sciambi, Tom Hart, Jason Benetti, Mike Couzens, Kevin Brown, Doug Sherman, Roy Philpott, Rich Hollenberg, Beth Mowins, Courtney Lyle and Anish Shroff, among others
• Analysts include Sean Farnham, Cornette, Cory Alexander, Deb Antonelli, Kara Lawson, Robbie Hummel, Caron Butler, Chris Spatola and Dalen Cuff, and more
• SEC Network will present more than 100 SEC games exclusively, and will include analysts Pat Bradley, Dane Bradshaw, Daymeon Fishback, Andy Kennedy and Jon Sundvold, as well as play-by-play commentators Richard Cross, Kevin Fitzgerald, Tom Hart, Mike Morgan, Dave Neal and Roy Philpott
  • Studio coverage will be provided by Bradley, Jimmy Dykes and Antoine Walker

• Longhorn Network will surround the network’s exclusive Texas men’s basketball games with studio programming that includes Game Plan with head coach Shaka Smart and Lowell Galindo. Galindo will call play-by-play for the network alongside analysts Lance Blanks, Reid Gettys and others.

• Ted Emrich and Paul Biancardi will call high school matchups

Women’s Basketball Coverage

• Big Mondayand Showcase Thursday games will see the commentator team of Amin and Lawson/Lobo
• Beth Mowins and Deb Antonelli to partner to call a Big Monday doubleheader matchup and Sunday games throughout the season
• Antonelli will work with Paul Sunderlandon Thursday SEC Network games, and will also call games on ESPN2
• Pam Ward will serve as a play by play commentator for several games throughout the season, working with Carolyn Peck on ESPN2 and SEC Network
• SEC Network boasts more than 70 games on ESPN’s network dedicated to the Southeastern Conference
  • Nell Fortnerwill appear in studio on Thursdays with Andy Landers and Taylor
  • Monday games will be called by Brenda VanLengenand Andraya Carter
  • SEC game coverage to include analysts Antonelli, Fortner, Landers and Steffi Sorensen, and play-by-play commentators Courtney Lyle, Sunderland, VanLengen and Ward
• Coverage will also include Brooke Weisbrod, LaChina Robinson and Christy Thomaskutty
• Dawn Davenport, Tiffany Greene and Philpott will serve as a play-by-play commentators for several games during the regular season
• Longhorn Network studio programming includes Game Plan with Karen Aston, as well as Texas GameDay. Alex Loeb and Nell Fortner will call several matchups

Weekly game assignments can be found here.

Live From the Studio

ESPN studio coverage during men’s matchups will include Jay Williams, Seth Greenberg, Sean Farnham, Dalen Cuff, LaPhonso Ellis, Chris Spatola and Jordan Cornette, with hosts Adnan Virk, Chris Cotter and Kevin Connors and others.

Maria Taylor, Rebecca Lobo and Andy Landers return for their third season Big Monday and Thursday Showcase. Nell Fortner will also have a presence throughout the season.

 

-30-