This just in from Fox Sports. We have the announcing roster for Big East basketball games on Fox, Fox Sports 1 and Fox Sports 2. Over 100 games involving teams from the new Big East will be aired on the Fox Sports Media Group. Previously announced were Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery as the main team. Former Providence College forward Austin Croshere will be a studio analyst for Fox Sports 1 and 2. Rob Stone will be one of the studio hosts for college basketball coverage.
The play-by-play announcers are:
- Brian Anderson
- Thom Brennaman
- Eric Collins
- Kevin Kugler
- Justin Kutcher
- Dick Stockton (???????????)
Analysts include:
- Stephen Bardo
- Jim Jackson
- Donny Marshall
- Kevin O’Neill
- Jim Spanarkel
- Ron Thompson
- Tarik Turner
- Bob Wenzel
- Gary Williams
Fox has tapped Anderson, Bardo, Collins, Jackson, Kugler and Williams from Big Ten Network. Stockton, of course has extensive experience in calling basketball, but hasn’t called the college game dating back to 1994 when he left CBS.
Here’s the announcement.
BLEND OF NEW AND FAMILIAR FACES TO CALL BIG EAST GAMES ON FOX SPORTS
Renowned Duo of Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery Joined by Cast of Legendary Coaches, Players and Broadcasters
New York, NY – With college basketball season right around the corner, FOX Sports unveils the on-air broadcasters calling BIG EAST games on FOX, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. The announcement was made today by FOX Sports Executive Producer John Entz. The FOX Sports college basketball season begins Friday, Nov. 8, and continues through the BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Tournament championship game at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, March 15.
Joining the previously announced lead broadcast team of play-by-play announcer Gus Johnson and analyst Bill Raftery are former St. John’s guard Tarik Turner, Ohio State All-American Jim Jackson, standout Illinois guard Stephen Bardo, former Georgetown coach Ron Thompson, Connecticut standout Donny Marshall, three-time Duke MVP Jim Spanarkel, former Rutgers player and coach Bob Wenzel, NCAA championship coach Gary Williams and coaching veteran Kevin O’Neill on commentary. Calling play-by-play are several familiar faces from around FOX Sports – Justin Kutcher, Dick Stockton, Thom Brennaman, Brian Anderson, Eric Collins and Kevin Kugler.
FOX Sports announced in June that renowned broadcasters Johnson and Raftery would serve as the lead broadcast team for BIG EAST contests on FOX, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. The duo reconnects after having previously broadcast college basketball for CBS Sports. Providence standout Austin Croshere was earlier named a studio analyst for halftimes and between games on FOX Sports 1 and 2 and for the FOX COLLEGE HOOPS TIP-OFF pregame show from January through March on FOX Sports 1.
“We are very excited about this group of announcers,” Entz said. “They come from a wide range of backgrounds and have an array of unique and interesting stories to tell. They are incredibly knowledgeable about the game, and we look forward to experiencing BIG EAST basketball with them.”
FOX Sports is home to BIG EAST basketball with more than 100 men’s games on FOX Sports 1 this season, including the entire BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Tournament from Madison Square Garden in New York City. Game coverage begins Friday, Nov. 8, as Providence hosts Boston College (6:00 PM ET), and conference play gets underway Tuesday, Dec. 31, with a five-game New Year’s Eve marathon from 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM on FOX Sports 1.
On Sunday, Nov. 3 (9:00 PM ET), FOX Sports 1 goes in depth, discussing the conference with BILL RAFTERY’S BIG EAST PREVIEW, a one-hour program in which Raftery is joined in studio by host Rob Stone, Croshere and Turner. The group analyzes each conference squad, breaking down rosters, schedules and more. The show also features roundtable interviews with Georgetown’s John Thompson III, Villanova’s Jay Wright and Creighton’s Greg McDermott, as well as a one-on-one with Raftery and Bluejays’ Player of the Year candidate Doug McDermott.
Brief biographical information on each announcer can be found below. For more FOX College Basketball, follow @HoopsonFOX on Twitter and “Like” FOX Sports on Facebook (facebook.com/foxsports).
Tarik Turner was a standout guard at St. John’s and spent eight years as the team’s radio analyst. He has also worked as an analyst for SNY’s BIG EAST basketball studio show.
A two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, Jim Jackson played at Ohio State before spending 14 seasons in the NBA. Following his playing career, Jackson joined the Big Ten Network where he works as a game and studio analyst.
Stephen Bardo was a top player at Illinois and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year who was an analyst for the Illini Sports Network, CBS Sports and ESPN before joining FOX Sports and the Big Ten Network.
Ron Thompson played and coached at Georgetown before joining Comcast SportsNet, where he was an Emmy-winning broadcaster. He has also worked as a college basketball analyst for NBC Sports Network and ESPNU.
Donny Marshall played at Connecticut before spending five years in the NBA. After his playing days, Marshall worked as an analyst on Boston Celtics games for Comcast Sports and college games on NBC Sports Network. He also calls Brooklyn Nets games on the YES Network.
A broadcast veteran of more than 20 years, Jim Spanarkel has worked as an analyst for the Brooklyn Nets on the YES Network and for college basketball games on CBS. He scored over 2,000 points as a player at Duke before playing in the NBA.
After his playing career at Rutgers, Bob Wenzel worked as a head and assistant coach at the NCAA and professional levels before moving to broadcasting. He has worked as a college basketball analyst for ESPN and CBS.
A longtime college basketball coach, Gary Williams led Maryland to the 2002 NCAA Tournament championship and retired from the profession following the 2010-11 season. He has also worked as a studio analyst for the Big Ten Network.
Kevin O’Neill has over 30 years of NBA and college basketball coaching experience, including time at Marquette. A New York native, he most recently served as head coach at USC.
Justin Kutcher also calls Major League Baseball and college football games for FOX Sports. Prior to joining FOX Sports, he worked at ESPN where, among several other assignments, he called BIG EAST Tournament and NBA regular season games.
One of the most versatile broadcasters on television, Dick Stockton is a 30-year veteran of the industry and has called NCAA basketball regular season and tournament games as well as NBA regular season and playoff contests among countless other assignments. He continues to call MLB and NFL games for FOX Sports.
Thom Brennaman has been a play-by-play announcer with FOX Sports since 1994, primarily on the network’s NFL and MLB games. He has called ACC basketball games for FOX Sports Networks as well as Cincinnati Bearcats games on FOX affiliate WXIX-TV and college football games on FOX Sports and the Big Ten Network.
Brian Anderson also calls college basketball games for the Big Ten Network and has called NCAA men’s basketball tournament games for CBS and Turner. He works regular season and playoff MLB games and is the television voice of the Milwaukee Brewers on FOX Sports Wisconsin.
Eric Collins is also a play-by-play announcer for college basketball and football games on the Big Ten Network and has called college basketball and football for ESPN.
Kevin Kugler calls college basketball and football games on the Big Ten Network as well and does play-by-play for Dial Global’s radio coverage of NCAA basketball and football games.
That’s all.
