Just received this press release from Big Ten Network announcing the hiring of five new college basketball analysts for the 2011-12 season. Included are former Maryland coach Gary Williams who once coached in the Big Ten at Ohio State before moving to the Terrapins, CBS/Turner NCAA Tournament analyst Dan Bonner and former Providence College coach Keno Davis who has an Iowa connection thanks to his dad, former coach Dr. Tom Davis. Williams will be utilized primarily in the studio while the others will be used at game sites.
We have the official press release from BTN with some biographical information on all of the new hires at the network. Check it out below.
BTN SIGNS FIVE NEW MEN’S BASKETBALL ANALYSTS, HEADLINED BY GARY WILLIAMS
Dan Bonner, Keno Davis, Eddie Johnson and Dave Miller add to returning talent roster
CHICAGO – As the Big Ten basketball season gets under way, BTN has added five new men’s basketball analysts, including former Ohio State and Maryland coach Gary Williams, former Illinois star Eddie Johnson, former Providence coach Keno Davis, veteran broadcaster Dan Bonner and long-time college basketball coach Dave Miller. Primarily, Williams will be a studio analyst while Johnson, Davis, Bonner and Miller will work games. In addition, Gus Johnson is on board for 30 BTN games this year.
The group joins BTN’s deep roster of returning on-air talent, including play-by-play announcers Dave Revsine, Brian Anderson, Eric Collins, Chris Denari, Tom Hart, Wayne Larrivee and Kevin Kugler, as well as analysts Jim Jackson, Shon Morris, Quinn Buckner, Tim Doyle, Greg Kelser and Kenyon Murray.
“We’re very excited to welcome Gary, Eddie, Keno, Dan and Dave,” BTN President Mark Silverman said. “They bring decades of college basketball experience, knowledge and expertise to BTN and will nicely complement our returning talent.”
Williams was the head coach at Ohio State from 1986-89 and guided the Buckeyes to the NCAA Tournament in his first season in Columbus. He left Ohio State to take over at his alma mater, Maryland. His highly successful 22-year run in College Park included 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, two trips to the Final Four and a national championship in 2002.
Johnson was a four-year standout at Illinois from 1977-81 and was elected to Illinois’ All-Century Team. He went on to play 17 seasons in the NBA with Sacramento, Phoenix, Seattle, Charlotte, Indiana and Houston. In 1989, Johnson received the NBA “Sixth Man of the Year” award as a member of the Suns. Johnson has most recently served as a broadcaster for Fox Sports Arizona.
Davis, an Iowa graduate, comes to BTN after serving as the head coach at Providence College for the past three seasons. He worked four years as an assistant coach at Drake University under his father and legendary Iowa coach, Dr. Tom Davis. He took the reins of the Drake program for one season, leading the Bulldogs to the 2008 NCAA Tournament and was named the Associated Press’ National Coach of the Year.
Bonner is best-known for his work with CBS on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and Big Ten regular season games. He has worked alongside fellow BTN announcer Gus Johnson on NCAA Tournament telecasts. The former University of Virginia standout and coach has also served as an analyst for ESPN, Fox Sports Net, Jefferson Pilot Sports and Raycom.
Miller spent 17 seasons as a coach at the collegiate level with stops at USC, Arizona State, Texas, Utah State and Army among others. He also coached in the NBA with the New Orleans Hornets. Miller has also served as an analyst for ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Net.
In all, the network will televise 115 men’s basketball games this winter, including 68 conference matchups, four Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament games and non-conference contests. Gus Johnson is scheduled to call nearly 30 men’s basketball games this season, including the network’s four Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament games with Morris.
Once again, BTN will offer studio coverage throughout the season, including the Tip-Off Show, theHalftime Report, as The Finale
The season premiere of the network’s Emmy-nominated documentary series, The Journey debuts January 8. The show airs at 8 PM ET Sundays. Big Ten Basketball & Beyond returns for another season and will air Sundays at 8:30 PM ET. The network’s new basketball studio show, Big Ten Basketball Report will air following BTN telecasts during conference play.
As previously announced, BTN will feature some of the nation’s top women’s college basketball analysts including Debbie Antonelli, former Purdue All-American Stephanie White, former Ohio State All-American Katie Smith, former Wisconsin coaches Mary Murphy and Lisa Stone, former Hoosier assistant coach Vera Jones and former All-Big Ten player and WNBA analyst Patricia Babcock-McGraw.
And there you have it.
