ESPN Unveils Announcer Assignments For BracketBusters

ESPN’s 10th annual college basketball BracketBusters is set for this weekend. Good matchups involving mid-major teams hoping to make an impression for the NCAA Tournament next month. ESPN’s main analyst, Dick Vitale, will be paired with Dave O’Brien for the St. Mary’s at Murray State game on Saturday at 6 p.m. ET.

Other analysts of note include Miles Simon working the Valparaiso at Loyola-Marymount game on Friday, Bob Valvano on the Buffalo-South Dakota State game early Saturday afternoon and Stephen Bardo on the nightcap game Saturday between Long Beach State and Creighton.

Lots of fun games as bubble teams hope to make an impression on the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee.

BracketBusters starts Friday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 and concludes with the last game starting at 10 p.m. Saturday. Thirteen games will be played in all.

Here’s the press release from ESPN.

ESPN’s Sears BracketBusters Commentators Pairings Announced for 10th Annual Event

The 10^th annual BracketBusters – a two-day men’s college basketball event pitting NCAA Championship hopefuls – tips off Friday, Feb. 17 and Saturday, Feb. 18 across ESPN networks with a slew of talented announcers. Hall of Fame analyst Dick Vitale, along with play-by-play veteran Dave O’Brien, will have the call of the No. 14 Murray State vs. No. 16 Saint Mary’s matchup Saturday, at 6 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN3.

Also in the BracketBusters field and receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ Poll are Creighton, Long Beach State, Nevada, Texas-Arlington and Wichita State.

2012 BracketBusters Schedule (All times are Eastern and are subject to change)

Date	Time	Game/Commentators	Network(s)
Fri, Feb 17	7 p.m.	Northern Iowa at Virginia Commonwealth Bob Wischusen & Dan Dakich	ESPN2/ESPN3
	9 p.m.	Valparaiso at Loyola-Marymount Mark Neely & Miles Simon	ESPNU
Sat, Feb 18	11 a.m.	Drexel at Cleveland State Adam Amin & Brooke Weisbrod	ESPNU
	noon	Wichita State at Davidson Marc Kestecher & LaPhonso Ellis	ESPN2/ESPN3
	1 p.m.	Buffalo at South Dakota State Mike Crispino & Bob Valvano	ESPNU
	2 p.m.	Akron at Oral Roberts Rich Hollenberg  & Mark Adams	ESPN2/ESPN3
	3 p.m.	Drake at New Mexico State Dan Gutowsky & Paul Biancardi	ESPNU
	4 p.m.	Nevada at Iona Doug Sherman & Sean Farnham	ESPN2/ ESPN3
	5 p.m.	Old Dominion at Missouri State Justin Kutcher & Ron Thompson	ESPNU
	6 p.m.	No. 16 Saint Mary’s at No. 14 Murray State Dave O’Brien & Dick Vitale	ESPN/ESPN3
	7 p.m.	UNC Asheville at Ohio Jim Barbar & Reggie Rankin	ESPN3
	8 p.m.	Texas-Arlington at Weber State Greg Heister & Bill Herenda	ESPN3
	10 p.m.	Long Beach State at Creighton Roxy Bernstein & Stephen Bardo	ESPN2/ESPN3

That’s going to do it.