This week wraps up the regular season for college basketball. Some conferences are starting their tournaments this week as well, so it’s an eclectic mix of games as we get ready for one of the best parts of sports calendar, March Madness. For me, my three favorite months of the sports calendar are January for the NFL playoffs, March for the conference tournaments and NCAA Tournament and October for the MLB Postseason and World Series.
So we have the beginning of what should be an exciting month of college basketball and it begins with this weekend’s mid-major conference tournaments and the jockeying for positioning for seeding in the “BCS” conferences and we have the 2nd North Carolina-Duke game on Saturday which ESPN will carry.
We have the schedule of games for the ESPN family of networks coming up, but first, ESPN tells us that College GameDay will be live in Durham, NC for Carolina-Duke and for the first time, the show will have a special Friday night presentation on ESPNU.
College GameDay Returns to Duke-UNC Rivalry on Saturday
ESPN’s College GameDay returns to Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University on Saturday, March 3 (10 a.m., ESPNU & ESPN 3D; 11 a.m. & 6 p.m., ESPN & ESPN 3D). Rece Davis serves as the College GameDay host, and is joined by analysts Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps and Hubert Davis.
The weekly show originates from the site of ESPN’s Saturday Primetime telecast – this week, pitting the top two teams in the ACC – No. 6 North Carolina at No. 3 Duke (7 p.m. on ESPN, ESPN3 & ESPN 3D). Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale and Erin Andrews will call the telecast. GameDay is at the site of the Duke-UNC rivalry for the fourth time since the show’s debut in 2005.
Coverage will begin with a special first-time Friday edition of College GameDay, March 2, at 11 p.m. The following day, ESPNU will dedicate eight hours of Duke vs. UNC programming, including the recent thriller from February 8 when the Blue Devils stunned the Tar Heels with a last second, three-pointer from freshman Austin Rivers.
Date Time (ET) Program Network Fri, March 2 11 p.m. College GameDay: North Carolina vs. Duke Special (Durham, N.C.) ESPNU
Sat, March 3 3:30 a.m. Re-air: College GameDay: North Carolina vs. Duke Special (Durham, N.C.) ESPNU 4 a.m. Duke vs. North Carolina (Feb. 5, 1992) ESPNU 6 a.m. North Carolina vs. Duke (Feb. 9, 2005) ESPNU 7:30 a.m. Duke vs. North Carolina (Feb. 8, 2012) ESPNU 9 a.m. Re-air: College GameDay: North Carolina vs. Duke Special (Durham, N.C.) ESPNU 9:30 a.m. First Take: College Basketball ESPNU 10 a.m. College GameDay (Durham, N.C.)
Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps & Hubert DavisESPNU/ESPN 3D 11 a.m. & 6 p.m. College GameDay (Durham, N.C.)
Rece Davis, Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps & Hubert DavisESPN/ESPN 3D 7 p.m. Saturday Primetime:
No. 6 North Carolina at No. 3 Duke
Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale & Erin AndrewsESPN/ESPN3/ESPN 3D
And here’s that ESPN schedule for the rest of the week.
Men’s College Basketball: No. 6 North Carolina at No. 3 Duke Showdown
ESPN’s men’s college basketball schedule will be highlighted by No. 6 North Carolina at No. 3 Duke in a showdown between the ACC rivals, which have identical 12-2 records in the conference. Duke defeated North Carolina in a thrilling 85-84 last-second victory on February 8.
Date
Time (ET)
Matchup
Network
Wed, Feb 29
7 p.m.
Maryland at No. 6 North Carolina
John Saunders & Dick VitaleESPN/ESPN3
No. 7 Marquette at Cincinnati
Bob Wischusen & Bob KnightESPN2/ESPN3
St. John’s at Pittsburgh
Adam Amin & Bob ValvanoESPNU
9 p.m.
Oklahoma at Texas
Jon Sciambi & Fran FraschillaESPN2/ESPN3
Iowa at Nebraska
Mitch Holthus & Miles SimonESPNU
Thu, March 1
7 p.m.
No. 16 Michigan at Illinois
Dave O’Brien, Stephen Bardo & Jalen RoseESPN/ESPN3
No. 22 Florida State at Virginia
Mike Patrick, Len Elmore & Jeannine EdwardsESPN2/ESPN3
9 p.m.
Georgia at No. 1 Kentucky
Rece Davis & Hubert DavisESPN/ESPN3
Villanova at Rutgers
John Saunders & Tim WelshESPN2/ESPN3
11 p.m.
New Mexico State at Nevada
Dave Flemming & Miles SimonESPN2/ESPN3
Fri, March 2
7 p.m.
Akron at Kent State
TBD & Dan DakichESPN2/ESPN3
Sat, March 3
Noon
Pittsburgh at Connecticut
Dave Pasch & Doris BurkeESPN/ESPN3
2 p.m.
Cincinnati at Villanova
TBD & TBDESPN/ESPN3
4 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Tennessee
Brad Nessler & Jimmy DykeswESPN/ESPN3
7 p.m.
No. 6 North Carolina at No. 3 Duke
Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale & Erin AndrewsESPN/ESPN3
9 p.m.
Texas at No. 4 Kansas
Brent Musburger & Bob KnightESPN/ESPN3
Sun, March 4
Noon
Clemson at No. 22 Florida State
Mike Patrick & Len ElmoreESPN2/ESPN3
1 p.m.
No. 16 Michigan at Penn State
TBD & Dan DakichESPN/ESPN3
6 p.m.
ACC Sunday Night Basketball: N.C. State at Virginia Tech
Jon Sciambi, Hubert Davis & Jeannine EdwardsESPNU
That will do it.