Big Ten Network a must for conference hoops fans

Posted August 14, 2007 11:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

As the days count down until the Big Ten Network hits the air on Aug. 30, the fledging channel came out Tuesday with perhaps its most compelling argument for carriage on expanded basic cable:

If you want to see 61 percent of the Big Ten's men's basketball conference games, you're going to need the Big Ten Network to do it.

According to the schedule released Tuesday by the Big Ten office, 64 of the league's 99 conference games will be on the Big Ten Network.

In addition, three of the 10 postseason tournament games will be shown on BTN. All 67 games will go nationwide.

The network hopes this will increase fans' clamor for its product -- and help with the ongoing negotiations with several major cable providers.

"This schedule demonstrates the value of our programming and makes the case for it to be distributed as widely as possible," said Big Ten Network president Mark Silverman in a statement.

Northwestern will have either 15 or 16 of its 18 conference games on the Big Ten Network (which replaces and builds on the previous ESPN Regional setup).

Illinois, which opens its season against Northeastern on Nov. 11 at the Assembly Hall, will have 10 to 13 of its league games on BTN.

In addition, the network is contractually obligated to televise every Big Ten team's nonconference home games that aren't on another national network, so that means the Illini will have 16 to 19 of its 31 regular-season games on BTN.

Illinois' list

Here's a look at five of the biggest games on the Illini's slate as they attempt to earn an NCAA Tournament bid for the ninth consecutive year:

1. Nov. 20 vs. Duke???

If Illinois and the Blue Devils win their first-round games at the Maui Invitational, they'll meet in this made-for-ESPN semifinal. They haven't played since the 2004 Sweet Sixteen.

2. Dec. 8 vs. Arizona

Thirty months after their heartbreaking Elite Eight loss to the Illini, Lute Olson's Arizona squad returns to the Chicago area for a date at the United Center.

3. Jan. 3 vs. Ohio State

The national runners-up come to the Assembly Hall for a riveting Big Ten opener on ESPN. The Bucks lost a bunch in the draft, but 7-foot freshman Kosta Koufos should average more points than Greg Oden.

4. Feb. 7 vs. Indiana

See, there once was this basketball prodigy named Eric Gordon. He chose Illinois as a junior, reneged and switched to Indiana as a senior … you know the deal. This is his first visit to Champaign since, well, you know.

5. Mar. 4, 5 or 6 vs. MSU

The Michigan State Spartans, Big Ten preseason favorites, come to Champaign at some point in the final week of the regular season. If both are fighting for the title, look for this to be on ESPN.

-- Lindsey Willhite

Illinois 2007-08 men's basketball

Home games: OPPONENTS all caps

DATE OPPONENT TIME

Nov. 5 QUINCY (Exh.) TBA

Nov. 7 KENTUCKY WESLEYAN (Exh.) TBA

Nov. 11 NORTHEASTERN TBA

Nov. 16 at Hawaii TBA

Nov. 19-21 Maui Invitational

(Arizona State, Chaminade, Duke, LSU, Marquette, Oklahoma State, Princeton) TBA

Nov. 19 Arizona St. at Hawaii 10:30 p.m. ESPN2

Nov. 20 Duke/Princeton at Hawaii 8:30 p.m./3 p.m. ESPN2/ESPNU

Nov. 21 vs. TBA at Hawaii TBA

Nov. 28 at Maryland 6:30 p.m. ESPN2

Dec. 1 WEBER STATE TBA

Dec. 8 ARIZONA (United Center) TBA

Dec. 17 WESTERN CAROLINA TBA

Dec. 20 MIAMI (OH) TBA

Dec. 22 at Missouri (St. Louis) TBA

Dec. 28 LOYOLA (MD) TBA

Dec. 30 TENNESSEE STATE TBA

Jan. 3 OHIO STATE 7 p.m. ESPN

Jan. 6 PENN STATE 1 p.m. BTN

Jan. 10 at Wisconsin 8 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2

Jan. 13 at Indiana Noon/3:30 p.m. CBS

Jan. 16 MICHIGAN 8 p.m. BTN

Jan. 19 at Purdue 1 p.m. ESPN

Jan. 22 at Ohio State 8 p.m. BTN

Jan. 27 NORTHWESTERN 7 p.m. BTN

Jan. 30 at Michigan State 8 p.m. BTN

Feb. 2 PURDUE 2:30 p.m. BTN

Feb. 7 INDIANA 8 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2

Feb. 12 at Minnesota 8 p.m. BTN

Feb. 16 at Penn State 6 p.m. BTN

Feb. 20 WISCONSIN 8 p.m. BTN

Feb. 23-24 at Michigan 1 p.m./3 p.m. TBA

Mar. 1-2 at Iowa 1/3/5 p.m. TBA

Mar. 4-6 MICHIGAN STATE TBA

Mar. 8 MINNESOTA BTN

Mar. 13-16 Big Ten Tourney, Indianapolis

Mar. 20-23 NCAA First & Second Rounds

Mar. 27-30 NCAA Regionals

April 5 & 7 NCAA Final Four San Antonio, Texas

All times listed are Central.

All dates and times subject to change.

Northwestern's list

Here's a look at five of the biggest games on the Wildcats' slate as they again attempt to earn an NCAA Tournament bid:

1. Jan. 2 vs. Penn State

Don't be fooled by the date on the calendar. This ESPN2 game is huge for the Wildcats, who always struggle with Penn State and needed a fluky 35-footer by Craig Moore to hold off the Nittany Lions last season in Evanston.

2. Jan. 12 vs. Michigan

The revamped Wolverines could be NU's best chance for a win before beginning a daunting stretch against Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana.

3. Jan. 27 at Illinois

Last year's meeting in Champaign was difficult to watch for everyone but the Wildcats, who kept pace with the Illini before falling 48-37.

4. Feb. 13 vs. Ohio State

The Buckeyes remain the only team Northwestern has yet to beat in coach Bill Carmody's seven-year tenure.

5. March 4, 5 or 6 vs. Iowa

Northwestern was sad to see Steve Alford go. Welsh-Ryan Arena is a deathtrap for Iowa, which has dropped three straight games in Evanston.

-- Adam Rittenberg

Northwestern 2007-08 men's basketball

Northwestern has not released its full men's basketball schedule, but here's a glance at its Big Ten season:

Home games: OPPONENTS all caps

DATE OPPONENT TIME

Jan. 2 PENN STATE 8 p.m. ESPN2

Jan. 6 at Ohio State 11 a.m. BTN

Jan. 9 at Minnesota 8 p.m. BTN

Jan. 12 MICHIGAN 5:30 p.m. BTN

Jan. 19 at Wisconsin 8 p.m. BTN

Jan. 24 MICHIGAN STATE 8 p.m. ESPN/ESPN2

Jan. 27 at Illinois 7 p.m. BTN

Feb. 3 at Indiana 11 a.m. BTN

Feb. 6 MINNESOTA 6 p.m. BTN

Feb. 9 at Michigan State 6 p.m. BTN

Feb. 13 OHIO STATE 8 p.m. BTN

Feb. 16 PURDUE 3 p.m. BTN

Feb. 19 at Iowa 8 p.m. BTN

Feb. 23 INDIANA 7 p.m. BTN

Feb. 26 at Michigan 8 p.m. BTN

Mar. 1 at Purdue 1 p.m. BTN

Mar. 4-/6 IOWA 6 or 8 p.m. ESPN/2/BTN

Mar. 8-9 WISCONSIN 4 p.m./11 a.m.