BTN Communications, March 9, 2015
CHICAGO - BTN welcomes the return of the Big Ten Tournament to Chicago with a full week of comprehensive coverage, including five games, pre- and post-game analysis, coach and player interviews, and a 90-minute Selection Sunday Special.
The network kicks off its coverage at 6 PM ET Monday with the exclusive, live announcement of the annual Big Ten basketball awards on the BTN Live: All-Conference Selection Show. Host Mike Hall and analyst Jim Jackson will reveal All-Big Ten selections, as well as Big Ten Player, Freshman and Coach of the Year. Interviews with select award winners will also be included.
At 6 PM ET Tuesday, BTN transforms a Chicago favorite, Joe?s Bar on Weed Street, into its studio for a special two-hour BTN Live: B1G Tournament Preview. Host Dave Revsine will be joined by analysts Jackson, Stephen Bardo and Shon Morris to discuss expectations and keys to each team?s success. The program will also include a number of guests including Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany and Jerry Colangelo, managing director and chairman of USA Basketball.
On Wednesday, BTN?s coverage begins at 6:30 PM ET with the BTN Tip-Off Show presented by Auto-Owners Insurance, followed by No. 11 Minnesota vs. No. 14 Rutgers. Kevin Kugler and Morris will have the call with Rick Pizzo reporting courtside. Thursday?s action begins at 11:30 AM ET with the BTN Tip-Off Show, followed by No. 8 Illinois vs. No. 9 Michigan, followed by No. 5 Iowa vs. the winner of No. 12 Nebraska/No. 13 Penn state at approximately 2:30 PM ET. Kugler and Jackson will have the call for Thursday?s games, with Hall reporting courtside. On Friday, the BTN Tip-Off Show begins at 6 PM ET, followed by a pair of quarterfinal games. Friday?s crew will feature Eric Collins and Bill Raftery on the call and Pizzo reporting courtside.
Wednesday through Saturday, BTN Finale presented by Reese?s will feature complete highlights and analysis following the last game of the night. BTN will also provide complimentary live coverage of all post-game press conferences on BTN2Go.
At 7 PM ET Sunday, after a Big Ten Tournament champion is crowned, and NCAA Tournament bids are announced, Revsine, Jackson and Hall will discuss the bracket and the road to the Final Four for each of the Big Ten squads on the BTN Basketball & Beyond: Selection Sunday Special presented by Mercedes Benz.
The Journey team will also be at the United Center to capture behind-the-scenes footage throughout the tournament. The season finale of The Journey: Big Ten Basketball 2015 will debut at 9 PM ET on Wednesday, March 18.
The daily schedule is listed below. Please note, game times and the times of BTN Finale are all approximate.
Monday
| BTN Live: All-Conference Selection Show | 6:00 PM |
Tuesday
| BTN Live: B1G Tournament Preview | 6:00 PM |
Wednesday
| BTN Tip-Off Show | 6:30 PM |
| No. 11 Minnesota vs. No. 14 Rutgers | 7:00 PM |
| BTN Finale | 9:00 PM |
Thursday
| BTN Tip-Off Show | 11:30 AM |
| No. 8 Illinois vs. No. 9 Michigan | Noon |
| No. 5 Iowa vs. Game 1 Winner | 2:30 PM |
| BTN Finale | 4:30 PM |
| BTN Finale | 11:00 PM |
Friday
| BTN Tip-Off Show | 6:00 PM |
| No. 2 Seed vs. Game 5 Winner | 6:30 PM |
| No. 3 Seed vs. Game 6 Winner | 9:00 PM |
| BTN Finale | 11:00 PM |
Saturday
| BTN Tip-Off Show | 12:30 PM |
| BTN Finale | 5:30 PM |
Sunday
| BTN Tip-Off Show | 3:00 PM |
| BTN Basketball & Beyond: Selection Sunday Special | 7:00 PM |
About BTN: A joint venture between the Big Ten Conference and Fox Networks, BTN is the first internationally distributed network dedicated to covering one of the premier collegiate conferences in the country. With more than 1,000 events across all platforms, the 24/7 network is the ultimate destination for Big Ten fans and alumni across the country, allowing them to see their favorite teams, regardless of where they live. BTN2Go is the digital extension of the Big Ten Network, delivering live games and on-demand programming to Big Ten Network customers via the web, smartphones, and tablets. Events include football, men?s and women?s basketball games; dozens of Big Ten Olympic sports and championship events; studio shows; and classic games. Original programming highlights activities and accomplishments of some of the nation?s finest universities. The groundbreaking Student U initiative provides real-world experience for students interested in careers in sports television. The network is in more than 60 million homes across the United States and Canada, including carriage by all the major video distributors, such as DIRECTV, DISH, Verizon FiOS, AT&T U-Verse, Charter Communications, Comcast Xfinity, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, Cox Communications, Mediacom, RCN, WOW!, and approximately 300 additional video providers across North America. For additional information, go to http://www.BTN.com.
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