The Valparaiso men’s basketball team is scheduled to appear on ESPNU twice during Horizon League play this upcoming season, as the league released its schedule of games on the ESPN family of networks for the 2009-2010 campaign today.

The Crusaders’ first appearance on ESPNU will come on Friday, January 8 at 6 p.m. CST as Valpo takes on Detroit from Calihan Hall.  Valpo will then close its regular season against nationally-ranked rival Butler at the ARC on Friday, February 26 live on ESPNU at 8 p.m. CST.

In addition to the pair of games already scheduled, there are numerous other opportunities where Valpo could play on the ESPN family of networks.  A “wildcard” Horizon League game will be aired on ESPN2 at 7 p.m. CST on Saturday, February 6, a date on which the Crusaders host Detroit.

Valpo is also again participating in the BracketBusters event, which will have 11 games selected to air on ESPN2, ESPNU or ESPN360.com on Friday, February 19 and Saturday, February 20.  The Horizon League Championship semifinals will again be broadcast on ESPNU on Saturday, March 6 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. CST, while the championship game remains in its usual timeslot on ESPN at 8 p.m. CST on Tuesday, March 9.

Today’s announcement brings Valparaiso’s slate of nationally-televised games this season to at least five contests, joining previously announced games on the Big Ten Network at Michigan State and at Purdue, as well as a game on Fox Sports South at North Carolina.