Crusaders Announce Basketball Television Schedule
Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The Valparaiso men’s basketball team will be featured on national television at least three times during the 2008-2009 campaign, with the possibility of up to four more national broadcasts during the regular season.  In addition, Lakeshore Public Television will broadcast six Crusader men’s games along with one Crusader women’s game over the course of the season.

Valpo’s Dec. 20 game at the United Center against likely preseason #1 North Carolina will be shown on ESPNU at 1 p.m. CST.  Eight days later, the Crusaders can be seen on the Big Ten Network as they take on Purdue at 3 p.m. CST.  New this year to the Horizon League is a Friday night game-of-the-week package on ESPNU, which will feature Valpo taking on rival Butler from Hinkle Fieldhouse on Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. CST.

The Crusaders could also have up to two televised games from the U.S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam.  Both semifinals on Nov. 23 will be broadcast live on Fox College Sports, while the championship and third place game will be shown on Fox Sports Net on the 24th.

Other possible national television appearances would be late in the regular season on the ESPN family of networks.  Valpo is again taking part in the ESPNU BracketBusters event, which showcased the Crusaders winning a double-overtime thriller last year against Miami (Ohio), on Feb. 20.

Also, this year the Horizon League will have a wildcard game on ESPN2 on Feb. 28, the last day of the regular season on which Valpo hosts Youngstown State.  Last year, Valpo’s home tilt against Wright State was broadcast live nationwide on ESPN2 as the wildcard selection, an overtime victory for the Crusaders.  In addition, ESPNU will again carry the Horizon League Championship men’s semifinals and ESPN will broadcast the men’s title game, while ESPNU will also have the women’s title game.

The Lakeshore schedule kicks off on Saturday, Dec. 13 when the Crusader women host Notre Dame at the Athletics-Recreation Center at 1:35 p.m.  After the start of the new year, Lakeshore will show Valpo men’s games from the ARC against Butler, Wright State, Milwaukee, Loyola and UIC, while the Crusaders’ road tilt at Loyola will also be broadcast.