Courtesy BIGEAST.org

PROVIDENCE, R.I. –  The BIG EAST 2012-13 men’s basketball conference schedule has two familiar traits.  Every conference game will be televised and more than half – 56 percent — will be seen on national television.  The schedule also is loaded with heavy duty matchups.  Nearly 80 percent of the league contests will include at least one team that played in last season’s NCAA Championship and 27 percent will feature two NCAA squads.

On the national television slate, ESPN & ESPN2 will carry 45 conference games.  At least 24 league games will be televised on ESPNU, which reaches more than 73 million homes.  CBS Sports has six BIG EAST contests, its highest number of conference games in 20 years, and one non-league game.  ESPN will continue to televise The BIG EAST Championship presented by American Eagle Outfitters from Madison Square Garden in New York.  The dates for the 2013 event are March 12-16.  It will be the 31st BIG EAST tournament at MSG.

At least 75 of the 135 regular-season BIG EAST games will be on national television.  One hundred seven of the 135 will include one team that played in the 2012 NCAA Championship.  Thirty seven games will have two NCAA squads.  BIG EAST teams will play, on average, 10 nationally televised games during their 18-game league schedules.  The remaining conference games will be produced by ESPN Regional Television for the BIG EAST Network.  All BIG EAST Network games will be available on ESPN3.

It is the sixth consecutive season that every league game will be televised.

The league also announced a partial schedule of non-conference games that will be televised on national networks. At least 34 intersectional games will receive national exposure.

“BIG EAST men’s basketball and unparalleled national media exposure have always been synonymous,” said BIG EAST Commissioner Mike Aresco.  “The 2012-13 schedule is unmatched in the scope of national, regional and local telecasts.  Our coaches and student-athletes are committed to excellence at the highest level.  I know the upcoming season will be filled with outstanding and exciting play.”

The BIG EAST has always enjoyed a leadership position in college sports television. Eleven of the 15 BIG EAST teams reside in the top 35 media markets in the country.

ESPN and BIG EAST again will partner in the network’s Big Monday format. The league also will make regular appearances on ESPN and ESPN2 on Wednesdays and Saturdays.  Once again, there will be conference games played on every day of the week.

In addition, the BIG EAST and ESPN Regional Television will carry the BIG EAST Network Game of the Week on Saturdays and Sundays. The BIG EAST Network Game of the Week package will include over 40 affiliates reaching more than 43 million households which represent 37.6 percent of the U.S.

Some of the highlights of the 2012-13 schedule include:

Big Monday – The BIG EAST schedule on ESPN’s Big Monday includes eight games over seven weeks.  The series starts with Louisville at Connecticut, the league’s most recent  Final Four teams, on Jan. 14.  A week later, there is the usual doubleheader on the Martin Luther King Day holiday.  Cincinnati plays at Syracuse at 3:30 p.m. ET with Georgetown visiting Notre Dame at 7:30.  Prior to the official Big Monday schedule, Notre Dame will play at Cincinnati on Monday, Jan. 7, on ESPN2.  Four other conference games will be shown on Mondays on ESPNU.

Wednesdays – ESPN or ESPN2 will show seven Wednesday games involving BIG EAST teams during the 10-week conference season. The Wednesday schedule begins Jan. 9 with Louisville at Seton Hall on ESPN2. Ten BIG EAST teams will be featured on the Wednesday games.

Saturdays – ESPN or ESPN2 will telecast 14 BIG EAST games on Saturdays during the conference season. The Saturday schedule includes a doubleheader on the final day of the regular season, March 9, Syracuse visits Georgetown on ESPN and Marquette plays at St. John’s on ESPN or ESPN2.  The BIG EAST Network Game of the Week package continues on Saturdays and Sundays.

Sundays – ESPN will carry three league games on Sunday afternoons.  On Feb. 3, Marquette plays at Louisville.  St. John’s visits Syracuse on Feb. 10.  On Feb. 17, Louisville plays at USF.

CBS Sports – The seven-game schedule on CBS Sports features eight BIG EAST squads.  The first of six conference games will be St. John’s at Georgetown on Feb. 2.  On March 9, the final day of the regular season, Notre Dame plays at Louisville.  The Cardinals will be featured on the only non-conference telecast when they host Kentucky Dec. 29.  The BIG EAST and CBS Sports have been formal television partners since 1983-84, the longest relationship of any conference and national broadcast network.

ESPN College GameDay – The BIG EAST again will be the only conference scheduled to host ESPN’s signature College GameDay series twice.  On Feb. 9, The GameDay crew will on site for either Louisville at Notre Dame or Pittsburgh at Cincinnati.  It is the first “Wild Card” situation ever in the GameDay series for two games in the same conference.  The site will be determined as the season progresses.  On March 9, GameDay visits Georgetown for the first time when the Hoyas will host Syracuse in the regular-season finale for both teams.

ESPN Rivalry Week – The BIG EAST will have 11 appearances on the network’s Rivalry Week. The week begins on Feb. 11, with Marquette at Georgetown in a Big Monday battle. The week concludes with Rutgers at Villanova on ESPNU Feb. 18.

New Year’s – The BIG EAST league schedule opens Dec. 31 with an afternoon contest between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh on ESPN2 at the Panthers’ Petersen Events Center.  On Jan. 1, Connecticut plays at Marquette on ESPNU.  Four conference games are slated for Jan. 2, including St. John’s at Villanova on ESPNU.

Jimmy V Classic –  The BIG EAST often places teams in both games of prestigious Jimmy V Classic.  This season, Georgetown battles Texas and Connecticut meets North Carolina State on Dec. 4 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

SEC-BIG EAST Challenge – The SEC-BIG EAST Challenge, which was previously announced, will match 12 teams from each conference over three nights, Nov. 29-Dec. 1.  ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will provide exclusive coverage.  All 12 games will played at home sites with each conference hosting six contests.

NBA All-Star Weekend Game – A BIG EAST game has become a regular part of the NBA All-Star Weekend.  This season, Georgetown will play at Cincinnati on Feb. 15.

The BIG EAST Network local telecast schedules will be announced in the near future.

2012-13 BIG EAST CONFERENCE COMPOSITE MEN’S BASKETBALL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Note: All conference games not listed with CBS, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU above will be televised by ESPN Regional/BIG EAST Network. Games listed as ‘ESPN/ESPN2’ will be selected to either ESPN or ESPN2, but the start time will not change.

Note: All conference games not listed with CBS, ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU above will be televised by ESPN Regional/BIG EAST Network. Games listed as ‘ESPN/ESPN2’ will be selected to either ESPN or ESPN2, but the start time will not change.

This week on The Basketball Show host Sam Dostaler talks with special guest Ed Isaacson who discusses the Big East players who were taken in last weeks NBA Draft.

Listen in and be sure to subscribe to our Ustream.tv Page, along with our three channels. And always keep an eye on The Basketball Show, one of of our weekly podcasts.

Also be sure to follow us on Twitter at @BigEast360

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Fab Melo, Syracuse sophomore center

2011-2012 Stats:

7.8  PPG, 5.8  RPG 2.9 APG

NBA Draft stock: Late first round (No. 21 Boston to No. 30 Golden State)

NBA Comparison: Brendan Haywood

Fab Melo disappointed freshman season, plain and simple. The Brazilian center came out in 2011-2012 in shape and a glimpse of the highly-touted recruit he was in 2010.

He played 25 minutes a game and made a difference on the defensive end. The rebounding was a great as it could have been – under six per game – but he moved well, including taking charges, more importantly blocking shots at a rate of almost three a night.

Melo is not a great offensive player, with a well-balanced Syracuse offense, he really didn’t need to take many shots. He has an okay hook shot, but without question he’ll need to add some more offensive firepower heading into the NBA.

Defense is his strong suit and will continue to be in the NBA. Melo protects the rim and can block shots. However, this could be a product of playing Jim Boeheim’s patented 2-3 zone. In the NBA, with very rare pure post bigs, Melo can find a job being an effective defensive presence on the block.

Melo comes with baggage. He was out of shape in 2010-2011 and was suspended multiple times in his sophomore season.  He could slip in the draft, likely the end of the first round. It will be hard to see a defensive-minded 7-footer fall into the second round, especially teams with several picks in the first round and teams in need of height.

Boston has two picks and with Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass, Jeff Green, and Jermaine O’Neal either gone or heading to free agency, could use some size. The Celtics also hold two picks and might gamble on Melo.

Cleveland (No. 24) and Golden State (No. 30) both have two picks in the first round and take a shot on Melo in the late half of the first round. Indiana has Roy Hibbert as a restricted free agent, and Jeff Foster retired last season, so a spot for a center could be open for the Pacers.

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This week on The Basketball Show host Sam Dostaler talks with Basketball Analyst Terrence Payne and Football Editor Tom King as they discuss the upcoming NBA Draft and the seniors that will be in the NBA Draft.

Listen in and be sure to subscribe to our Ustream.tv Page, along with our three channels. And always keep an eye on The Basketball Show, one of of our weekly podcasts.

Also be sure to follow us on Twitter at @BigEast360

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Jeremy Lamb, UConn sophomore shooting guard

Jeremy Lamb, UConn sophomore guard

2011-2012 Stats:

17.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG 1.7 APG

NBA Draft stock: Lottery (No. 8 Toronto to No. 14 Houston)

NBA Comparison: Rip Hamilton

Jeremy Lamb is fighting to be the second shooting guard selected in Thursday’s draft with Florida’s Bradley Beal doing all but sealing his position as the first guard taken and Syracuse sophomore Dion Waiters reportedly receiving a guarantee, making him an almost certain lottery pick. Duke’s Austin Rivers and Washington’s Terrence Ross could also vie for that spot.

Lamb should go in the lottery, but where he goes is up in the air.

He’s taller than both Rivers and Waiters, not counting a 6-foot-11 wingspan. Lamb is a great catch and shooter and uses the screens very well. Overall, he’s a great shooter, whether it be off the dribble or catch-and-shoot. Another bonus he has over Waiters and Rivers is his movement without the rock. He drives to the lane pretty well for a guy labeled as a jump shooter.

Lamb’s weight has always been in question. Lean and lanky works for some players and Lamb falls in the category. No question strength needs to be added, but not a drastic tonight. Defensively is an area he can improve. Lamb can occasionally gamble on steals based on his length and wingspan.

With many shooting guards being projected in the lottery, Lamb has many options of where he can fall. He’s worked out for Portland (No. 6, No. 11). Toronto has also been mentioned.

Lamb was a great second option when UConn won the national title in 2011. If he can fall into a system with an already established point guard, he could thrive. Whether or not Steve Nash remains in Phoenix is a mystery, but if the Suns re-sign Nash and select Lamb, both could benefit. Phoenix is looking for a scorer, while Nash has always been able to raise the level of play with everyone around him.

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Dion Waiters, Syracuse sophomore guard

Dion Waiters, Syracuse sophomore guard

2011-2012 Stats:

12.6 PPG, 2.3 RPG 2.6 APG

NBA Draft stock: Lottery (No. 7 Golden State to No. 13 Phoenix)

NBA Comparison: Ben Gordon

Dion Waiters will most likely be a lottery pick in Thursday’s draft, which is impressive coming from a player that didn’t start a game this season at Syracuse.

Waiters shocked many by claiming he had a guarantee, shutting down all workouts and refusing to do more interviews during the NBA Draft Combine.

What Waiters showed off the bench for the Orange is what should be expected of him moving towards the next level. The 6-foot-4 Waiters was a spark off the bench for Cuse, being able to handle the ball and add more scoring production to the team.

Waiters is an explosive guard, who uses a wide frame to finish at the rim, making up for his height. The Philadelphia native also does a nice job running the pick-and-roll, which will help him make an impact offensively heading into the NBA. Syracuse ran a lot of pick-and-roll sets with Waiters in the game, resulting in drives or three’s.

His career and his impact on an NBA team will come from the bench, just like college. Waiters has the offensive talent to have the type of career like Jason Terry and Jamal Crawford – great scoring guards that made their money as sixth men, as opposed to starting guards.

His height also makes sense for Waiters to remain a key reserve. At 6-foot-4, it will be interesting to see how he handles taller two guards. Another knock on him is his defense. Even though he came away with just under two steals per game as a sophomore, he played in a 2-3 zone and had the luxury of taking chances.

He’s had well-documented problems, as Waiters almost transferred after his freshman season. You can  take this two ways.

1. As a red flag and pass on him
2. Look at it as a guy, who returned after problems, slimmed down and had a vast improvement in his play

The Suns are in need of another score and some added youth, which Waiters could fill. The Raptors have made it clear he is in the mix, as Toronto holds the No. 8 pick.

Golden State also makes sense, while Portland with No. 6 and No. 11 could use a spark off the bench after the Jamal Crawford experiment failed.

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More of BigEast360′s Draft Coverage

• The Basketball Show talks with Ed Isaacson
• NBA Draft Player Profile – UConn freshman center Andre Drummond

Listen in and be sure to subscribe to our Ustream.tv Page, along with our three channels. And always keep an eye on The Basketball Show, one of of our weekly podcasts.

Also be sure to follow us on Twitter at @BigEast360

Andre Drummond, UConn

The is the first post in BigEast360′s coverage of the 2012 NBA Draft. 

Andre Drummond, UConn freshman center

2011-2012 Stats:

10.2 PPG 7.7 RPG 2.7 BPG

NBA Draft stock: Top 10 (No. 2 Charlotte Bobcats – No. 6 Portland Trailblazers

NBA Comparison: DeAndre Jordan

Intriguing or risky?

UConn center Andre Drummond has those wide range of words surrounding him and his draft stock heading into the 2012 NBA Draft. Drummond has been on the NBA radar for years, long before he spent his one year in Storrs. Looking at Drummond, he already has the body of an NBA player at 6-foot-10, with a 7-6 wingspan. He’s been compared to Dwight Howard in the past, due to his size, mobility, athleticism and shot-blocking ability. Drummond has great potential to become one of the top players out of this draft when it’s all said and done.

Drummond shows so much potential, but he also is a risky pick in the eye’s of some. The UConn center didn’t live up to the hype in his freshman season. Most of his buckets came off of alley-oops or putbacks. Rarely was he on the block and one of the knocks on him is his inability to play with his back to the basket. His offensive game might not be even the center of his biggest criticism. For years, long before he got to Storrs, Drummond’s motor has been questioned. At times he can shine on the floor and at other moments he can disappear.

In Drummond’s defense it was a weird season for him with the Huskies. Jim Calhoun missed part of the season with either suspension or health issues. The team, not only Drummond, failed to live up to the hype. Remember Drummond was a late addition to the UConn roster. Drummond actually could have just graduated for high school if he stayed that route. He’s only 18 (doesn’t turn 19 until August) making him one of the youngest players to go in the draft.

In my opinion, he could go as high as No. 2 or low at No. 6. This sounds crazy to give him such a generous window, but Drummond has all the tools to be a great player, he just needs the right coaching and desire (which is up to him).

The Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Sacramento Kings could all call his name from No. 3 to No. 5, but I feel that Portland could be the best situation for him. Portland is in a state of flux. Brandon Roy’s knees kept him from being a star; Greg Oden didn’t pan out. Drummond would give them a center to go along with LaMarcus Aldridge and if he resigns, Nicholas Batum in the frontcourt.

Portland has two lottery picks, No. 6 and No. 11. Drummond won’t be there at six, but after Ray Felton failed to work out in Rip City, the Blazers are also looking for a point guard. Damian Lillard (Weber State) is climbing higher and higher into the top-10, so he may not be around at No. 11. Kendall Marshall (North Carolina) very well could be.

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More from BigEast360′s Draft Coverage:

• The Basketball Show talks with Ed Isaacson

This week on The Basketball Show host Sam Dostaler talks with special guest Ed Isaacson who discusses the upcoming NBA Draft and what to expect in regards to players taken out of the Big East.

Listen in and be sure to subscribe to our Ustream.tv Page, along with our three channels. And always keep an eye on The Basketball Show, one of of our weekly podcasts.

Also be sure to follow us on Twitter at @BigEast360

Video streaming by Ustream

In March it was clear Gerard Coleman would join the growing list of Providence players transferring out. Monday afternoon, Coleman made his transfer complete, choosing Gonzaga over Xavier, according to a report from CBSSports.com Senior Basketball Writer Jeff Goodman.

Coleman averaged 13.2 points per game in his sophomore season for PC, but as the season wore on the 6-foot-4 guard becoming increasingly unhappy with his role on the team according to sources.

His role would likely be diminished in 2012 with guards Kris Dunn (New London High/New London, Conn.) and Ricardo Ledo (South Kent/Providence, R.I.) headlining the incoming class.

Coleman joins big men Ron Giplaye and Bilal Dixon as members of this year’s team to transfer. Dixon will transfer to Towson next season. Providence saw one player come in via transfer this spring. Carson Desrosiers (Wake Forest) adds great height at 7-feet for the Friars. He will have to sit out next season.

Like Desrosiers, Coleman will have to sit out the 2012-2013 season and will have two years of eligibility remaining for Mark Few.

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