Feb. 9, 2009
Game times and network assignments for the seventh annual ESPNU BracketBusters -- a two-day men's basketball event matching NCAA Tournament hopefuls against each other Friday, Feb. 20 and Saturday, Feb. 21 -- were announced today. The Monarchs will host Liberty at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 21 nationally broadcast on ESPNU.
ODU's 6-10 junior forward-center Gerald Lee was named CAA Co-Player of the Week.Lee averaged 21.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game as ODU defeated both Towsonand Drexel. He shares the honor with JMU's Kyle Swantson. Lee Shot 63.6% (14-22) from the floor for the week and was 14-of-18 at the FT line. He has scored 88 pointsin the last four games for the Monarchs. Lee currently averages 15.1 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game. He is shooting .570 from the floor and .796 from the free throw line.
Butler, Davidson and Saint Mary's were 2008 NCAA Tournament participants, with Davidson advancing to the Elite Eight. Four other BracketBusters teams - George Mason, Siena, Boise State and Portland State - also were 2008 NCAA Tournament participants. Utah State is one of just three one-loss teams remaining in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25.
All 13 ESPNU BracketBusters contests will be available nationally, with ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network, televising sixgames and ESPN2 televising five. ESPN and ESPN360.com, ESPN's customized broadband service, will each offer one game, while the ESPN and ESPN2 games will be simulcast on ESPN360.com.
The 26 ESPNU BracketBusters teams were selected from a pool of 102 schools. The event provides teams an opportunity to play other top non-conference opponents three weeks before Selection Sunday. The 76 teams not selected for BracketBusters will compete against each other through the same two days.
As part of the agreement, all 13 of the BracketBusters home teams, as well as the remaining 38 home squads, will play a "return" game at the home facility of their opponent in November or December of the following season.
2009 ESPNU BracketBusters Schedule
Date | Time (ET) | Matchup | Network |
Fri., Feb 20 | 7 p.m. | Illinois State at Niagara | ESPN2 / ESPN360.com |
| 9 p.m. | Virginia Commonwealth at Nevada | ESPNU |
Sat., Feb 21 | 11 a.m. | Northeastern at Wright State | ESPN2 / ESPN360.com |
| 11 a.m. | Liberty at Old Dominion | ESPNU |
| Noon | #15 Butler at Davidson | ESPN / ESPN360.com |
| 1 p.m. | Buffalo at Vermont | ESPN2 / ESPN360.com |
| 3 p.m. | Northern Iowa at Siena | ESPN2 / ESPN360.com |
| 3:30 p.m. | Miami (OH) at Evansville | ESPNU |
| 5 p.m. | #17 Utah State at Saint Mary's | ESPN2 / ESPN360.com |
| 5:30 p.m. | Green Bay at Long Beach State | ESPNU |
| 7 p.m. | Hofstra at Fairfield | ESPN360.com |
| 7:30 p.m. | Boise State at Portland State | ESPNU |
| 9:30 p.m. | George Mason at Creighton | ESPNU |
Games involving CAA teams highlighted
About ESPNU BracketBusters
The ESPNU BracketBusters concept, named because of the success of teams from these conferences in NCAA Tournament play through the years, provides participating programs with an opportunity to play top non-conference opponents about three weeks before Selection Sunday. Each conference selected its participating teams before the season, and the matchups for the event were determined by ESPN in conjunction with the conferences.