ESPN Announces The Basketball Tournament 2018 Schedule and Commentators

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ESPN Announces The Basketball Tournament 2018 Schedule and Commentators

  • ESPN College Basketball Analysts Fran Fraschilla, Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich Lead 2018 TBT Commentator Team
  • Regional Events Tip Off July 13-15 in Richmond, Va. (South) and Los Angeles (West)
  • $2 Million Winner-Take-All Championship Returns to Baltimore on Aug. 3

ESPN college basketball analysts Fran Fraschilla, Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich headline the commentator team for The Basketball Tournament (TBT), the single-elimination, five-on-five, open-application tournament with a winner-take-all $2 million prize. The fifth annual TBT event tips off this weekend, July 13-15, with regional events in Richmond, Va. (South) and Los Angeles (West) to be streamed live on ESPN3. The semifinals and Championship will be played Aug. 2-3 in Baltimore, to be televised live on ESPN.

The network schedule and commentator teams for TBT 2018 were announced today. In all, ESPN networks will present live coverage of 63 games across its networks and the ESPN App, with 15 games airing live on ESPN (up from seven in 2017), six on ESPN2, and one on ESPNU. In addition, TBT games will be streamed live and on-demand via the ESPN Player to more than 120 countries and territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia.

Commentators Include:

  • Fran Fraschilla – Fraschilla has covered basketball at every level since joining ESPN as an analyst in 2003, including college, NBA Draft, FIBA events and more.
  • Seth Greenberg – Greenberg is one of the network’s top analysts, working games and studio shows, including College GameDay.
  • Dan Dakich – Dakich has worked games and in-studio for ESPN since joining the network in 2010.
  • Bob Rathbun – The longtime voice of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, Rathbun will call multiple rounds, including the TBT semifinals and Championship.
  • Tom Hart – The SEC Network play-by-play voice will call Super 16 and Regional games in Atlanta.
  • Robbie Hummel – The Purdue legend joined ESPN as a college analyst in 2017.
  • Tracy Murray – The UCLA legend and former NBA player is now an analyst for UCLA basketball.
  • Dan Bonner – A veteran college analyst, Bonner annually calls NCAA Tournament games.
  • Matt Martucci – The voice of St. Joseph’s basketball, Martucci called regional games in TBT 2017.
  • Tim Welsh – The former Providence head coach joined ESPN as a college analyst in 2008.
  • Jen Hale – Hale, who covers the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans in addition to her national assignments, will handle sideline reporting for all late-round games in TBT 2018.

TBT Regionals, Semifinals and Championship:

  • South Regional: July 13-15 in Richmond, Va. (The Siegel Center at VCU / Benedictine College Preparatory – Friday only)
  • West Regional: July 13-15 in Los Angeles (The University Gymnasium at California State University)
  • Northeast Regional: July 20-22 in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Steinberg Wellness Center at LIU)
  • Midwest Regional: July 20-22 in Columbus, Ohio (The Capital Center at Capital University)
  • Super 16: July 26-29 in Atlanta (The Georgia State University Sports Arena)
  • Semifinals and $2 Million Championship: August 2-3 in Baltimore, Md. (The Fieldhouse at Morgan State University)

TBT features a 72-team bracket of 5-on-5 professional basketball, with college alumni teams, international basketball stars, ex-NBA players, future NBA players and more competing in a single-elimination tournament. Fans win 10%, or $200,000, of the $2 million prize.

TBT has attracted some of the best basketball players in the world. In all, more than 70 players with NBA experience are set to be involved in this year’s tournament, including multiple former lottery picks and All-Stars with 11 NBA championships between them. In addition, 24 players competing in this year’s tournament competed in NCAA basketball this past season.  Sixteen TBT 2017 players signed deals with NBA teams this past season. Overseas Elite, a team of American stars currently playing in top leagues around the world, won for the third consecutive year in 2017. Back to defend their title, they have taken home an astounding $5 million over three years. For more information: www.thetournament.com

The Basketball Tournament 2018 Broadcast and Commentator Schedule:

TBT South Regional / Richmond, Va.:

Date Time (ET) Game / Announcers Network
Sat

July 14

9 a.m. Game 3: (4) Louisiana United vs. (13) ATL All-Stars

Matt Martucci and Tim Scarborough

ESPN3
10:50 a.m. Game 4: (6) Team DRC vs. (11) NC Prodigal Sons

Martucci and Scarborough

ESPN3
12:40 p.m. Game 5: (5) Wake the Nation (Wake Forest) vs. (12) Showtime

Martucci and Scarborough

ESPN3
2:30 p.m. Game 6: (3) Memphis State (Memphis) vs. (14) Brooklyn Vultures

Martucci and Scarborough

ESPN3
4:20 p.m. Game 7: (8) Monarch Nation (ODU) vs. (9) Hilltop Dawgs (UMBC)

Brock Bowling and Dan Bonner

ESPN3
6:10 p.m. Game 8: (1) Overseas Elite vs. (16) Rock City Scorchers / (17) Team ABC play-in winner

Bowling and Bonner

ESPN3
8 p.m. Game 9: (2) Ram Nation (VCU) vs. (15) Tampa 20/20 / (18) Cancer +1 play-in winner

Bowling and Bonner

ESPN3
9:50 p.m. Game 10: (7) Atlanta Dirty South vs. (10) Purple & Black (Kansas St.)

Bowling and Bonner

ESPN3
Sun

July 15

11 a.m. Game 11: Game 3 winner vs. Game 5 winner

Martucci and Scarborough

ESPN3
12:50 p.m. Game 12: Game 4 winner vs. Game 6 winner

Martucci and Scarborough

ESPN3
2:40 p.m. Game 13: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

Bowling and Bonner

ESPN3
4:30 p.m. Game 14: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner

Bowling and Bonner

ESPN3

 

TBT West Regional / Los Angeles:

Date Time (ET) Game / Announcers Network
Fri

July 13

10 p.m. Game 1: (15) Kimchi Express vs. (18) Dubois Dream

Sam Farber and Richie Schueler

ESPN3
11:50 p.m. Game 2: (16) Utah Valor vs. (17) Fort Hood Wounded Warriors

Farber and Schueler

ESPN3
Sat

July 14

2 p.m. Game 3: (2) Team Colorado vs. Game 1 winner

Farber and Schueler

ESPN3
3:50 p.m. Game 4: (7) Eberlein Drive vs. (10) Broad Street Brawlers

Farber and Schueler

ESPN3
5:40 p.m. Game 5: (1) Team Challenge ALS vs. Game 2 winner

Eric Duick and Schueler

ESPN3
7:30 p.m. Game 6: (8) Team 23 vs. (9) CitiTeam Blazers

Duick and Tracy Murray

ESPN3
9:20 p.m. Game 7: (4) Sons of Westwood (UCLA) vs. (13) D3

Duick and Murray

ESPN3
11:10 p.m. Game 8: (5) Forks Up (Arizona State) vs. (12) Albuquerque Hoops

Duick and Murray

ESPN3
Sun

July 15

4 p.m. Game 9: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner

Farber and Schueler

ESPN3
5:50 p.m. Game 10: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner

Farber and Murray

ESPN3
7:40 p.m. Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

Duick and Murray

ESPN3

 

TBT Northeast Regional / Brooklyn:

Date Time (ET) Game / Announcers Network
Fri

July 20

7 p.m. Game 1: (15) Talladega Knights vs. (18) Queens Struggle

Eric Duick and Tim Scarborough

ESPN3
8:50 p.m. Game 2: (16) Philadelphia Stars vs. (17) South Jamaica Kings

Duick and Scarborough

ESPN3
Sat

July 21

11:30 a.m. Game 3: (7) Team Arkansas (Arkansas) vs. (10) Tim Thomas Playaz

Duick and Scarborough

ESPN3
1:20 p.m. Game 4: (2) HBC Sicklerville vs. Game 1 winner

Duick and Scarborough

ESPN3
3:10 p.m. Game 5: (4) Armored Athlete vs. (13) DC On Point

Duick and Scarborough

ESPN3
5 p.m. Game 6: (5) Gael Nation (Iona) vs. (12) Sideline Cancer

Dave Popkin and Tim Welsh

ESPN3
6:50 p.m. Game 7: (1) Boeheim’s Army (Syracuse) vs. Game 2 winner

Popkin and Welsh

ESPN3
8:40 p.m. Game 8: (8) Team Fancy vs. (9) Saints Alive (Siena)

Popkin and Welsh

ESPN3
Sun

July 22

1 p.m. Game 9: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner

Duick and Scarborough

ESPN3
2:50 p.m. Game 10: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner

Popkin and Welsh

ESPN3
4:40 p.m. Game 11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner

Popkin and Welsh

ESPN3

 

TBT Midwest Regional / Columbus, Ohio:

Date Time (ET) Game / Announcers Network
Fri

July 20

6 p.m. Game 1: (15) Peoria All Stars vs. (18) West Coast Ronin

Brian Bedo and Rich Zvosec

ESPN3
7:50 p.m. Game 2: (16) West Va. Wildcats vs. (17) Charlotte Chess Center

Bedo and Zvosec

ESPN3
Sat

July 21

8:10 a.m. Game 3: (5) Always A Brave (Bradley) vs. (12) Primetime Players

Bedo and Zvosec

ESPN3
10 a.m. Game 4: (4) Big X vs. (13) Chattanooga Lookouts

Bedo and Zvosec

ESPN3
12 p.m. Game 5: (2) Team Fredette vs. Game 1 winner

Chris Vosters, Robbie Hummel and Jen Hale

ESPN
2 p.m. Game 6: (8) Bearcat Jam vs. (9) Matadors (Texas Tech)

Paul Keels, Dan Dakich and Hale

ESPN
4 p.m. Game 7: (1) Scarlet & Gray (Ohio State) vs. Game 2 winner

Keels, Dakich and Hale

ESPN
6 p.m. Game 8: (7) Zoo Crew (Pittsburgh) vs. (10) Jackson TN Underdawgs

Vosters and Hummel

ESPN3
7:50 p.m. Game 9: (6) Fort Wayne Champs vs. (11) The Region

Vosters and Hummel

ESPN3
9:40 p.m. Game 10: (3) Hilton Magic Legends (Iowa State) vs. (14) Illinois BC

Vosters and Hummel

ESPN3
Sun

July 22

12 p.m. Game 11: Game 5 winner vs. Game 8 winner

Keels, Dakich and Hale

ESPN
2 p.m. Game 12: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner

Keels, Dakich and Hale

ESPN
4 p.m. Game 13: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner

Vosters, Hummel and Hale

ESPN2
6 p.m. Game 14: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner

Vosters, Hummel and Hale

ESPN2

 

TBT Super 16 & Quarterfinals / Atlanta:

Date Time (ET) Game / Announcers Network
Thurs

July 26

7 p.m. Super 16 South Region:

Tom Hart, Dan Dakich, Seth Greenberg and Jen Hale

ESPN2
9 p.m. Super 16 South Region:

Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale

ESPN2
Fri

July 27

7 p.m. Super 16 Midwest Region:

Bob Rathbun, Fran Fraschilla and Hale

ESPN2
9 p.m. Super 16 Midwest Region:

Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale

ESPN
Sat

July 28

11 a.m. Super 16 Northeast Region:

Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale

ESPN
1 p.m. Super 16 Northeast Region:

Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale

ESPN
3 p.m. Super 16: West Region

Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale

ESPN
5 p.m. Super 16: West Region

Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale

ESPNU
Sun

July 29

11 a.m. Quarterfinals:

Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale

ESPN
1 p.m. Quarterfinals:

Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale

ESPN
3 p.m. Quarterfinals:

Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale

ESPN
7 p.m. Quarterfinals:

Hart, Dakich, Greenberg and Hale

ESPN2

 

TBT Semifinals & Championship / Baltimore:

Date Time (ET) Game / Announcers Network
Thurs

Aug 2

7 p.m. Semifinals:

Bob Rathbun, Fran Fraschilla and Jen Hale

ESPN
9 p.m. Semifinals:

Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale

ESPN
Fri

Aug 3

9 p.m. Championship:

Rathbun, Fraschilla and Hale

ESPN

* The colleges/universities of collegiate basketball alumni teams are noted in parentheses

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Bill Hofheimer

I oversee ESPN’s College Sports PR, while also working on ESPN soccer, Around the Horn, PTI and more. Previously oversaw communications for ESPN's Monday Night Football and NFL studio shows.
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