2001-02 Hoop Slate Features 12 National TV Dates
August 14, 2001 | Men's Basketball
Aug. 14, 2001
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Twelve network television appearances, eight opponents that reached post-season play last season, a full league slate in Conference USA, and 19 home games in Freedom Hall highlight the 2001-02 University of Louisville men's basketball schedule.
U of L's opponents won over 55 percent of their games a year ago, posting a collective 385-310 record last season, including the Jim Thorpe Classic field. The Cardinals will face eight opponents which participated in post-season tournament action a year ago, including six that reached the NCAA Tournament.
"This schedule presents a big challenge to a rebuilding program," said U of L Men's Basketball Coach Rick Pitino. "It will take a supreme effort on everyone's part for us to be competitive. We believe the players are up to the task."
Pitino's initial U of L team will face the California All-Stars in an exhibition game on Oct. 31, the first of 19 home games in Freedom Hall. U of L will open the 2001-02 season against South Alabama on Nov. 18, a game televised nationally by ESPN2. That game will match the second-earliest opener ever for the Cards.
Nine of the Cardinals' first 10 games will be played at home in Freedom Hall. The lone road game in that stretch will be at Oregon on Nov. 24. Television plans and the tipoff time for that game have not been finalized.
U of L will serve as host for the inaugural Jim Thorpe Classic Dec. 7-8, an exempted tournament which will benefit the nation's most prominent foundation that supports Native American youth. The Cards play Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the first round on Dec. 7, followed by Virginia Tech against Murray State. Winners from the two games will play in the championship on Dec. 8, preceded by a consolation game.
The Cardinals have a pair of nationally televised contests in December, facing Tennessee in Freedom Hall on Dec. 21 in an ESPN-televised game and Kentucky in Lexington on Dec. 29 on CBS.
U of L begins Conference USA play at UAB on Jan. 5 in a game televised by ESPN2. Aside from the Tennessee game, three additional home games will be televised to national audiences: Jan. 26 vs. DePaul (ABC), Feb. 1 vs. South Florida (ESPN) and Feb. 27 vs. Cincinnati (ESPN2).
The Cardinals will be featured in five additional network telecasts, including Jan. 19 at Cincinnati (CBS), Jan. 30 at Memphis (ESPN2), Feb. 9 at Indiana (CBS), Feb. 16 at Marquette (ABC) and Feb. 22 at Saint Louis (ESPN). At least one of the Cards' games will be televised on network television during 10 of the last 11 weeks of the season.
Over the last 18 years, all but seven U of L basketball games have been televised on either a live or delayed basis. WDRB-TV (Channel 41), a FOX affiliate in Louisville, or its sister station WFTE-TV (Channel 58), will televise 17 U of L games through local origination. All U of L games will be broadcast on 50,000-watt clear-channel WHAS Radio (840 AM) in Louisville and other affiliates throughout the region.
