North Carolina, UCLA, Memphis and Kansas

 Vie for College Basketball's National Championship

  

Billy Packer CBS Sports' Lead Analyst To Call 100th NCAA Final Four and Championship Game With Broadcast of First Semi-final Game on Saturday

  

North Carolina, UCLA, Memphis and Kansas are on the road to San Antonio as CBS Sports culminates its 27th consecutive year as exclusive network broadcaster of the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship and Final Four with live coverage of the national semi-final games on Saturday, April 5 (6:00-11:00 PM, ET) and the National Championship game on Monday, April 7 (9:00 PM, ET-conclusion) from the Alamodome. 

 

Saturday's Final Four features Memphis versus UCLA, with tip-off scheduled for 6:07 PM, ET.  Forty minutes after the game concludes North Carolina takes on Kansas to determine the final participant in Monday night's championship game. For the 18th consecutive year Jim Nantz and Billy Packer are courtside to call the action. Packer is set to call his 34th consecutive Final Four and Championship Game, the first semi-final game on Saturday marks his 100th game in the series. Sam Ryan serves as reporter.

 

CBS Sports' coverage tips-off on Saturday with THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR®: OUTSIDE THE GAMES (3:30-4:00 PM, ET). Seth Davis hosts as CBS Sports examines the issues of youth basketball. The show features an in-depth interview with NCAA President Myles Brand and NBA Commissioner David Stern.

  

Greg Gumbel, Clark Kellogg and Davis host THE FINAL FOUR SHOW (4:00-6:00 PM, ET) featuring tournament highlights, analysis of the four participants and interviews with coaches and players. Contributing to the program are Dick Enberg, Lesley Visser and Tracy Wolfson. Included in the broadcast are features on:

  

* Zambia's Hope - When Austin Gutwein was 9-years-old, he had a pen pal in Africa.  Through his correspondence he learned about Africa, including the devastating disease AIDS.  Gutwein decided  to raise money for all the orphaned African kids by shooting foul shots.  The first year he raised $3,000.  After four years, the 13-year-old Phoenix, Ariz. teenager's event - "Hoops of Hope" - would reach seven states and raise well over $100,000.  In the spring of 2006, Austin announced that the money raised would help build a high school for orphaned children in the region of Twachiyanda, Zambia.  In October 2007, the school had its grand opening and Austin flew to Zambia to be a part of the festivities.  CBS Sports was along with him for the trip.  Produced by Peter Radovich.  

 

 

 

* Jason Ray - Jason Kendall Ray was a 21-year-old senior at the University of North Carolina when his amazing life can to an abrupt end.  He had been UNC's Rameses mascot for three long and happy years.  In March 2007, while the Tar Heels were in New Jersey playing in the NCAA Tournament, Jason was struck by an SUV.  After suffering severe head trauma, he passed away days later.  But he donated his organs and tissue to Sharing Network of New Jersey, where they've helped effect countless lives.  CBS Sports visited with several of those people who received Jason's organs.  Produced by Peter Radovich.

 

* UCLA-Houston - Forty years ago on January 20, 1968, No. 1 UCLA with a 47-game winning streak on the line, took on No. 2 Houston in a game in a nationally-televised game from the Astrodome in Houston that helped put college basketball on the map.  CBS Sports' Dick Enberg, who called the game, takes a look back at that historic game in which Elvin Hayes and Houston knocked off Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and UCLA, 71-69.  Produced by Sarah Rinaldi. 

 

* Tyler Hansbrough - The University of North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough has already won four national player of the year awards and has been named the ACC Player of the Year for the second straight season.  He is only the third player in ACC history to win the voting for Player of the Year award unanimously, and the school will retire his number 50 when he finishes his college career.  He has led the Tar Heels to a school-record 35 wins this season, and the 17th Final Four appearance in school history.  Produced by Jeff St. Arromand.

 

* Kevin Love - The son of a former NBA player, and nephew of a "Beach Boy," UCLA's Kevin Love became only the second player in Pac-10 history to win the Player of the Year award as a freshman.  He was heavily recruited by his father's alma mater Oregon and North Carolina, before deciding to attend UCLA where he has led the Bruins to their third straight Final Four appearance, and an NCAA-record 18th overall.  Produced by Brigette Boginis.

 

* Memphis - Led by Naismith Award finalist Chris Douglas-Roberts, senior center Joey Dorsey and freshman point guard Derrick Rose, the Memphis Tigers have been in the top three in the AP poll every week this season, including No. 1.  Their one loss this season was to the then-No. 2 team in the nation, Tennessee.  After reaching the Elite 8 in each of the past two NCAA Tournaments and falling short, the Tigers have reached the Final Four for the first time since 1985 and have quieted the skeptics who doubted everything from their near-undefeated season to their foul shooting.  Produced by Sarah Rinaldi.  

 

* Brandon Rush - One year ago at this time, Kansas's Brandon Rush believed he would be a first round pick in the 2007 NBA Draft and was preparing to join his brother Kareem in the professional ranks.  But a torn ACL in his right knee during a pre-draft workout in June forced him to return to school for another year.  Now in his junior year, Rush's leadership has helped Kansas reach the Final Four for the first time since 2003.  Produced by Catherine Newman.  

 

PRELUDE TO A CHAMPIONSHIP with Gumbel, Kellogg, and Davis precedes Monday evening's National Championship game.

 

Bob Dekas, coordinating producer of CBS Sports' NCAA basketball coverage, produces the 2008 Final Four and Bob Fishman directs.  Eric Mann produces the preview and halftime programs, and Bob Matina directs.

 

Tony Petitti is Executive Vice President and Executive Producer, CBS Sports.

 

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CBS SPORTS 2008 NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BROADCAST SCHEDULE

 

Date                       Time (ET)                     Game(s) and Specials                                                 

Sat., April 5             3:30-4:00 PM                 THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOUR                            National

                                                                       "Outside the Games"

 

                                4:00-6:00 PM                 THE FINAL FOUR SHOW                                          National

 

6:00-11:00 PM               NCAA MEN'S FINAL FOUR                                      National

                                                                      Alamodome

                                                                      San Antonio, Texas

 

Mon., April 7           9:00-11:30 PM               PRELUDE TO A CHAMPIONSHIP                             National

 

                                                                      NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP National                                                                        Alamodome

                                                                      San Antonio, Texas

                                                                      NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP                                                              Georgia Dome

                                                                      Atlanta, Ga.

 

 

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CBS Sports Contacts:    Jen Sabatelle              (212) 975-4120            jsabatelle@cbs.com                 

                                      LeslieAnne Wade      (212) 975-5171             lwade@cbs.com

San Antonio                                                    (210) 242-4325