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CBS SPORTS' CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTED BY EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE OF "NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION SHOW"

Conference Championships for Conference USA, Pac-10, SEC and Big Ten Featured on

Saturday, March 15 and Sunday, March 16

 

CBS Sports' coverage of CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND is highlighted by the NCAA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SELECTION SHOW on Sunday, March 16 (6:00-7:00 PM, ET), with the exclusive, live, first-time announcement of the pairings for the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. 

 

CBS Sports begins CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND on Saturday, March 15 (11:30 AM, ET) with the Conference USA Championship followed by the Big Ten Semifinals (1:40 PM, ET).  The Pac-10 Championship concludes Saturday's quadruple-header coverage (6:00 PM, ET).     

 

On Sunday, THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOURÒ tips-off the day (12:00 Noon-1:00 PM, ET) followed by national coverage of the SEC Championship (1:00 PM, ET) and the Big Ten Championship (3:30 PM, ET).  The SELECTION SHOW wraps up an exciting weekend of college basketball on the CBS Television Network.

 

Greg Gumbel, Clark Kellogg and Seth Davis host the SELECTION SHOW live from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York.  Jim Nantz and Billy Packer will join Gumbel, Kellogg and Davis via satellite from the site of the Big Ten Championship, Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.  In addition, Tom O'Connor, Chairman of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee will be on live from NCAA Headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind. on Saturday and Sunday. Gumbel, Kellogg and Davis also host AT THE HALFÒ, CBS Sports' halftime studio show, and THE ROAD TO THE FINAL FOURÒ.

 

Eric Mann serves as Senior Producer and Bob Matina directs the Network's coverage.  Steve Scheer will produce from Indianapolis.

 

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

 

Following are the weekend talent and production assignments:

 

Saturday, March 15 - Quadrupleheader

11:30 AM, ET                 

Conference USA Championship           Dick Enberg/Bob Wenzel            Craig Silver/Mark Grant

 

1:40 PM, ET                    

Big Ten Semifinals                                Jim Nantz/Billy Packer                  Bob Dekas/Bob Fishman

 

6:00 PM, ET                                                                                  

Pac-10 Championship                           Gus Johnson/Dan Bonner        Bob Mansbach/Mike Arnold

Sunday, March 16 - Doubleheader

1:00 PM, ET                    

SEC Championship                              Verne Lundquist/Bill Raftery          Mark Wolff/Suzanne Smith

 

3:30 PM, ET                    

Big Ten Championship                          Jim Nantz/Billy Packer                    Bob Dekas/Bob Fishman

  

 

The Network's exclusive live broadcast coverage of the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship tips off with first-round action on Thursday, March 20 and Friday, March 21 (12:00 NOON-5:00 PM, ET and 7:00 PM-12:00 AM, ET, both days) and concludes with the Final Four and Championship game on Saturday, April 5 (6:00-11:00 PM, ET) and Monday, April 7 (9:00-Conclusion PM, ET), respectively.