Wildcats to appear on TV at least 14 times in 2005-2006


By Roman Veytsman
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Friday, October 21, 2005

If you weren't able to get tickets, and you're not willing to travel thousands of miles to attend games, have no fear - you can still watch from anywhere in the country as the Arizona men's basketball team plays on TV at least 14 times this season.

The Wildcats could appear in as many as 17 nationally televised games if they advance far in the season-opening EA Sports Maui Invitational in Hawaii and if they are picked as the Pacific 10 Conference wildcard selection for a game on March 4.

"It's good exposure," said freshman forward Marcus Williams. "They're not scared to put Pac-10 basketball out there."

Arizona will play eight games on Fox Sports Net, three on ESPN or ESPN2, two on CBS and one on ABC.

Fox Sports Arizona will broadcast 12 games locally. Three additional games, including the possible wildcard game, are tentative, as broadcast details are in progress.

Arizona's first regular-season game against high-profile Kansas will be broadcast Nov. 21 on ESPN.

"It has a chance to be a great game," said Arizona assistant coach Josh Pastner. "They're a great team with highly talented players and a great coach."

All of the Wildcats' 27 regular-season games and a preseason matchup - Nov. 9 against Sonoma State on Fox Sports Net Arizona - will be shown on TV.

ESPN2 will televise the team's Dec. 3 game at Houston, while ESPN will show the Dec. 17 matchup at Utah.

Arizona meets Virginia in McKale Center on Nov. 27 on Fox Sports Net, and the Wildcats' games at North Carolina Jan. 28 and at Stanford Feb. 19 can be seen nationally on CBS.

ABC will show Arizona's home game against California on Jan. 21 at 4 p.m.

The Pacific Life Pac-10 Tournament will be held March 8-11 in the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the fifth consecutive year. First-round, quarterfinal and semifinal games will be shown live by Fox Sports Net, while CBS will televise the championship game March 11 at 4 p.m.

Pastner said Arizona's tough early-season schedule will prepare the Wildcats for the rigors of Pac-10 play.

"Obviously, it's exciting," Pastner said. "It shows you the level of the program."

Last season, the Wildcats appeared on television in every game as well, including four games on ESPN or ESPN2.

"ESPN does a great job," Pastner said. "Any time you can get your program out there, it's a good thing."