YSU to play on ESPN Jan. 23

The Penguins will host Cleveland State in one of seven Horizon games on the network.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — For the second consecutive season, the Youngstown State men’s basketball team will appear on national television when it hosts Cleveland State on Jan. 23 as part of the Horizon League’s first national basketball game-of-the-week package on ESPN networks.

The package includes seven Horizon League match-ups featuring all 10 men’s teams and two women’s teams on Fridays in January and February on ESPNU. They are part of 17 games involving league teams scheduled to be shown on ESPN networks.

“We are excited to expand our ESPN partnership with our first national basketball game-of-the-week,” said Jonathan B. LeCrone, league commissioner. “More fans will now be able to follow our teams on a regular basis during the regular season. This is another important step in the growth of the League.”

The Friday night game-of-the-week schedule will tip off Jan. 9 with Milwaukee playing host to Green Bay at 9 p.m.

“Showcasing the Horizon League in a consistent Friday primetime window is a great addition to ESPN’s college basketball schedule,” said Rosalyn Durant, vice president and general manager of ESPNU. “This agreement also allows us to enhance the number of live events we offer on ESPNU with quality intra-conference competition.”

The following Fridays in January will feature Wright State at Detroit on Jan. 16 (9 p.m.), preseason League favorite Cleveland State at Youngstown State on Jan. 23 (9 p.m.) and Valparaiso at defending champion Butler on Jan. 30 (7 p.m.).

February’s Horizon League game-of-the-week schedule on ESPNU starts with a women’s match-up when Wright State plays at Butler on Feb. 6 (9 p.m.). Men’s action resumes with Butler playing host to UIC on Feb. 13 (7 p.m.), followed by UIC at cross-town rival Loyola on Feb. 27 (9 p.m.). There will be no scheduled league game on Feb. 20 due to all 10 teams participating in the annual ESPNU BracketBusters that weekend.

ESPN2 will televise two regular-season men’s games, including Butler at UIC on Saturday, Jan. 17 (2 p.m.). The final Saturday of the regular season (Feb. 28, 12 p.m.) will feature a men’s wild card game that will be selected in early February. Games scheduled that day are Green Bay at Wright State, Milwaukee at Detroit, Cleveland State at Butler and Youngstown State at Valparaiso. Both ESPN2 games also will be streamed live on ESPN360.com.

Two non-conference Horizon League games also will be broadcast on ESPNU this season. Valparaiso will host North Carolina on Dec. 20 (2 p.m.) at the United Center in Chicago, and Butler will play at Xavier on Dec. 23 (7 p.m.).

A third game will be streamed live on ESPN360.com when Detroit opens the season at Purdue on Nov. 14 (9 p.m.).

ESPNU will air the Horizon League men’s tournament semifinals on March 7 at 7 and 9 p.m. and the women’s tournament championship on March 15 at 1 p.m.

The men’s basketball championship remains in its usual spot on Tuesday (March 10) at 9 p.m. on ESPN as part of “Championship Week.” That game also will be available on ESPN360.com.