SportSouth and the Southern Conference today announced their 2008-09 basketball television schedule, which includes 19 men’s and five women’s games.  SportSouth will televise 22 games, with an additional two games scheduled to air on its sister network FSN South.  The SoCon Saturdays brand, utilized to promote Southern Conference football on SportSouth, will continue for the 2008-09 Southern Conference basketball schedule, as 17 of 19 regular-season games will be televised on Saturdays. 

Men’s basketball coverage on SportSouth tips off on Saturday, December 6 at 3 p.m. ET when the UNC Greensboro Spartans host the College of Charleston Cougars.  Elon hosts Davidson on Saturday, February 7 at 2 p.m. ET to open the women’s schedule. See attached for the complete telecast schedule.

“SportSouth’s partnership with the Southern Conference enables us to provide outstanding local sports to local fans,” said Jeff Genthner, senior vice president and general manager of FSN South and SportSouth.  “Led by Davidson’s storybook journey to the Elite Eight in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, the quality and caliber of Southern Conference basketball has clearly captured national attention.  During the 2008-09 season, we look forward to providing the largest package of games to our viewers across the Southeast.”

“We continue to increase the scope of our TV package with SportSouth,” said Southern Conference commissioner John Iamarino. “This year’s schedule provides good exposure for all our men’s programs, highlights some of our top women’s programs and gives viewers a chance to watch SoCon Tournament games in March.”

The men’s schedule includes 12 conference match-ups and five games pitting SoCon teams against ACC and SEC opponents, as well as both semifinal pairings from the 2009 Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament in Chattanooga, Tenn.  All 12 conference schools are represented on the schedule, including three appearances by the Davidson Wildcats, who advanced to the Elite Eight during the 2008 NCAA Tournament. 

SportSouth will televise both semifinal games and the championship from the 2009 Southern Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament also in Chattanooga.  In addition, SportSouth will televise two regular-season contests as part of doubleheaders with SoCon men’s games.  

SportSouth, the nation’s sixth largest regional sports network, reaches more than nine million cable and satellite homes across a six-state region and FSN South, the nation’s largest regional sports network, reaches more than 12 million cable and satellite homes in seven states in the Southeast. Through its affiliates and other Fox Networks Group-owned networks, FSN reaches more than 70 million homes through 16 owned-and-operated networks. Headquartered in Los Angeles, FSN serves as the television home to more than half of all MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States and produces close to 5,000 live local events each year, including more than 1,600 in high definition. 

Jason Yaman ? Southern Conference ? jyaman@socon.org, 864-591-5100

Kate Hart ? SportSouth ? kate.hart@foxsports.net, 404-230-7318