SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Five regular-season Southern Conference men’s basketball games will air on ESPN networks this season, with four on ESPNU and one on ESPNEWS.
 
“We are anticipating that this season will have the most nationally televised men’s basketball games in Southern Conference history,” SoCon Commissioner Jim Schaus said. “It is a reflection of our success that ranked us ninth in the RPI and 10th in the NCAA NET among all Division I conferences last year.
 
“We treasure our partnership with ESPN. They are fantastic to work with and are making a difference in building our conference brand nationally.”
 
The first game in the package will be Thursday, Dec. 30, when ETSU visits Chattanooga on ESPNU. The contest was moved back one day from its previously announced date. Chattanooga went 18-8 overall and 9-7 in league play last season, while ETSU finished 13-12 overall and 8-7 in SoCon action. Both squads spent several weeks in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 throughout the season.
 
Defending SoCon regular-season and tournament champion UNCG welcomes Furman on Wednesday, Jan. 5, for a contest on ESPNEWS. The Spartans, who finished No. 12 in the mid-major poll last season, went 21-9 overall and 13-5 in SoCon play, while Furman, which was ranked in the poll for all but the final three weeks of the season, was 16-9 overall and 10-5 in league play. The teams met twice on ESPNU in a span of three days in February, each winning at home.
 
Wofford visits Mercer on Monday, Jan. 31, on ESPNU in a game moved up two days from its previously announced date. Both squads appeared in the mid-major national poll last season, with Wofford finishing the campaign 15-9 overall and 12-5 in league play, a half-game back of the Spartans. Mercer, which faced UNCG in the title game of the Ingles SoCon Basketball Championship presented by General Shale Brick, went 18-11 overall and 8-9 in SoCon games.
 
Mercer is back on ESPNU within the week, as it visits Chattanooga on Saturday, Feb. 5, for a noon tip on ESPNU. The Mocs will also be making their second appearance of the season on the network.
 
Furman and ETSU make their second appearances of the season on ESPNU when the Paladins visit the Bucs on Monday, Feb. 7, in a game moved up two days from its previously announced date.
 
Three SoCon tournament games will also air on ESPN networks, with both semifinals on Sunday, March 6, on ESPNU and the championship game on Monday, March 7, on ESPN.
 
ESPN will assign the on-air talent for each contest.
 
2021-22 Southern Conference Men’s Basketball games on ESPNU/ESPNEWS
Thursday, Dec. 30         ESPNU            ETSU at Chattanooga; 7 p.m. (moving from Dec. 29)
Wednesday, Jan. 5        ESPNEWS       Furman at UNCG; 7 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 31           ESPNU            Wofford at Mercer; 7 p.m. (moving from Feb. 2)
Saturday, Feb. 5           ESPNU            Mercer at Chattanooga; 12 p.m.   
Monday, Feb. 7             ESPNU            Furman at ETSU; 7 p.m. (moving from Feb. 9)