ESPN's second annual College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon -- featuring 12 consecutive live college basketball games in 24 hours Tuesday on ESPN -- will include extensive coverage across the ESPN platforms to celebrate the beginning of the 2009-10 season. ESPN games will tip off every two hours, starting at midnight ET with Cal State Fullerton at UCLA.
In addition to ESPN's 24 consecutive hours, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile will offer an extensive lineup of action. Combined, the networks will televise at least 38 total hours of coverage with 19 games -- 17 men's and two women's -- in a minimum of 25½ hours.
The schedule will be highlighted by prime-time telecasts of the top two men's teams in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll: Gonzaga at No. 2 Michigan State, coming off a national championship game appearance last season, at 8 p.m., and Memphis versus No. 1 Kansas from St. Louis in a Hall of Fame Showcase contest at 10 p.m.
A women's doubleheader will feature No. 9 Tennessee against Texas Tech at 7 p.m. on ESPNU followed by defending national champion and No. 1 Connecticut against No. 14 Texas at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN2 in the ESPNU Road to the Championship from San Antonio.
Highlights include:
• ESPN.com's Andy Katz will be available for live reaction and commentary on the matchups, results and performances across multiple ESPN platforms -- including ESPN.com, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU and ESPN Radio -- from the Bristol, Conn., headquarters for the entire 24-hour Marathon.
• ESPN.com will feature Tip-Off Marathon Live, which will include fan comments and questions as well as polls, photos and videos throughout the 24 hours. In addition, ESPN.com will incorporate analysts and interviews with coaches and players.
• Commentator Dave Pasch and analyst Doris Burke will call the first and last games of the 25-plus hours: Cal State Fullerton at UCLA on ESPN at midnight and a Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off matchup from Tempe, Ariz., at 11:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
• "College GameDay" host Rece Davis and analysts Digger Phelps, Jay Bilas and Hubert Davis will provide live studio coverage on ESPN from midnight to 2 a.m. (2 to 10 a.m. on tape) and again from 4 p.m. to midnight. Doug Gottlieb and Jay Williams will provide live studio analysis on ESPN from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on ESPN2 from 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
• ESPN360.com will offer a simulcast of every ESPN and ESPN2 telecast; ESPN Mobile TV will offer a simulcast of all 12 ESPN games and an 11:30 p.m. ESPN2 telecast.