CBS Sports Network to air eight regular season DII basketball games to national audience

The Division II men’s and women’s defending national champions and seven additional teams from the 2013 NCAA tournament highlight the eight-game regular-season television schedule for the 2013-14 basketball season on CBS Sports Network.

“Division II is excited to partner with CBS Sports Network for an eighth basketball season showcasing our student-athletes, conferences and athletic programs,” said Terri Steeb Gronau, NCAA vice president of Division II. “Not only does the attraction of playing in front of a national audience enhance the student-athlete experience, it also creates a unique game day atmosphere that extends throughout campus and into the surrounding community.”

The 2013-14 television schedule opens Dec. 14 with Philadelphia University hosting Goldey-Beacom in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference men’s basketball matchup. Philadelphia is led by Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame head coach Herb Magee, who enters the 47th season at his alma mater with 960 career wins. Magee is currently the winningest basketball coach in NCAA history.

On Jan. 4, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rivals face off with Morehouse traveling to Tuskegee. Morehouse defeated Tuskegee 63-58 in the semifinals of last season’s SIAC Men’s Basketball Tournament and both squads return key players from last year’s teams.

Ashland, the defending DII women’s basketball champion, will show off a completely renovated Kates Gymnasium on Jan. 11 in a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest against Michigan Tech. The Eagles and Huskies met in the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament with Ashland moving toward their first national title in a 67-54 victory.

On Jan. 25, defending DII men’s basketball champion Drury will play host to Maryville at the O’Reilly Family Event Center along with the annual “Overflow the O” festivities in Springfield, Mo. Maryville finished last season with 23 victories while Drury was one of five Great Lakes Valley Conference teams to qualify for the NCAA tournament.

The fifth game pits Southern New Hampshire at Saint Anselm in a crosstown Northeast-10 Conference men’s basketball contest Feb. 8 in Manchester, N.H. Saint Anselm won last year’s NE-10 regular-season title while Southern New Hampshire captured the tournament crown. Less than seven miles separate the two schools.

The sixth contest of the eight-game schedule will feature two California Collegiate Athletic Association teams in the inaugural Division II Social Media Game. Cal State Monterey Bay’s women will play host to Cal State San Bernardino on Feb. 15 with numerous social media promotions built around the game, including special social media team apparel, giveaways and behind-the-scenes access.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Division II leadership in building a fun and engaging social media experience around a big athletic event on our campus,” said Kirby Garry, interim director of athletics at Cal State Monterey Bay. “Our teams embrace social platforms as a front door to our athletic department and as a way to connect and engage with our growing fan base.”

“Cal State Monterey Bay is a Division II leader in leveraging social platforms to build their athletic brand and game day environment,” said Steeb Gronau. “They are a model partner for this initiative and will be instrumental in building best practices for use throughout Division II.”

On Feb. 22 Newman will host Dallas Baptist in a Heartland Conference men’s basketball matchup from Wichita, Kan. A 20-win team last season, Newman notched its most wins since joining Division II in 2008 and gained a berth in the NCAA tournament.

The Division II Game of the Week schedule concludes in the Pacific West Conference with a women’s matchup between Cal Baptist and Dixie State in St. George, Utah, on March 1. Cal Baptist enters its first season eligible for postseason play as a new member of DII. The Lancers won the PacWest title a year ago as a provisional DII member.