Jon “Boog” Sciambi and Fran Fraschilla have called wild Big 12 men’s college basketball games on ESPN all season, with “Big Monday” particularly bringing some classics. But, interestingly, they won’t be the ESPN broadcast duo for the Big 12 Tournament Championship Game this time around.
Ben Huddleston noted on X that Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas will call the Big 12 title game for ESPN on Saturday, March 14, in Kansas City, before going to Nashville to call the SEC Tournament Championship Game for ESPN on Sunday, March 15.
Huddleston was told later on Thursday night by a Big 12 source that Sciambi and Fraschilla will still call the early-round games for ESPN, and Fraschilla will call the championship for ESPN Radio.
Sciambi is also the play-by-play voice of the Chicago Cubs for Marquee Sports Network, but the regular season doesn’t begin until March 26, and he’s missed time with the Cubs to call major events for ESPN in the past, so it’s unlikely that played into ESPN’s decision.
It’s more likely because ESPN wants to go with its college basketball A-team as much as possible, and with College GameDay going to Kansas City that Saturday anyway. The Big 12 announced on Thursday that College GameDay would go to Kansas City on March 14, and in the press release, confirmed the Shulman-Bilas duo for the ESPN title game broadcast.
And Bilas is an analyst on College GameDay, so that’s a convenient way for him to both be on-site for the show and call what could be the top conference championship game in the sport this season.
Many college basketball fans have been disappointed to learn that Sciambi and Fraschilla won’t be on the ESPN call of the Big 12 title game.
The Big 12 Tournament Championship Game will be at 6 p.m. on March 14, one day before NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday.
About Matt Clapp
Matt is an editor/writer at The Comeback and Awful Announcing.
He can be reached by email at mclapp@thecomeback.com.