The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has announced the 2009-10 basketball television schedule today with a collection of men’s and women’s competitive matchups on the ESPN family of networks.

As part of its seven-year partnership with ESPN, the MEAC will highlight nine men’s and three women’s regular season games.

The 2010 MEAC Championship Tournament will also air on the ESPN networks with the women’s championship game scheduled for a taped-delayed broadcast airing on March 14 at 11 a.m. on ESPNU while the men’s championship game will broadcast live on ESPN2 beginning at 2 p.m.

“We are excited about the 2009-10 MEAC men’s and women’s basketball season and look forward to a competitive television schedule that highlights our institutions and athletic programs, as well as showcase our talented coaches and student-athletes on a national platform,” said MEAC Commissioner Dennis Thomas.

The 2009-10 television schedule tips off with a double-header on Monday, January 11. Last year’s tournament runner-up Hampton Lady Pirates will host the Morgan State Lady Bears at 4:30 p.m. The action continues in Hampton, Virginia with the Hampton Pirates hosting the defending champion Morgan State Bears at 7:30 p.m.

In women’s action, the defending MEAC women’s champion North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies will close out the women’s regular season lineup in a matchup against the Maryland Eastern Shore Lady Hawks on Monday, February 8 at 4:30 p.m.

Morgan State, who was picked to finish atop the MEAC standings again this season, highlights the men’s television schedule with three appearances. In addition to their January 11 matchup, the Bears will host two opponents starting with South Carolina State on Monday, February 15 at 7 p.m. and then cap off the regular season slate against North Carolina A&T on Monday, March 1 at 9 p.m.

For the second straight year MEAC men’s basketball teams will participate in the annual BracketBusters event, a two-day men’s college basketball extravaganza pitting potential NCAA Tournament hopefuls against each other.

The Morgan State Bears, who defeated interstate rival Towson last year, will be joined by the South Carolina State Bulldogs, who will make their debut at BracketBusters this year.

For the fifth straight year, ESPNU will televise five BracketBusters games while ESPN2 will televise six contests. The 11 BracketBusters matchups will be announced Feb. 1, while game time and network assignments will be announced Feb. 8.

The 98-team field will feature 12 teams from the Mid-American and Colonial Athletic; 11 from the Ohio Valley, 10 from the Missouri Valley, Horizon League and Metro Atlantic Athletic; nine from the Western Athletic and Big West; four from the Big South and Southern; three from the America East; two from the MEAC; and one from the Big Sky and Summit League.

The 2010 MEAC Basketball Tournament tips off March 8-13 at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Coliseum in Winston-Salem, NC.

2009-10 MEAC Men’s Television Schedule