Big Sky Conference Altitude Game of the Week

The Big Sky Conference Men’s Basketball “Game of the Week” returns to Altitude Sports & Entertainment for a third straight season, the league and the network announced on Sept. 30.

Altitude will televise nine regular-season games starting on Sunday, Jan. 3, and continuing until Sunday, Feb. 28. All Big Sky Conference teams will appear at least once, with games originating from seven conference sites.

“Our television package with Altitude Sports & Entertainment has enhanced the exposure of our men’s basketball programs,’’ said Big Sky Conference Commissioner Doug Fullerton. “We’re excited about this year’s schedule, which features all nine teams at least one time and seven of them appearing more than once. Because Altitude is available on DirecTV and Dish Network, we’re gaining exposure not only in our region, but across the nation.’’

Montana State, which played for the 2009 Big Sky Championship, takes on Joe O’Brien’s Idaho State Bengals in the first game of the package on Jan. 3 from Pocatello, Idaho.

Montana State returns four starters from last year’s squad, which upset Montana and Weber State on the road before falling to Portland State in the conference championship game. The Bobcats will appear on Altitude three teams this season, including Jan. 10 at home against Eastern Washington, and on the road on Jan. 31 against Northern Colorado.

Eight of the nine games will air live on Sunday. The Sacramento State-Montana game from Missoula, Mont., on Feb. 20 will air on Saturday starting at 4 p.m. Mountain.

Portland State, now coached by Tyler Geving, will appear twice. The Vikings welcome Northern Arizona to the Stott Center on Jan. 17. The two teams played a four-overtime thriller on Altitude last season in Flagstaff.

Portland State welcomes defending Big Sky regular-season champion Weber State to the Stott Center on Sunday, Feb. 28, in a game that very well could determine the 2009-2010 regular-season champion.

Seven of the eight Sunday games will begin at 2 p.m. Mountain, 1 p.m. Pacific. Northern Colorado’s home game against Northern Arizona on Sunday, Feb. 7 will begin at Noon Mountain, so fans can return home in plenty of time to watch the Super Bowl.

Altitude’s coverage of Big Sky basketball won’t end with the regular-season. For the third straight season, the network will televise semifinal action from the men’s championship on Tuesday, March 9. The Big Sky Conference women’s basketball championship will appear on Altitude on Saturday, March 13, beginning at 3 p.m. MST.

Altitude is available within a 10-state territory of the Rocky Mountain Region including: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Northern New Mexico, Northeast Nevada and Southwest South Dakota. The network is also available on Dish Network channel 410, and DirecTV channel 681.

Altitude and the Big Sky Conference will once again work to make the feeds available to local networks in Sacramento, Calif., Flagstaff, Ariz., Cheney, Wash., and Portland Ore. Last season, Comcast Sports Net Northwest of Portland televised nearly all of the Altitude broadcasts.

2009-10 ALTITUDE SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT BIG SKY CONFERENCE GAME OF THE WEEK

Sunday, Jan. 3 Montana State at Idaho State 2 p.m. MST

Sunday, Jan. 10 Eastern Washington at Montana State 2 p.m. MST

Sunday, Jan. 17 Northern Arizona at Portland State 2 p.m. MST

Sunday, Jan. 24 Sacramento State at Northern Arizona 1 p.m. MST

Sunday, Jan. 31 Montana State at Northern Colorado 2 p.m. MST

Sunday, Feb. 7 Northern Arizona at Northern Colorado Noon MST

Sunday, Feb. 14 Montana at Eastern Washington 2 p.m. MST

Saturday, Feb. 20 Sacramento State at Montana 4 p.m. MST

Sunday, Feb. 28 Weber State at Portland State 2 p.m. MST

Tuesday, March 9 Big Sky Conference Men’s Semifinals TBA

Saturday, March 13 Big Sky Women’s Championship 3 p.m. MST


About Altitude

Seen in more than 2.9 million homes in a 10 state territory, Altitude is the television home of the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Mammoth, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Eagles, the Big Sky Conference, ESPN Syndication (including Big 12 Conference and Western Athletic Conference events), the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as well as other local and regional sports, entertainment and public service programming. A full list of Altitude programming and other information can be found at www.altitude.tv.