It’s a great week to be a college basketball fan as ESPN and ESPN2 have at least one Top 25 matchup each day of the week, highlighted by the Syracuse/UConn and North Carolina/Duke doubleheader on Wednesday. It’s an extra special week because the Big 12, ACC, Big East and Pac-10 are all represented. For those that have the NBA League Pass, Wednesday is a big night as there are no fewer than 12 games scheduled (including three or four nice matchups).

College Hoops
Mon, 9 PM: #16 Kansas @ #19 Missouri (ESPN)
Tues, 7:30 PM: #12 Marquette @ #13 Villanova (ESPN2)
Wed, 7 PM: #22 Syracuse @ #1 UConn (ESPN)
Wed, 9 PM: #3 North Carolina @ #5 Duke (ESPN)
Thurs, 9 PM: #6 UCLA @ #18 Arizona St. (ESPN)

NBA
Tues, 7:30 PM: Nuggets @ Heat
Wed, 7 PM: Nuggets @ Magic
Wed, 8 PM: Celtics @ Hornets
Wed, 9 PM: Lakers @ Jazz
Thurs, 9:30 PM: Celtics @ Mavericks (TNT)

NHL
Mon, right now: Rangers @ Devils (Versus)
Tues, 7 PM: Sharks @ Bruins (Versus)
Wed, 7:30 PM: Senators @ Sabres (TSN)

Think it’s a coincidence that the second Lakers/Celtics showdown is the week after the Super Bowl? Now that the NFL season is finally over, it’s up to basketball to step into the spotlight. David Stern is no dummy.

NBA
Mon, 7 PM: Mavs @ Magic
Mon, 8 PM: Blazers @ Hornets (NBA TV)
Tues, 9 PM: Spurs @ Nuggets
Wed, 7:30 PM: Heat @ Pistons
Wed, 8:30 PM: Blazers @ Mavs (NBA TV)
Thurs, 8 PM: Lakers @ Celtics (TNT)
Thurs, 10:30 PM: Mavs @ Jazz (TNT)

College Hoops
Mon, 7 PM: #1 UConn @ #7 Louisville (ESPN)
Tues, 7 PM: #13 Purdue @ Ohio St. (ESPN)
Wed, 8:30 PM: #19 Minnesota @ #14 Michigan St.
Wed, 9 PM: #3 Duke @ #10 Clemson (ESPN)

NHL
Mon, 7 PM: Blues @ Red Wings (Versus)
Tues, 7 PM: Capitals @ Devils (Versus)
Tues, 7 PM: Blues @ Blue Jackets (Versus)
Wed, 7:30 PM: Maple Leafs @ Sabres (TSN)
Thurs, 7 PM: Bruins @ Senators (TSN)
Thurs, 9:30 PM: Blackhawks @ Flames (TSN)

Don’t miss #1 Duke/#4 Wake Forest on Wednesday. There’s a great NBA doubleheader on TNT this Thursday, which overlaps a nice mid-major matchup (Gonzaga/St. Mary’s) on ESPN2.

NBA
Tues, 9 PM: Spurs @ Jazz
Wed, 8 PM: Nuggets @ Hornets
Wed, 9 PM: Warriors @ Mavericks, ESPN
Thurs, 8 PM: Cavs @ Magic, TNT
Thurs, 10:30 PM: Spurs @ Suns, TNT

College Hoops
Tues, 9 PM: #17 Purdue @ Wisconsin, ESPN
Wed, 7 PM: #1 Duke @ #4 Wake Forest, ESPN
Wed, 7 PM: #3 Pitt @ #21 Villanova, ESPNU
Wed, 9 PM: #6 North Carolina @ Florida St., ESPN360
Thurs, 7 PM: #11 Clemson @ Virginia Tech, E360
Thurs, 9 PM: #20 Illinois @ #24 Minnesota
Thurs, 11 PM: #18 St. Mary’s @ #25 Gonzaga, ESPN2

NHL
Tues, 7 PM: Capitals @ Bruins, Versus
Wed, 8 PM: Sabres @ Flames, TSN
Wed, 10:30 PM: Predators @ Canucks, TSN
Thurs, 7 PM: Canadiens @ Panthers, TSN

MLK Day is a great day for basketball action as the NBA has games going all day. I’d recommend watching the Nuggets/Rockets at 2 PM, flipping between the Pitt/Syracuse game and the Suns/Celtics at 7 PM and 8 PM, respectively, and capping the night with the Cavs/Lakers tilt at 10:30 PM. Don’t forget that the Australian Open starts today — coverage is on ESPN2 and the Tennis Channel.

All times ET…

NBA
Mon, 2 PM: Nuggets @ Rockets (NBA TV)
Mon, 8 PM: Suns @ Celtics (TNT)
Mon, 10:30 PM: Cavs @ Lakers (TNT)
Wed, 7:30 PM: Celtics @ Heat
Wed, 8:30 PM: Jazz @ Rockets (NBA TV)
Wed, 10 PM: Cavs @ Blazers
Thurs, 8 PM: Celtics @ Magic (TNT)

College Hoops
Mon, 7 PM: #8 Syracuse @ #4 Pittsburgh (ESPN)
Wed, 7 PM: #21 Villanova @ #3 UConn (ESPN)
Wed, 9 PM: #9 Clemson @ #6 North Carolina (ESPN)
Thurs, 7 PM: #18 Purdue @ #20 Minnesota (E360)

NHL
Mon, 8 PM: Wild @ Blackhawks (Versus)
Tues, 7:30 PM: Capitals @ Senators (Versus)
Tues, 10:30 PM: Canucks @ Sharks (TSN)
Wed, 7:30 PM: Bruins @ Maple Leafs (TSN)

Big weekend of sports kicks…um…tips off tonight with a great NBA doubleheader on ESPN. The league’s top four MVP candidates — LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Dwight Howard — will all be in action. Saturday is a huge day in college basketball with no fewer than five top 25 matchups featuring nine of the top 15 teams in the country. Of course, Sunday features a pair of NFL Championship Games.

Oh, there are a couple of hockey games on too…

All times ET…

NFL
Sun, 3 PM: Eagles @ Cardinals (FOX)
Sun, 6:30 PM: Ravens @ Steelers (CBS)

College Hoops
Sat, 12 PM: #13 Notre Dame @ #8 Syracuse (ESPN)
Sat, 1:30 PM: #12 Georgetown @ #2 Duke (CBS)
Sat, 3:30 PM: #3 Wake Forest @ #9 Clemson (ABC)
Sat, 3:45 PM: #15 Arizona St. @ #7 UCLA (CBS)
Sat, 6 PM: #1 Pittsburgh @ #20 Louisville (ESPN)

NBA
Fri, 8 PM: Hornets @ Cavs (ESPN)
Fri, 10:30 PM: Magic @ Lakers (ESPN)

NHL
Fri, 9:30 PM: Oilers @ Avalanche (TSN)
Sat, 10 PM: Coyotes @ Flames (CBC)
Sun, 12:30 PM: Rangers @ Penguins (NBC)

Your guide to what’s on the tube in the world of sports through Thursday.

All times ET…

College Hoops
Mon, 7 PM: #13 Notre Dame @ #20 Louisville (ESPN)
Mon, 9 PM: #11 Texas @ #5 Oklahoma (ESPN)
Wed, 7:30 PM: #8 Syracuse @ #12 Georgetown (ESPN2)

NBA
Tues, 8:30 PM: Lakers @ Rockets
Tues, 9 PM: Hawks @ Suns
Tues, 9 PM: Mavs @ Nuggets
Wed, 8:30 PM: Hornets @ Mavs
Wed, 9 PM: Lakers @ Spurs (ESPN)
Thurs, 8 PM: Cavs @ Bulls (TNT)
Thurs, 10:30 PM: Suns @ Nuggets (TNT)

NHL
Mon, 8 PM: Red Wings @ Stars (Versus)
Tues, 7 PM: Canadiens @ Bruins (Versus)

Here’s what’s on tap in the world of sports television through Thursday…

(All times ET)

College Football
Mon, 8 PM: #10 Ohio St. vs. #3 Texas – FOX
Tues, 8 PM: #22 Ball St. vs. Tulsa – ESPN
Thurs, 8 PM: #2 Florida vs. #1 Oklahoma – FOX

College Basketball
Mon, 7 PM: #10 G’town @ #13 Notre Dame – ESPN
Tues, 7 PM: #5 UConn @ #22 West Virginia – ESPNU
Wed, 7 PM: Davidson @ #2 Duke – ESPN
Wed, 9 PM: Gonzaga @ #25 Tennessee – ESPN2

NBA
Mon, 7:30 PM: Spurs @ Heat – NBA TV
Tues, 10:30 PM: Hornets @ Lakers
Wed, 7 PM: Magic @ Hawks
Wed, 7:30 PM: Rockets @ Celtics
Wed, 9 PM: Heat @ Nuggets – ESPN
Wed, 9 PM: Hornets @ Jazz
Wed, 10 PM: Pistons @ Blazers

NHL
Mon, 7 PM: Penguins @ Rangers – Versus
Tues, 7 PM: Wild @ Bruins – Versus
Tues, 7:30 PM: Panthers @ Maple Leafs – TSN
Wed, 7:30 PM: Canadiens @ Rangers – TSN

Here’s the best of sports on the tube through Thursday.

All times ET…

College Football
Mon, 8 PM: #21 Missouri vs. #23 Northwestern (ESPN)
Tues, 8 PM: #13 Oklahoma St. vs. #17 Oregon (ESPN)
Thurs, 1 PM: #15 Georgia vs. #18 Michigan St. (ABC)
Thurs, 4:30 PM: #5 USC vs. #8 Penn St. (ABC)
Thurs, 8:30 PM: #12 Cincinnati vs. #19 Virginia Tech (FOX)

College Hoops
Mon, 7 PM: #8 Georgetown @ #2 UConn (ESPN2)
Wed, 12 PM: #15 Michigan St. @ #21 Minnesota
Wed, 2 PM: Wisconsin @ #24 Michigan (ESPN2)
Thurs, 2:30 PM: #13 Villanova @ #25 Marquette (ESPN2)

NBA
Mon, 7:30 PM: Magic @ Pistons (NBA TV)
Tues, 7:30 PM: Cavs @ Heat (NBA TV)
Tues, 10 PM: Celtics @ Blazers

NHL
Tues, 7:30 PM: Chicago @ Detroit
Wed, 10 PM: Edmonton @ Calgary (TSN)
Thurs, 1 PM: Detroit @ Chicago (NBC)

NFL
Mon, 8:30 PM: Packers @ Bears – ESPN

College Football
Tues, 8 PM: #9 Boise St. vs. #11 TCU – ESPN

NBA
Mon, 9 PM: Blazers @ Nuggets
Tues, 7 PM: Rockets @ Cavaliers
Tues, 8 PM: Lakers @ Hornets – NBA TV
Tues, 10 PM: Nuggets @ Blazers
Thurs, 12 PM: Hornets @ Magic – ESPN
Thurs, 2:30 PM: Spurs @ Suns – ABC
Thurs, 5 PM: Celtics @ Lakers – ABC
Thurs, 10:30 PM: Mavericks @ Blazers – TNT

College Hoops
Tues, 7 PM: Butler @ #12 Xavier
Tues, 9:30 PM: #8 Texas @ Wisconsin – ESPN2

NHL
Mon, 7 PM: Pittsburgh @ Buffalo – Versus
Tues, 7 PM: Boston @ New Jersey – Versus
Tues, 10 PM: Vancouver @ San Jose – TSN

NFL

Thurs, 8:15 PM: Jaguars @ Colts – NFL Network

NBA

Wed, 7 PM: Celtics @ Hawks – ESPN
Wed, 9:30 PM: Spurs @ Hornets – ESPN
Thurs, 8 PM: Spurs @ Magic – TNT
Thurs, 10:30 PM: Suns @ Blazers – TNT

College Hoops

Tues, 9:30 PM: #23 Marquette @ #19 Tennessee – ESPN