We have hit a lull in our sports watching season. It’s that period of time between the end of the Super Bowl and the beginning of March Madness where sports fans will go in different directions for their weekend entertainment. Some of us will get reacquainted with our families as we have not had much contact with them since late July (which just happens to coincide with the start of training camp in the NFL). Big shout out to Kobe and LeBron for peaking our interest in the NBA regular season with their back-to-back record breaking performances at Madison Square Garden this week. They will meet this weekend in a national televised game.

All times ET…

College Basketball
Saturday, 12 PM: #20 Syracuse @ #16 Villanova (ESPN)
Saturday, 1 PM: Notre Dame @ #12 UCLA (CBS)
Saturday, 9 PM: #15 Memphis @ #18 Gonzaga (ESPN)
Sunday, 1 PM: #13 Purdue @ #21 Illinois (CBS)

NBA
Friday, 8 PM: Denver Nuggets @ Washington Wizards (ESPN)
Friday, 10:30 PM: Golden State Warriors @ Phoenix Suns (ESPN)
Saturday, 7:30 PM: Denver Nuggets @ New Jersey Nets (NBA TV)
Sunday, 1 PM: San Antonio Spurs @ Boston Celtics (ABC)
Sunday, 3:30 PM: Los Angeles Lakers @ Cleveland Cavaliers (ABC)
Sunday, 8 PM: Phoenix Suns @ Detroit Pistons (ESPN)

NHL
Friday, 8:30 PM: New York Rangers @ Dallas Stars
Sunday, 12:30 PM: Detroit Red Wings @ Pittsburgh Penguins (NBC)

NFL
Sunday, 4:30 PM: The Pro Bowl-AFC vs. NFC (NBC)

Many football fans will be going through withdrawal this weekend; there are no scheduled games for the first time since the end of July. But there is enough sports on to help you make it through the weekend scot-free. Network coverage of the NBA will kick into full gear on ABC, as an attractive doubleheader (Mavericks/Celtics followed by Spurs/Lakers) will be broadcast starting at 1 PM this Sunday. Second week coverage of the Australian Open will continue on ESPN2 and the Tennis Channel, and do not forget the Golf Channel’s exclusive coverage of the Bob Hope Classic all weekend long.

All times ET…

NBA
Friday, 7 PM: Dallas Mavericks @ Detroit Pistons (ESPN)
Saturday, 7:30 PM: Orlando Magic @ Miami Heat (NBA TV)
Sunday, 1 PM: Dallas Mavericks @ Boston Celtics (ABC)
Sunday, 3:30 PM: San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Lakers (ABC)
Sunday, 6:30 PM: Houston Rockets @ Detroit Pistons (ESPN)

NHL
Sunday, 6 PM: The NHL All Star Game in Montreal (Versus)

College Basketball
Saturday, 12 PM: Maryland @ #2 Duke (ESPN)
Saturday, 3:30 PM: #24 Memphis @ Tennessee (CBS)
Saturday, 4 PM: #23 Baylor @ Oklahoma (ESPNU)
Saturday, 7 PM: #3 Connecticut @ #19 Notre Dame (ESPN)
Sunday, 12 PM: #12 Louisville @ #8 Syracuse (ESPN Full Court)
Sunday, 3:45 PM: #7 Michigan State @ Ohio State (CBS)

All times ET…

College Basketball

Saturday, 2 PM: No. 15 Memphis vs. No. 19 Georgetown, CBS
Saturday, 4 PM: Utah vs. No. 5 Oklahoma, ESPN2
Sunday, 6 PM: No. 4 Gonzaga vs. Arizona

NBA

Friday, 8 PM: New Orleans Hornets vs. Boston Celtics, ESPN
Friday, 9 PM: Orlando Magic vs. Phoenix Suns
Saturday, 7 PM: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Atlanta Hawks
Saturday, 9 PM: Orlando Magic vs. Utah Jazz

NFL

Sunday, 4:15 PM: Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers, CBS
Sunday, 4:15 PM: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Baltimore Ravens, CBS
Sunday, 8:15 PM: New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys, NBC

NHL

Friday, 7 PM: New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils
Friday, 8:30 PM: Detroit Red Wings vs. Dallas Stars
Saturday, 1 PM: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Michigan vs. Ohio State
It’s Michigan-Ohio State – a classic rivalry that unites strangers and divides friends once a year for three and half hours. The Buckeyes are 9-2 with dreams of a BCS bowl bid in their future, and a victory over the Wolverines will give them a share of their fourth consecutive Big Ten title. How bad is it for Michigan? Well, last week’s home loss to Northwestern officially stamped this season as the worst in school history. Never has a Wolverine team lost eight games in one season and Ohio State would love to lower the bar even further. National coverage begins Saturday at 12 PM on ABC. Click here for the official Michigan-Ohio State smack thread.

Michigan State vs. Penn State
A win for Joe Pa on Saturday could clinch Penn State’s first Rose Bowl appearance since 1994, their second year competing in the Big Ten. If Michigan State running back Javon Ringer cannot run the football, the Spartans will have no chance of winning this game. It will be a difficult task, as the Nittany Lions are ranked first in the Big Ten and 10th in the country against the run. Michigan State’s last victory in Beaver Stadium was in 1965, the year before Joe Paterno became head coach of the program. Regional coverage begins Saturday at 3:30 PM on ABC.

Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma
A win in Norman on Saturday night would leave the Red Raiders two victories away from playing in the BCS national championship game. But an Oklahoma win will leave us with oh so many possibilities for our little bowl series come January. First off, we will have a three-way tie (Texas-Oklahoma-Texas Tech) for the top spot in the Big 12 South, and the conference has an interesting tie-breaker to determine the representative in the Big 12 title game against Missouri. The winner will be decided by which school has the highest ranking in the BCS bowl standing. So, Orwell’s big brother will have a vested interest in the outcome of this weekend’s game. National coverage begins Saturday at 8 PM on ABC. Click here for the official Texas Tech-Oklahoma smack thread.

New York Jets vs. Tennessee Titans
Two of the hottest teams in AFC will square off this Sunday, as the New York Jets travel to Memphis to face the undefeated Tennessee Titans and the winner could emerged as the conference favorite to reach the Super Bowl. The East-leading Jets are riding a four-game winning streak into the game, while the Titans are looking to become the 13th team in league history to open a season with a 11-0 record. The media spotlight has shine brightest on quarterback Brett Favre, but the team’s turnaround can be contributed to the Jets running attack. New York has averaged over 160 yards per game and scored eight rushing touchdowns in its last five games. The Titans defense could welcome back two starters this week with defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (groin) and cornerback Nick Harper (ankle) returning to the lineup. Regional coverage begins Sunday at 1 PM on Fox.