Alumni Association Home > News & Events > The Latest News	Print View

The eight-episode series debuts with an hour-long episode Friday, December 21, at 6 p.m. Central time.

MINNESOTA BASKETBALL: THE JOURNEY will follow the Gophers' entire season, including activities on the basketball court and beyond.  The show will take viewers on campus and deep inside the Minnesota basketball program with the players, coaches and support staff. Big Ten Network cameras will travel with the Gophers on the team plane, capture practices, pre-game shoot-arounds and time-out huddles, as well as many of Smith’s pre-game, halftime and post-game speeches in the locker room. 

“As Tubby Smith brings his history of success north, the transformation of Minnesota basketball will undoubtedly be an interesting story to tell,” said Big Ten Network Executive Producer Leon Schweir.  “We plan to capture it all.”

Smith’s Gophers are 7-1 and off to their best start since the 2000-01 campaign.  Four Minnesota players average in double figures led by Dan Coleman’s 13.6 points per game.

“The Big Ten Network has an opportunity to bring Big Ten fans closer to their favorite programs than ever before,” network president Mark Silverman said. “MINNESOTA BASKETBALL: THE JOURNEY is an example of how we are creating original, compelling programming that people will want to see.”

New 30-minute episodes of MINNESOTA BASKETBALL: THE JOURNEY will debut starting in January and follow the Gophers through the remainder of the season.  Check local listings for dates and times or the programming schedule on BigTenNetwork.com.

Earlier this fall, the Big Ten Network became the first new network in cable or satellite television history to reach 30 million homes in its first 30 days. The network is available through DIRECTV, DISH Network, AT&T U-Verse, Insight Communications, WideOpenWest, RCN, Service Electric and more than 180 other cable operators.

About the Big Ten Network: The Big Ten Network is dedicated to covering the Big Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions. The Big Ten Network provides unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows; original programs in academics, the arts and sciences; campus activities; and associated personalities. Sports programming includes live coverage of more major men’s and women’s events than ever before, along with news, highlights and analysis, all complemented by hours of university-produced campus programming. The network is available to all cable and satellite carriers and television distributors nationwide, with most programs offered in stunning high-definition television (HDTV). The Big Ten Network is a joint venture between subsidiaries of the Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks. For more information regarding the Big Ten Network, visit www.BigTenNetwork.com.