College basketball begins its four-week stranglehold over...

College basketball begins its four-week stranglehold over the nation’s television sets with conference tournaments and the announcement of the 64-team NCAA tournament field set for this weekend.

There will be continuous basketball coverage from the tip-off of the North Atlantic Conference Tournament Championship Game at 8:30 a.m. on ESPN to the conclusion of the Big West Tournament’s second semifinal game at about 11 p.m. on ESPN. In between, the top attractions include a Big East Conference Tournament semifinal double-header beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Channels 2 and 8 and coverage of the Pacific 10 Tournament. Channel 2 will show the second semifinal game at 3 p.m. Channel 42 in Palm Springs and Channel 51 in San Diego will show both semifinals beginning at 1 p.m.

Sunday’s action includes the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Championship Game at 10 a.m. on Channels 4, 36 and 39; the Big East Tournament Championship Game at 11:30 a.m. on Channels 2 and 8 and the Big Eight Conference Tournament Championship Game at 1 p.m. on ESPN.

Channel 2 will air the Pacific 10 Conference Tournament Championship Game on a delayed basis at 1:30 p.m., after the Big East Tournament Championship Game. Channel 42 and Channel 51 will show the Pacific 10 game live at 1 p.m.

The games all lead to the announcement of the NCAA tournament’s 64-team field, which will come at 3:30 p.m. on Channel 8 in San Diego and immediately following the Pacific 10 Conference Tournament Championship Game on Channel 2.

The weekend’s top non-college basketball televised sporting event pits the Lakers against the Atlanta Hawks at 9 a.m. Sunday at Channels 2 and 8.