A Big Ten basketball game between Illinois and Wisconsin has impacted this Sunday's Lumber Liquidators PBA Tour telecast on ESPN.
The championship round of the Etonic Don Johnson Eliminator, originally scheduled to air at 2 p.m. Eastern, has been moved to an earlier 12:30 p.m. start time. The Illinois-Wisconsin basketball game now will follow bowling at 2 p.m. Eastern.
Both the Fighting Illini (18-12) and the Badgers (22-7) are considered locks for berths in the 64-team NCAA tournament, so the main impact of the game will be seeding positions in the 64-team bracket.
Reportedly, Big Ten officials made the request to ESPN to change the game time because an (early) 11 a.m. Central start would have been highly unusual on a Sunday. ESPN then contacted PBA officials, who okayed the time change for the bowling telecast.
PBA host Sequoia Pro Bowl in Columbus, Ohio, now is in the process of contacting ticket holders for Sunday's telecast to inform them of the change.
