YES Network will tip off a college/pro basketball day/night doubleheader on Dec. 19 from the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J. on Saturday.
The Dec. 19 lineup features the Atlantic 10 Fordham University Rams versus 2009 NCAA Final Four participant Villanova at 2 p.m. Six hours later, the New Jersey Nets will play home to Kobe Bryant and the world champion Los Angeles Lakers.
Ryan Ruocco, 23, a 2008 Fordham graduate, will have the play by-play call of the Villanova-Fordham game, while YES's Nets color analyst Jim Spanarkel provides the commentary. Ruocco also handles in-booth statistics for YES telecasts
of New York Yankees home games and joins current Yankees voice Michael Kay and former Nets voice and current Lakers voice Spero Dedes as Fordham alumni who have handled play-by-play duties on the regional sports network.
Speaking of Kay, he will handle the play-by-play call with analyst Mike Fratello on the RSN's coverage of the Dec. 13 contest between the Nets and the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 13.
