SEC non-conference matchup remains most-watched college basketball game through late February
By Ethan Stone
Published:
March is almost here, which means college basketball game viewership is about to skyrocket.
Ahead of the madness though, Nielsen TV ratings show that the most-watched game of the college basketball season thus far was Arkansas’ matchup against Duke back in late November. The game was played on a neutral court in Chicago and aired on CBS, ending in a Duke victory, 80-71.
The game amassed a whopping 6.8 million viewers. Only Michigan State-North Carolina is even in the same ballpark with 6.5 million viewers.
And boy, was there some talent showcased during this battle between the Blue Devils and Razorbacks. Duke’s Cam Boozer and Arkansas’ Darius Acuff both put on a show, with Boozer scoring 35 points and Acuff leading the way for the Razorbacks with 21 points. Both 5-star freshman are almost guaranteed to be selected in the top 10 of the first round of the upcoming NBA Draft.
The SEC saw another game crack the top-10 most-watched matchups, too; and once again, Arkansas has made an appearance. The Razorbacks’ loss to Kentucky at the end of January drew 2.39 million viewers on ESPN.
As mentioned, expect these numbers to be far surpassed once the NCAA Tournament rolls around.
Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.
