For the third straight season, the Valparaiso University men's basketball team will take part in the ESPN BracketBusters series, a two-day, 51-game showcase of some of the nation's top college basketball programs.

The Crusaders will be on the road this year, traveling to a to-be-determined opponent on either February 16 or 17. Last season, the Brown and Gold defeated Niagara 88-82 at the Athletics-Recreation Center on February 18 as part of the event.

Thirteen BracketBusters games will be televised this season, including six on ESPN2, five on ESPNU and two on ESPN360, ESPN's computerized broadband service. Matchups for the televised games will be announced approximately three weeks prior to the event.

Per BracketBusters program rules, the Crusaders will host this year's opponent during the 2007-08 season in a non-BracketBusters game. The Crusaders will travel to Niagara this season as part of last year's BracketBusters agreement.

The full Valpo 2006-07 men's basketball schedule will be released in the next week.