Well, not quite but a nice start to the New Year. ESPN.com is plugging its mid-season college basketball full-court PPV package online (the mid-season package starts January 6). To that end it will be doing a free preview week January 3-8. That happens to include the January 4 ND-Pitt game.

A nice bonus for those, like me, who live outside of the Pittsburgh media market (the game will be on FoxSports Pittsburgh), and opted against getting the full package.

There actually look to be some other good games during the free period. Definitely able to check out other BE opponents.

January 3: Connecticut @ Marquette

January 4: Xavier @ Saint Joseph’s and Yale @ Kansas

January 5: Iowa @ Wisconsin

January 7: Cincinnati @ Marquette; Notre Dame @ DePaul; Oklahoma State @ Missouri

January 8: West Virginia @ Villanova; Temple @ Saint Joseph’s; Georgetown @ St. John’s

You do need broadband, though. Also, I’ve found that ESPN.com is picky about the browser you use. You will probably have to use Microsoft Internet Explorer.