Detroit to Unveil Dick Vitale Court Monday Night on ESPN2

DETROIT -- Before a national television audience on ESPN2, the Detroit athletics department will unveil "Dick Vitale Court" prior to its game with St. John's at 7 p.m. ET. The court dedication is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. ET.

Vitale will be celebrating his 32nd anniversary of calling games for ESPN at the event. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee coached at the University of Detroit (1973-77), compiling a winning percentage of .722 (78-30), which included a 21-game winning streak during the 1976-77 season when the team participated in the NCAA Tournament.

The game, aired nationally on ESPN2, will feature commemorative “throwback” jerseys for the current Titan players that reflect the uniform likeness from the 70s teams that Vitale coached.

The jerseys will be worn for the Dec. 5 game only and then will be sold at auction.  A portion of the proceeds from the auction and the evening's ticket sales will benefit the “V Foundation”, in support of Dick Vitale's long-time friend and colleague, Jim Valvano, who lost his battle with cancer in 1993. The V Foundation has awarded more than $90 million to more than 100 facilities nationwide and proudly awards 100 percent of direct donations and net event proceeds to cancer research.