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cheering for the underdog


NCAA final could do well if Butler can hold off Duke

Apr 5, 2010
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Despite the presence of the always-popular North Carolina Tar Heels, last year marked the lowest-rated NCAA men's basketball tournament final ever.

The game turned into a blowout just a few minutes after the opening tipoff, and people drifted away as UNC's lead grew.

This year, with Butler and Duke poised to square off for the title tonight at 9 p.m., CBS is hoping that ratings will revive compared to last year.

They could be decent. Duke has a large fan-base, and defensive-minded Butler's a surprise participant after entering the tourney as a fifth seed, which could draw in curious viewers.

But a big-name team doesn't guarantee big ratings. The 2009 game with UNC averaged a 10.6 household rating, according to Nielsen, down 12 percent from a 12.0 the previous year, when Kansas beat Memphis.

Last year's game also posted the lowest-ever rating among men 18-49, averaging a 7.9. That was off 0.4 from the previous low, set in 2004.

Whether this year's game will rebound will depend partly on the quality of the game. If it's another blowout, viewers will flip away quickly.

But it also may depend on who has control of the remote at 9 p.m., when ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" airs opposite the game. "Stars" skews very heavily female, while the game will skew male.



A look at this week’s top TV draws

MONDAY, APRIL 5

Time

Network

Program

Description

8 p.m.

ABC

“Dancing with the Stars” (R)

With Shannen gone, the remaining 10 couples perform.

8 p.m.

Fox

“24” (D)

In this two-hour episode, President Taylor suffers a setback.

9 p.m.

CBS

“College Basketball” (S)

Final game of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

9 p.m.

National Geographic Channel

“Aftermath” (N)

A look at what would happen if the Earth stopped spinning.

10 p.m.

ABC

“Castle” (D)

Castle thinks he may become a victim of a mummy’s curse.

10 p.m.

FX

“Damages” (D)

Patty has to make a deal with the DA when her star witness is arrested.

10 p.m.

Bravo

“Christian Siriano: Having a Moment” (N)

Profiling the former “Project Runway” winner.

TUESDAY, APRIL 6

Time

Network

Program

Description

7 a.m.

NBC

“Today” (N)

Carol Burnett and Mario Batali both guest.

8 p.m.

ABC

“Dancing with the Stars” (R)

Another couple will be bounced in this week’s results episode.

8 p.m.

Fox

“American Idol” (R)

The top nine singers perform.

8 p.m.

NBC

“The Biggest Loser” (R)

The first player to lose 2 percent of his or her body weight gets immunity.

8 p.m.

CBS

“NCIS” (D)

The crew enlists the help of a madam in Washington, D.C., after a Navy officer dies.

8:30 p.m.

ESPN

“Women’s College Basketball” (S)

Championship game of the women’s NCAA basketball tournament in San Antonio.

9 p.m.

ABC

“Lost” (D)

Desmond wakes up and realizes he’s on the island.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7

Time

Network

Program

Description

7 a.m.

NBC

“Today” (N)

Today Tina Fey and Steve Carell are among the guests.

8 p.m.

CW

America’s Next Top Model” (R)

The models take part in a photo shoot with a comedian.

9 p.m.

CBS

“Criminal Minds” (D)

Homeless men in San Francisco are being killed.

9 p.m.

Fox

“American Idol” (R)

The field will be cut to eight after tonight’s results show.

10 p.m.

CBS

“CSI: NY” (D)

A potential witness in a murder case is murdered herself.

10 p.m.

MTV

“Real World/Road Rules Challenge” (R)

The second edition of “Fresh Meat” begins in Vancouver.

10 p.m.

TBS

“Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (C)

Calvin and Miranda deal with a possible pregnancy.

THURSDAY, APRIL 8

Time

Network

Program

Description

4 p.m.

ESPN

“Golf” (S)

Tiger Woods makes his return to golf in round one of The Masters.

8 p.m.

Fox

“Bones” (D)

Brennan and Booth remember their first case together.

8 p.m.

CW

“The Vampire Diaries” (D)

Stefan and Damon have a new enemy on their hands.

10 p.m.

CBS

“The Mentalist” (D)

Returns to its regular timeslot after swapping with “CSI” last week.

10 p.m.

Lifetime

“Project Runway” (R)

The designers make circus-inspired looks, and the Fashion Week finalists are selected.

10:30 p.m.

TNT

“NBA Basketball” (S)

Western Conference battle between the Lakers and Nuggets.

FRIDAY, APRIL 9

Time

Network

Program

Description

4 p.m.

ESPN

“Golf” (S)

Second-round coverage of The Masters.

8 p.m.

CBS

“Ghost Whisperer” (D)

Melinda is haunted by a ghost who dresses as a clown.

8 p.m.

CW

“Smallville” (D)

Tess kidnaps Green Arrow, but he escapes without revealing his identity.

9 p.m.

ABC

“Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” (R)

Jamie tries to teach 1,000 people to cook in one week.

9 p.m.

CBS

“Medium” (D)

Allison becomes friends with a girl who shows up in her dreams.

10 p.m.

Syfy

“Merlin” (D)

Arthur tries to win a jousting tournament.

SATURDAY, APRIL 10

Time

Network

Program

Description

3 p.m.

Fox

“Major League Baseball” (S)

Fox kicks off its weekly regional coverage.

3:30 p.m.

CBS

“Golf” (S)

Third-round coverage of The Masters. Did Tiger make the cut?

7 p.m.

Fox

“NASCAR Racing” (S)

The Subway Fresh Fit 500 from Phoenix.

7 p.m.

ESPN

“College Hockey” (S)

Title game of the men’s NCAA tournament in Detroit.

9 p.m.

Lifetime

“Patricia Cornwell’s At Risk” (M)

A detective investigates an old murder case in Tennessee.

10 p.m.

CBS

“48 Hours Mystery” (N)

The case of a single mother who was stabbed to death in 2005.

SUNDAY, APRIL 11

Time

Network

Program

Description

1 p.m.

ABC

“NBA Basketball” (S)

Eastern Conference finals preview? The Magic take on the Cavs.

2 p.m.

CBS

“Golf” (S)

Final-round coverage of The Masters, which was won by Angel Cabrera last year.

8 p.m.

Fox

“The Simpsons” (C)

Smithers takes over the power plant after Mr. Burns goes to jail.

8 p.m.

Disney Channel

“Sonny with a Chance” (C)

A pop singer steals a song that Sonny wrote.

9 p.m.

ABC

“Brothers & Sisters” (D)

Two-hour episode features flashbacks to 1986.

10 p.m.

E!

“Kendra” (R)

Holly and Bridget help Hank and Kendra move from Indianapolis to Los Angeles.

A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.


***
 
 
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Louisa Ada Seltzer is a staff writer for Media Life.




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