Two basketball icons added to March Madness coverage

Two of basketball’s most recognizable voices will share the microphone during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament’s opening week.

Hall of Fame broadcasters Dick Vitale and Charles Barkley are set to team up for a First Four broadcast Tuesday night in Dayton, creating a rare crossover between two of the sport’s most iconic personalities.

The pairing reunites Vitale and Barkley after they previously worked together earlier this season during ESPN’s coverage of Indiana’s matchup against Kentucky on Dec. 13. Their return to the booth during March Madness promises to deliver a mix of humor and unfiltered commentary.

Vitale, a member of both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, has been linked to college basketball since joining ESPN during its launch year in 1979.

Over the past 46 years, he has called more than 1,000 games while becoming known for his passionate delivery, storytelling, signature catchphrases and expertise that helped define the college basketball viewing experience.

More: Big 12 scraps LED glass floor for remainder of the tournament

Barkley brings a different style to the broadcast but one that is equally recognizable. The NBA Hall of Famer has spent more than two decades as a central voice on TNT’s “Inside the NBA,” earning widespread acclaim for his candid analysis and willingness to speak his mind.

SN AWARDS: All-America team | Boozer Player of the Year | Lloyd Coach of the Year

The duo will create an entertaining telecast. Vitale’s enthusiastic style and decades of college basketball experience paired with Barkley’s insight and comedy should provide fans with a memorable broadcast as the NCAA Tournament tips off in Dayton. 

More college basketball news:

• Darryn Peterson situation not alarming to NBA teams, ESPN insider says
• AJ Dybantsa makes college basketball history never done by NBA stars
• John Calipari says college athletics is broken — Here’s his plan to fix it
• Mike Krzyzewski fights against NCAA Tournament expansion
• Where Arkansas Darius Acuff Jr. ranks among John Calipari's best NBA guards