| | College basketball analyst
Bill Raftery is one of basketball's most insightful and colorful television analysts -- college or pro. The former Seton Hall coach has been with ESPN since co-hosting NCAA Tonight during the 1980 NCAA Championship (just six months after the network's launch), and began his game analyst duties with the 1982 season.
He currently calls the Big East game on Big Monday, and handles a multitude of other game assignments, including the Maui Invitational, annually.
In addition to his ESPN work, Raftery has been with CBS since 1983, calling college and NBA games (including the NCAA Championship and NBA Playoffs) and serving as a studio analyst. Since 1988, he's also called New Jersey Nets' games for SportsChannel New York, and has been involved with the Big East Television Network. He was with NBC for its men's college basketball coverage during the 1982 season.
Off the court, Raftery serves as a special consultant for college athletics and corporate relations with the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, N.J. He's also part-owner of "Doyle & Raftery," a popular restaurant in Jersey City, N.J.
As head coach at Seton Hall for 11 seasons (1971-81), Raftery posted a 154-141 record, leading the Pirates to the NIT in 1973 and 1977. In 1979, Raftery was named Coach of the Year by the New Jersey Basketball Writer's Association for leading SHU to a 16-11 mark. He previously coached at Fairleigh Dickinson for five seasons.
Born March 19, 1942, Raftery is a 1963 graduate of LaSalle University with a BA in history -- he also was a LaSalle basketball standout for three seasons (1961-63) under legendary coach Donald "Dudley" Moore. Raftery also holds an MA in education from Seton Hall.
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