By John Nestor

The NBA appears to be ready to end the lockout and is targeting a Christmas Day return, but that's still a month away and college basketball programs around the country have been and will continue to take advantage of the absence of professional basketball.

Whether it be moving games to larger, professional venues or having games broadcast in windows that used to be filled by the NBA, college hoops programs are getting creative in filling the void left by the NBA lockout.

Georgia Tech is one program making the most of the NBA lockout, moving 10 of its games off campus to Philips Arena, the home of the Atlanta Hawks.

"It makes sense for us to attempt to fill that void," Georgia Tech associate athletics director Wayne Hogan told USA Today. We feel the temporary move downtown combined with the NBA lockout gives us an opportunity to cultivate an expanded fan base."

While Georgia Tech is looking to win over fans by moving some games, American University, a mid-major program from Washington D.C., is having a six-game package of its games broadcast on Comcast Sports Network, which is usually the home of the Washington Wizards.

American is getting Wizards broadcasters Steven Buckhantz and Phil Chenier, along with Washington Post columnist John Feinstein, to serve as announcers.

"It makes our fans, our basketball coach and our university very excited," American AD Keith Gill told USA Today. "Being able to get top-flight broadcasters reflects our commitment to being the best."

 

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College Hoops Teams Capitalize on NBA Void