By Tim Glon

Ohio Northern University has partnered with NKTelco, Inc., to televise and web stream live 18 men's and women's basketball games during the 2013-14 season.  The games will be broadcast live on NKTelco, Inc, Channel 3 and WOSN in Lima.

All 11 of ONU's men's home games and seven women's home games will be broadcast live on NKTelco and will be web streamed on NKTelco.net  and ONUSports.com.

"Televising a majority of our men's and women's basketball games is a huge step forward for our programs," ONU director of athletics Tom Simmons said. "This will provide additional exposure for our student-athletes and will be a great way to share their many talents with our region and the extended audience who pick up the live web stream. This is an exciting time and we are grateful for our partnership with NKTelco."

As the premier Telephone, Internet, and Cable TV provider for Auglaize, Mercer and Shelby counties, NKTelco saw the significance high school sports had on their communities and the role they play. NKTelco Sports originated in 1994 when NKTelco, Inc., saw there was a need to add exposure to the local high school sports programs.

NKTelco Sports has been filming High School sports since 1994, and collegiate games since 2010. During that period, NKTelco Sports further committed themselves by purchasing additional high definition cameras, and investing in a mobile Media Center van. The NKTelco Sports team will include three camera men, two seasoned announcers, and two van producers that will direct the event from their media van.

The men's basketball home schedule tips off Nov. 30 against Bethany (W.Va.) at 3 pm at the ONU Sports Center.

The women's broadcast schedule will begin with a women's/men's double header against Muskingum on Dec. 14.

Other women's games scheduled to be broadcast are Heidelberg on Jan. 15, Capital on Jan. 18, Baldwin Wallace on Jan. 29, Marietta on Feb. 1, Mount Union on Feb. 15 and Wilmington on Feb. 19.

The ONU women will begin its 2013-14 schedule under 13th-year head coach Michele Durand on Nov. 15-16 at the Manchester (Ind.) Tip-Off Tournament, while the Polar Bear men will begin its schedule under second-year head coach Kevin Byrne Nov. 22-23 at the Buffalo State (N.Y.) Classic.

NKTelco Sports' major goal is to keep the local communities connected with their teams and family members participating in the sport. They are excited to be filming ONU's home games and eager to share the content with the viewers.