Mired in a storm of semi-controversy, the Connecticut Huskies attracted a solid audience for their trip to the Final Four.
Connecticut’s win over Missouri drew a 6.2/14 overnight rating on CBS Saturday afternoon, up 15% from a 5.4/11 for last year’s comparable UCLA/Xavier tilt, which aired in a later timeslot. The 15% increase made Connecticut/Missouri the only Elite Eight telecast to see a double-digit increase in ratings.
Compared to previous years, the 6.2 overnight matches the average rating for the early Saturday Elite Eight game dating back to 1999.
Overnight ratings for early Saturday Elite Eight telecast since ’99.
| Year | Date | Time | Game | Net | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Sat., 3/28/09 | 4:30 PM | Connecticut/Missouri | CBS | |
| 2008 | Sat., 3/29/08 | 6:30 PM | UCLA/Xavier | CBS | |
| 2007 | Sat., 3/24/07 | 4:30 PM | Ohio State/Memphis | CBS | |
| 2006 | Sat., 3/25/06 | 4:30 PM | LSU/Texas | CBS | |
| 2005 | Sat., 3/26/05 | 4:30 PM | West Virginia/Louisville | CBS | |
| 2004 | Sat., 3/27/04 | 4:30 PM | Connecticut/Alabama | CBS | |
| 2003 | Sat., 3/29/03 | 4:45 PM | Kentucky/Marquette | CBS | |
| 2002 | Sat., 3/23/02 | 4:30 PM | Oklahoma/Missouri | CBS | |
| 2001 | Sat., 3/24/01 | 4:30 PM | Maryland/Stanford | CBS | |
| 2000 | Sat., 3/25/00 | 4:30 PM | Purdue/Wisconsin | CBS | |
| 1999 | Sat., 3/21/99 | 3:30 PM | Gonzaga/Connecticut | CBS |
