The Week In Television

DECEMBER 27-JANUARY 9

FRIDAY 12/27
HBO 8 PM
On the Record with Bob Costas
The Round Mound of roundtables, Charles Barkley , joins Costas , Howie Long and Tim McCarver for a colloquy on the year in sports.

SATURDAY 12/28
ESPN NOON
Kentucky at Louisville
It's hoops, but call it the Rick Pitino Bowl. Louisville hosts the Wildcats (whom Pitino coached from 1989 to '97) for the first time since he took the Cardinals job last year.

WEDNESDAY 1/1
NBC 4 PM
Brian Boitano 's Skating Spectacular
Skate into 2003 with South Park's favorite athlete. Olympic medalists Kristi Yamaguchi and Nancy Kerrigan and pop star Jessica Simpson will also perform.

THURSDAY 1/2
TNT 7:30 PM
Wizards at Bulls
The first of Michael Jordan 's two trips this season to his old dunking grounds.

FRIDAY 1/3
ABC 8 PM
Orange Bowl: No. 5 Iowa versus No. 4 USC
Who says this isn't No. I versus No. 2? Trojans quarterback and Heisman winner Carson Palmer battles Hawkeyes signal-caller Brad Banks , the Heisman runner-up.

SATURDAY 1/4
CBS 2 PM
Tennessee at Connecticut
The annual must-see game in women's basketball. The Lady Vols want to avenge their 79-56 loss to the Huskies in last year's national semifinals.

DON'T MISS
FRIDAY 1/3
ABC 8:30 PM
Fiesta Bowl : No. 2 Ohio State versus No. 1 Miami
If the favored Hurricanes beat the Buckeyes and quarterback Craig Krenzel (right) they'll run their win streak to 35 games and become the first team since the 1994-95 Nebraska Cornhuskers to win back-to-back titles.