Verne Lundquist, 77, steps away from calling NCAA tournament games

AP

Show Caption Hide Caption How Verne Lundquist decided it was time to retire When CBS broadcaster Verne Lundquist found out he’d receive a Sports Emmy Lifetime Achievement in February, he felt it would be time to walk away.

NEW YORK (AP) — Veteran play-by-play announcer Verne Lundquist will not be calling NCAA tournament basketball games this year.

CBS and Turner Sports announced the commentator teams Monday for the men's basketball tournament, which starts next week. Jim Nantz, Bill Raftery and Grant Hill will continue to announce the Final Four and championship game. Those games, along with the tournament selection show on Sunday, will be televised on TBS.

Lundquist, 77, has been calling tournament games for CBS since 1998. He stopped calling the Southeastern Conference football game of the week on CBS after the 2016 season, but still did the NCAA tournament and Masters golf in 2017.

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CBS spokeswoman Jennifer Sabatelle said Lundquist had back surgery last fall and decided to step away from doing this year's tournament.