SPORTS ON WEEKEND TV : It’s Not All Basketball

The NCAA basketball tournament begins its first of three weekends of dominance over sports television, but there is also a key hockey game and spring-training baseball for viewers seeking either an alternative or respite from hoops.

Today’s tournament coverage begins at 9:15 a.m. with an Eastern Regional second-round game between Richmond and Temple on Channels 2 and 8. Action continues with Brigham Young vs. Arizona at 11:20 a.m., Iowa vs. Duke at 1:30 p.m. and Florida State vs. Indiana at 4:10 p.m. Second-round games will also air Sunday at 9:10 and 11:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. (2)(8). CBS will also switch to other games throughout the nation on both days.

Hockey: The Kings and Calgary Flames, tied atop the Smythe Division, skate at 5 p.m. on Prime Ticket from the Olympic Saddledome. Ominous stat for Kings fans: The Flames are 17-0-1 at home since a 6-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers Dec. 22.

Baseball: Both the Dodgers and Angels can be seen in interleague exhibition games Sunday. The Dodgers face the Milwaukee Brewers at 12:25 p.m. on KTTV Channel 11 in their first appearance in Mexico since 1964. Vin Scully reports from Monterrey, with Fernando Valenzuela making his first start in his native country since he pitched there after his 1981 rookie season.

The Angels take on the Chicago Cubs at noon on WGN. Sunday’s other games match the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets (10 a.m., WWOR) and the Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants (noon, ESPN). The Mets and Toronto Blue Jays play at 10 a.m. today on WWOR.

Other Sports: Although overshadowed by its collegiate counterpart for this and the next two weekends, professional basketball will still be represented on television. The Lakers play host to the San Antonio Spurs for a 7:30 p.m. Prime Ticket telecast Sunday while the Clippers challenge the Pacific Division-leading Portland Trail Blazers at 5 p.m. on KTLA Channel 5. Sunday’s NBC (Channels 4, 36 and 39) game features the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers at 9 a.m. In the obligatory world championship fight of the weekend, Michael Carbajal defends his IBF light-flyweight title against Hector Luis Patri at 6 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.

Here are other weekend events:

TODAY

Auto Racing: IMSA GTP 12 Hours of Sebring, Race Start, 7 a.m., Update, 1 p.m., Finish, 7 p.m., ESPN; CART Gold Coast Indy-Car Race, 9 p.m. ESPN.

College Baseball: Mississippi State at LSU, 10 a.m. SportsChannel; Loyola Marymount at Pepperdine, 10 p.m. Prime Ticket.

Tennis: Lipton International Players Championship, early-round coverage, 11 a.m. ESPN.

SportsWorld: World Figure Skating Championships, free dance, pairs’ short program and ladies’ short program, 11:30 a.m. (4)(36)(39).

Soccer: U.S. National Team vs. Canada, 1 p.m. SportsChannel.

Golf: Nestle Invitational, Third Round, 1:30 p.m. (4)(36)(39).

Horse Racing: Remington Park Derby, 2 p.m. ESPN; Santa Anita Replays, 7:30 p.m. (18), 10 p.m. SportsChannel.

Bowling: Leisure Long Island Open, 3 p.m. (7)(3)(42), 2 p.m. (10).

Skiing: World Cup Women’s Downhill, 3 p.m. ESPN.

Wide World of Sports: Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race; Jeep Superstars; Florida Derby, 4:30 p.m. (7)(3)(42), 3:30 p.m. (10).

Hockey: Blackhawks at Blues, 5:30 p.m. SportsChannel.

Professional Basketball: Hawks at Suns, 6:30 p.m. TBS.

Figure Skating: World Championships, dance final, 8 p.m. (4)(36)(39).

U.S. Olympic Gold: World Masters Wrestling, 8:50 p.m. TBS.

SUNDAY

Tennis: Lipton International Players Championship, early-round coverage, 10 a.m. ESPN.

SportsWorld: World Figure Skating Championships, pairs’ final, 11:30 a.m. (4)(36)(39).

Auto Racing: NASCAR Motorcraft Quality Parts 500, noon (7)(3)(10)(42); International Race of Champions, race No. 1, 4 p.m. (3)(10)(42).

Golf: Nestle Invitational, final round, 12:30 p.m. (4)(36)(39).

Indoor Soccer: Cleveland Crunch at Dallas Sidekicks, 1 p.m. SportsChannel.

Skiing: World Cup Women’s Giant Slalom, 3 p.m. ESPN.

Hockey: Blues at Blackhawks, 5:30 p.m. SportsChannel.

Figure Skating: World Championships, ladies’ final, 7 p.m. (4)(36)(39).

Boxing: St. Patrick’s Day Donnybrook, 11:30 p.m. Prime Ticket.