College Hoops Viewing Guide For March 1, 2017

This list of games is not exhaustive by design. For a full schedule and more specific information about coverage—particularly for ACC RSN, ASN, CSN, and FSN games—visit Matt’s College Sports on TV Website.

If you’re only able to listen today, check out TuneIn’s college basketball lineup.

All times are Eastern, adjust accordingly.

Overview

in order of bracket importance

6:30-7:30 p.m. Tips

Michigan at Northwestern, 7 p.m. (BTN)
Arkansas at Florida, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Rhode Island at Saint Joseph’s, 7 p.m. (ASN)
America East Quarterfinals, 7 p.m. (ESPN3)
NEC Quarterfinals 1, 2, and 3, 7 p.m. (NEC Front Row)
Auburn at Georgia, 6:30 p.m. (SECN)
Tennessee at LSU, 7 p.m. (SECN Alternate)
UConn at East Carolina, 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
Richmond at UMass, 7 p.m. (Atlantic10.com)
George Washington at Fordham, 7 p.m. (Atlantic10.com)
OVC First Round, 7:30 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)

8-8:30 p.m. Tips

VCU at Dayton, 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
N.C. State at Clemson, 8 p.m. (ACC Network (Regional)/ESPN3)
Ole Miss at Alabama, 8:30 p.m. (SECN)
Boston College at Notre Dame, 8 p.m. (ACC Network (Regional)/ESPN3)
La Salle at Saint Louis, 8 p.m. (FS Midwest/FCS Central)

9 p.m. Tips

Marquette at Xavier, 9 p.m. (FS1)
Michigan State at Illinois, 9 p.m. (BTN)
Louisville at Wake Forest, 9 p.m. (ACC RSNs/ESPN3)
Kansas State at TCU, 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
Texas at Texas Tech, 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
NEC Quarterfinal 4, 9 p.m. (MSG+/FCS Atlantic/NEC Front Row)

10 p.m. and Later Tips

Washington State at USC, 10 p.m. (Pac-12)
Nevada at San José State, 10 p.m. (MWN)
UC Irvine at UC Riverside, 10 p.m. (ESPN3)
Washington at UCLA, 11 p.m. (FS1)
OVC First Round, approx. 10 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)

ACC

N.C. State Wolfpack (15-15, 4-13) at Clemson Tigers (14-14, 4-12), 8 p.m. (ACC Network (Regional)/ESPN3)
Boston College Eagles (9-20, 2-14) at No. 19 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (22-7, 11-5), 8 p.m. (ACC Network (Regional)/ESPN3)
No. 8 Louisville Cardinals (23-6, 11-5) at Wake Forest Demon Deacons (16-12, 7-9), 9 p.m. (ACC RSNs/ESPN3)

Both Notre Dame and Louisville are playing for byes to the ACC quarterfinals, while Wake and Clemson need victories for their slender at-large hopes. With 14 being the highest loss total for an at-large bid, the Tigers are in particular danger.

American Athletic

UConn Huskies (14-14, 9-7) at East Carolina Pirates (13-16, 5-11), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)

With a visit from Cincinnati looming on Sunday, the Huskies need to complete a season sweep of the Pirates to stay in position to earn a quarterfinal bye in the AAC Tournament, which will be in Hartford.

Atlantic 10

Rhode Island Rams (19-9, 11-5) at Saint Joseph’s Hawks (10-18, 3-13), 7 p.m. (ASN)
Richmond Spiders (17-11, 11-5) at UMass Minutemen (14-15, 4-12), 7 p.m. (Atlantic10.com)
George Washington Colonials (16-13, 8-8) at Fordham Rams (13-16, 7-9), 7 p.m. (Atlantic10.com)
VCU Rams (23-6, 13-3) at Dayton Flyers (23-5, 14-2), 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
La Salle Explorers (14-13, 8-8) at Saint Louis Billikens (10-19, 5-11), 8 p.m. (FS Midwest/FCS Central)

While URI needs to win at Hagan Arena to stay in my projected field, the game of the night is at UD Arena. VCU can lock up the top seed in Pittsburgh by completing a season sweep of the Flyers, but Dayton can clinch the outright league crown by earning a split.

Big 12

Texas Longhorns (10-19, 4-12) at Texas Tech Red Raiders (17-12, 5-11), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
Kansas State Wildcats (17-12, 6-10) at TCU Horned Frogs (17-12, 6-10), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)

The Horned Frogs defeated the Wildcats by six in Manhattan, and a repeat of that performance would burst K-State’s bubble hopes while preserving TCU’s. Plus, the loser of tonight’s game in Fort Worth looks likely to join Texas Tech, Texas, and Oklahoma in next Wednesday’s Big 12 Opening Round.

Big East

Marquette Golden Eagles (17-11, 8-8) at Xavier Musketeers (18-11, 8-8), 9 p.m. (FS1)

If the Musketeers are swept by the Golden Eagles, their skid will sit at six games heading into Saturday’s regular season finale at DePaul. Marquette defeated Xavier by 22 in Milwaukee on February 18th.

Big Ten

Michigan Wolverines (19-10, 9-7) at Northwestern Wildcats (20-9, 9-7), 7 p.m. (BTN)
Michigan State Spartans (18-11, 10-6) at Illinois Fighting Illini (17-12, 7-9), 9 p.m. (BTN)

How big is this one for Northwestern? When I checked StubHub last night, the cheapest single ticket was going for $180 with fees included. That’s to be expected when a win over the Wolverines would push the Wildcats closer to lock status. But given how well Michigan has been playing of late, it could be a rough night for the hosts. Later, Illinois can keep itself in the hunt by topping Michigan State in Champaign, but the Spartans are looking to pick up their third straight win with a trip to Maryland looming on Saturday.

Pac-12

Washington State Cougars (13-15, 6-10) at USC Trojans (21-8, 8-8), 10 p.m. (Pac-12 National/Washington/LA)
Washington Huskies (9-19, 2-14) at No. 3 UCLA Bruins (26-3, 13-3), 11 p.m. (FS1)

The Trojans are careening toward the cut line, thanks to four straight defeats, while the Bruins must win to keep their slender Pac-12 title hopes alive. Remember that both Oregon and Arizona only play their in-state rivals this week, even though both games will be road trips for the favorites.

SEC

Auburn Tigers (17-12, 6-10) at Georgia Bulldogs (17-12, 8-8), 6:30 p.m. (SECN)
Arkansas Razorbacks (22-7, 11-5) at No. 12 Florida Gators (23-6, 13-3), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
Tennessee Volunteers (15-14, 7-9) at LSU Tigers (9-19, 1-15), 7 p.m. (SECN Alternate)
Ole Miss Rebels (18-11, 9-7) at Alabama Crimson Tide (16-12, 9-7), 8:30 p.m. (SECN)

The Razorbacks can virtually sew up a bid with a victory in Gainesville, but the Gators will earn the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament if they defeat the Hogs for a second time. Georgia, Ole Miss, and Alabama all need wins to keep their faint hopes alive. The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers in their league opener back on December 29th, while the Rebels and Tide haven’t met yet.

Elsewhere

UC Irvine Anteaters (17-13, 10-4 Big West) at UC Riverside Highlanders (8-19, 5-10), 10 p.m. (ESPN3)
Nevada Wolf Pack (21-9, 13-4 MW) at San José State Spartans (14-13, 7-9), 10 p.m. (MWN)

With a win over the Highlanders, the Anteaters can put themselves in position to claim the conference crown with a home victory over UC Davis on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Wolf Pack must hand an improved SJSU squad a defeat to set up a showdown with Colorado State for the Mountain West regular season crown in Fort Collins, also on Saturday.

America East Quarterfinals

ESPN3 will stream all four games.

Game 1: No. 8 Maine Black Bears (7-24, 3-13) at No. 1 Vermont Catamounts (26-5, 16-0), 7 p.m.
The Catamounts swept the season series.
Game 2: No. 7 Binghamton Bearcats (12-19, 3-13) at No. 2 Stony Brook Seawolves (17-12, 12-4), 7 p.m.
The pair split the season series with each winning at home.
Game 3: No. 6 Hartford Hawks (9-22, 4-12) at No. 3 Albany Great Danes (19-12, 10-6), 7:30 p.m.
The Great Danes swept the season series.
Game 4: No. 5 UMBC Retrievers (18-11, 9-7) at No. 4 New Hampshire Wildcats (19-11, 10-6), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.

Curiously, two of the four quarterfinals in the “America East Playoffs” are rematches from Saturday. Albany routed Hartford by 18, also at home, while UNH took down UMBC in Durham, but they needed two OTs to do so.

NEC Quarterfinals

NEC Front Row will stream all four games.

Game 3: No. 6 Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (11-18, 9-9) at No. 3 Wagner Seahawks (15-13, 11-7), 7 p.m. (Also on NEC TV/MSG+/FCS Atlantic)
The pair split their season series with each winning on the road.
Game 1: No. 8 Sacred Heart Pioneers (13-18, 8-10) at No. 1 Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (16-15, 14-4), 7 p.m.
The Mountaineers swept the season series.
Game 4: No. 5 Bryant Bulldogs (12-19, 9-9) at No. 4 St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash (14-15, 11-7), 7 p.m.
The pair split their season series with each winning at home.
Game 2: No. 7 Robert Morris Colonials (13-18, 9-9) at No. 2 LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds (20-11, 13-5), 9 p.m. (Also on NEC TV/MSG+/FCS Atlantic)
The pair split their season series with each winning on the road.

Only the top eight NEC teams qualify for the league tournament, so St. Francis-Brooklyn and Central Connecticut State saw their seasons come to an end on Saturday. The champion of this league is likely to be one of the four 16 seeds shipped to Dayton for the First Four in two weeks’ time. Given some of the results above, don’t expect chalk.

OVC First Round

OVC Digital Network will stream both games.

Game 1: No. 8 Tennessee State Tigers (17-12, 8-8) vs. No. 5 Southeast Missouri Redhawks (14-17, 9-7), 7:30 p.m.
The Tigers defeated the Redhawks 65-62 on January 5th in Nashville.
Game 2: No. 7 Murray State Racers (14-16, 8-8) vs. No. 6 Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (12-19, 8-8), approx. 10 p.m.
The Golden Eagles defeated the Racers 71-67 on January 7th in Cookeville, Tenn.

The OVC Tournament, held at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, uses a stepladder format, so tonight’s winners will need to win four games to seize the auto bid, while the top two seeds just need to sweep through Friday and Saturday. Sound difficult? Remember that Austin Peay completed the feat just one year ago. (The Governors failed to qualify this season.) Tonight’s winners meet the three and four seeds in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Keep an eye on Tennessee State, which beat Middle Tennessee in Murfreesboro.

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