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NET Viewing Guide For Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Tonight’s college hoops slate features plenty of quality matchups with five all-Group 1 showdowns and a top of the table SEC clash that somehow features a top five team visiting one outside of the top 100. For a more traditional look at the schedule, visit MattSarzSports.com.

NCAA Basketball: Auburn at South Carolina
South Carolina gets Tennessee in Columbia three days after picking up a bad loss at Oklahoma State.
Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

Reminders of the different groupings:

  • Group 1 (home games): Visitor is ranked 1-30
  • Group 1 (away games): Host is ranked 1-75
  • Group 2 (home games): Visitor is ranked 31-75
  • Group 2 (away games): Host is ranked 76-135
  • Group 3 (home games): Visitor is ranked 76-160
  • Group 3 (away games): Host is ranked 136-240
  • Group 4 (home games): Visitor is ranked 161-353
  • Group 4 (away games): Host is ranked 241-353

All NET numbers are from the NCAA’s website and reflect games played through Monday, January 28. Records reflect games played through Monday, January 28. All times are Eastern.

Top 30 at Top 75

Group 1 for both the host and visitor

No. 17 Kansas Jayhawks (16-4, 5-2) at No. 44 Texas Longhorns (11-9, 3-4), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers (18-1, 6-1) at No. 27 North Carolina State Wolfpack (16-4, 4-3), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers (14-6, 6-3) at No. 24 Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-7, 3-6), 8 p.m. (BTN)
No. 26 Mississippi State Bulldogs (15-4, 3-3) at No. 43 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-7, 3-3), 8:30 p.m. (SECN)
No. 37 Ohio State Buckeyes (13-6, 3-5) at No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (19-1, 8-1), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)

The first four games on this list are pretty much must-wins for the hosts. Note that Texas, which is aiming to avoid a 10th loss, only lost in Lawrence by 2 on January 14th. These matchups are the only times N.C. State and Nebraska will face their opponents for tonight, so they definitely need to take advantage. Alabama, meanwhile, travels to Starkville on February 12th.

Ohio State is the only member of this group facing a road test. The Buckeyes’ Saturday win in Lincoln snapped a five-game skid. As for Michigan, they hammered Indiana on Friday, by a 23-point margin that would have been larger had the Wolverines’ offense been a little more efficient.

Amazingly, even with the expanded Big Ten schedule, this will be the only time Michigan and Ohio State meet in the regular season.

31-75 at Top 75

Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 2 for the host

No. 56 Northwestern Wildcats (12-8, 3-6) at No. 22 Maryland Terrapins (16-5, 7-3), 7 p.m. (FS1)
No. 40 Lipscomb Bisons (16-4, 7-0) at No. 46 Liberty Flames (18-4, 7-0), 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
No. 62 Pittsburgh Panthers (12-8, 2-5) at No. 59 Clemson Tigers (11-8, 1-5), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)

With Maryland hosting a mediocre Northwestern outfit and Pitt and Clemson featuring a pair of teams fading out of the picture, the battle of the ASUN’s co-leaders is the most intriguing matchup here. With higher seeds hosting the ASUN’s conference tournament, the winner takes control of the race for the auto bid.

Top 30 at 76-135

Group 1 for the host only; Group 2 for the visitor

No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers (18-1, 6-0) at No. 111 South Carolina Gamecocks (10-9, 5-1), 6:30 p.m. (SECN)
No. 9 North Carolina Tar Heels (15-4, 5-1) at No. 91 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-9, 3-4), 7 p.m. (ACC RSNs/ESPN3)
No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats (16-3, 5-1) at No. 94 Vanderbilt Commodores (9-10, 0-6), 9 p.m. (ESPN)

While UNC and UK should take care of business relatively easily in their road games, the task for Tennessee is a bit more difficult. While South Carolina lost its Big 12 Challenge matchup at Oklahoma State on Saturday, the Gamecocks are back in Columbia tonight. They’re 4-0 in home SEC contests this season, defeating both Auburn and Mississippi State in tight affairs.

76-160 at Top 75

Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 3 for the host

No. 87 Georgia Bulldogs (10-9, 1-5) at No. 69 Arkansas Razorbacks (11-8, 2-4), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
No. 95 Ball State Cardinals (11-9, 2-5) at No. 20 Buffalo Bulls (18-2, 6-1), 7 p.m. (ESPN3)

The Razorbacks have slipped down the bubble pecking order, thanks to a 1-5 mark in their last six. A home defeat to Georgia would knock them further from the cut line. As for Buffalo, failure to take care of struggling Ball State tonight could lead to their still-solid position taking a bit of a hit.

Top 30 at 136-240

Group 1 for the host only; Group 3 for the visitor

No. 18 Nevada Wolf Pack (19-1, 6-1) at No. 154 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (11-8, 5-2), 11 p.m. (ESPN2)

The Wolf Pack have won four of their last five meetings with their in-state rival, with the lone loss coming in Reno last season.

161-353 at 76-135

Group 2 for the visitor only; Group 4 for the host

No. 172 Saint Joseph’s Hawks (9-11, 2-5) at No. 96 Dayton Flyers (13-7, 5-2), 8 p.m. (CBSSN)

The Flyers’ desperately need to defeat the Hawks to both remain in the top 100 and in the at-large race.

Chronological Schedule

Grouped by quality in each tip window.

Early Evening Tips

2/1 No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers (18-1, 6-0) at No. 111 South Carolina Gamecocks (10-9, 5-1), 6:30 p.m. (SECN)
1/1 No. 17 Kansas Jayhawks (16-4, 5-2) at No. 44 Texas Longhorns (11-9, 3-4), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
1/1 No. 1 Virginia Cavaliers (18-1, 6-1) at No. 27 North Carolina State Wolfpack (16-4, 4-3), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
1/2 No. 56 Northwestern Wildcats (12-8, 3-6) at No. 22 Maryland Terrapins (16-5, 7-3), 7 p.m. (FS1)
1/3 No. 87 Georgia Bulldogs (10-9, 1-5) at No. 69 Arkansas Razorbacks (11-8, 2-4), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
2/1 No. 9 North Carolina Tar Heels (15-4, 5-1) at No. 91 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-9, 3-4), 7 p.m. (ACC RSNs/ESPN3)
1/3 No. 95 Ball State Cardinals (11-9, 2-5) at No. 20 Buffalo Bulls (18-2, 6-1), 7 p.m. (ESPN3)
1/2 No. 40 Lipscomb Bison (16-4, 7-0) at No. 46 Liberty Flames (18-4, 7-0), 7 p.m. (ESPN+)

Late Evening Tips

1/1 No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers (14-6, 6-3) at No. 24 Nebraska Cornhuskers (13-7, 3-6), 8 p.m. (BTN)
2/4 No. 172 Saint Josephs Hawks (9-11, 2-5) at No. 96 Dayton Flyers (13-7, 5-2), 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
1/1 No. 26 Mississippi State Bulldogs (15-4, 3-3) at No. 43 Alabama Crimson Tide (12-7, 3-3), 8:30 p.m. (SECN)
2/1 No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats (16-3, 5-1) at No. 94 Vanderbilt Commodores (9-10, 0-6), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
1/1 No. 37 Ohio State Buckeyes (13-6, 3-5) at No. 4 Michigan Wolverines (19-1, 8-1), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
1/2 No. 62 Pittsburgh Panthers (12-8, 2-5) at No. 59 Clemson Tigers (11-8, 1-5), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
3/1 No. 18 Nevada Wolf Pack (19-1, 6-1) at No. 154 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (11-8, 5-2), 11 p.m. (ESPN2)

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