/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62967622/usa_today_12061033.0.jpg)
At the bottom of the page, you’ll find a lineup broken down by telecast window with the group designations in bold to the left of the game. Instead of ordering these by tip time, however, I’ve grouped them by importance.
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 Tuesday, January 29. Records reflect games played through Tuesday, January 29. All times are Eastern.
Top 30 at Top 75
Group 1 for both the host and visitor
No. 19 Marquette Golden Eagles (18-3, 7-1) at No. 51 Butler Bulldogs (12-9, 3-5), 6:30 p.m. (FS1)
Marquette is one of the hottest teams in the country right now, riding a seven-game win streak. If the Golden Eagles take care of business tonight, they’ll be set for next week’s crucial homestand, featuring visits from St. John’s and, more importantly, Big East leader Villanova. As for Butler, the Bulldogs have dropped two straight and they’re now one of a whopping five league teams with five conference losses.
31-75 at Top 75
Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 2 for the host
No. 37 Mississippi Rebels (14-5, 4-2) at No. 39 Florida Gators (11-8, 3-3), 6:30 p.m. (SECN)
No. 72 Providence Friars (13-7, 3-4) at No. 62 Seton Hall Pirates (12-8, 3-5), 7 p.m. (FSN)
No. 48 St. John’s Red Storm (15-5, 3-5) at No. 57 Creighton Bluejays (12-8, 3-4), 8:30 p.m. (FS1)
Florida will look to rebound from a poor offensive performance against TCU Saturday as they attempt to hand the Rebels a third straight loss (and fourth in five). In the two Big East matchups in this group, Providence and St. John’s are looking to complete season sweeps of their opponents.
Top 30 at 76-135
Group 1 for the host only; Group 2 for the visitor
No. 10 Virginia Tech Hokies (16-3, 5-2) at No. 114 Miami Hurricanes (9-10, 1-6), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
No. 22 Villanova Wildcats (16-4, 7-0) at No. 103 DePaul Blue Demons (11-8, 3-5), 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
No. 16 LSU Tigers (16-3, 6-0) at No. 104 Texas A&M Aggies (8-10, 1-5), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
Surprisingly, DePaul looks like the biggest challenge for the favorite among these three matchups. The Blue Demons only lost by five to Nova in their first meeting back on January 2nd. The game is still on for tonight, despite the historically frigid temperatures here in Chicago.
31-75 at 76-135
Group 2 for both the host and the visitor
No. 44 Indiana Hoosiers (12-8, 3-6) at No. 125 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-9, 3-6), 7 p.m. (BTN)
No. 53 Memphis Tigers (13-7, 5-2) at No. 107 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (12-9, 2-6), 8 p.m. (ESPN News)
No. 47 Syracuse Orange (14-6, 5-2) at No. 119 Boston College Eagles (11-7, 2-4), 8 p.m. (Raycom (Regional)/TheACC.com/ESPN3)
Indiana, which has dropped six straight, gets a winnable game in Piscataway before an eight-game stretch against at-large contenders opens in East Lansing on Saturday night. Memphis and Syracuse, meanwhile, both face tricky road games—particularly the Orange, who have lost on their last two visits to Chestnut Hill.
76-160 at Top 75
Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 3 for the host
No. 100 West Virginia Mountaineers (9-11, 1-6) at No. 15 Iowa State Cyclones (15-5, 4-3), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
No. 79 Missouri Tigers (10-8, 1-5) at No. 24 Auburn Tigers (13-6, 2-4), 8:30 p.m. (SECN)
No. 113 Illinois Fighting Illini (6-14, 2-7) at No. 50 Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-5, 5-4), 9 p.m. (BTN)
No. 76 USC Trojans (12-8, 5-2) at No. 31 Washington Huskies (16-4, 7-0), 11 p.m. (FS1)
Iowa State will look to dominate a disappointing West Virginia squad, while Auburn needs to stop its three-game skid. Minnesota must avoid being swept by Illinois, who defeated the Gophers by 27 in Champaign just two weeks ago. Later, Pac-12-leading Washington can knock second-place USC three games out of the lead.
Top 30 at 136-240
Group 1 for the host only; Group 3 for the visitor
No. 13 Louisville Cardinals (15-5, 6-1) at No. 186 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-11, 1-6), 8 p.m. (Raycom (Regional)/ESPN3)
Louisville can hand Wake a fourth-straight defeat while extending its own winning run to six.
76-160 at 136-240
Group 3 for both the host and the visitor
No. 97 UCLA Bruins (11-9, 4-3) at No. 209 Washington State Cougars (8-12, 1-6), 10 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)
The Bruins are already three games behind Washington in the Pac-12 race, but a loss to Washington State would do further damage to the Bruins’ already slim at-large hopes.
76-160 at 241-353
Group 3 for the host only; Group 4 for the visitor
No. 82 Fresno State Bulldogs (14-5, 5-2) at No. 315 Wyoming Cowboys (5-15, 1-6), 9 p.m. (MWN)
161-353 at Top 75
Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 4 for the host
No. 332 San José State Spartans (3-16, 0-7) at No. 41 Utah State Aggies (15-5, 5-2), 9 p.m. (MWN)
The Mountain West’s third- and second-ranked teams in the NET meet the second-worst and worst, respectively.
161-353 at 76-135
Group 2 for the visitor only; Group 4 for the host
No. 210 Richmond Spiders (7-13, 1-6) at No. 88 Saint Louis Billikens (14-6, 5-2), 7 p.m. (FS Midwest/ESPN+)
The Billikens need to snap a two-game skid that’s cost them both the A 10 lead and positioning in the at-large hunt.
Chronological Schedule
Grouped by quality in each tip window.
Early Evening Tips
1/1 No. 19 Marquette Golden Eagles (18-3, 7-1) at No. 51 Butler Bulldogs (12-9, 3-5), 6:30 p.m. (FS1)
1/2 No. 37 Mississippi Rebels (14-5, 4-2) at No. 39 Florida Gators (11-8, 3-3), 6:30 p.m. (SECN)
1/2 No. 72 Providence Friars (13-7, 3-4) at No. 62 Seton Hall Pirates (12-8, 3-5), 7 p.m. (FSN)
2/1 No. 10 Virginia Tech Hokies (16-3, 5-2) at No. 114 Miami Hurricanes (9-10, 1-6), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
2/2 No. 44 Indiana Hoosiers (12-8, 3-6) at No. 125 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-9, 3-6), 7 p.m. (BTN)
1/3 No. 100 West Virginia Mountaineers (9-11, 1-6) at No. 15 Iowa State Cyclones (15-5, 4-3), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
2/4 No. 210 Richmond Spiders (7-13, 1-6) at No. 88 Saint Louis Billikens (14-6, 5-2), 7 p.m. (FS Midwest/ESPN+)
Mid-Evening Tips
1/2 No. 48 St. John’s Red Storm (15-5, 3-5) at No. 57 Creighton Bluejays (12-8, 3-4), 8:30 p.m. (FS1)
2/1 No. 22 Villanova Wildcats (16-4, 7-0) at No. 103 DePaul Blue Demons (11-8, 3-5), 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
2/2 No. 53 Memphis Tigers (13-7, 5-2) at No. 107 Tulsa Golden Hurricane (12-9, 2-6), 8 p.m. (ESPN News)
2/2 No. 47 Syracuse Orange (14-6, 5-2) at No. 119 Boston College Eagles (11-7, 2-4), 8 p.m. (Raycom (Regional)/TheACC.com/ESPN3)
1/3 No. 79 Missouri Tigers (10-8, 1-5) at No. 24 Auburn Tigers (13-6, 2-4), 8:30 p.m. (SECN)
3/1 No. 13 Louisville Cardinals (15-5, 6-1) at No. 186 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-11, 1-6), 8 p.m. (Raycom (Regional)/ESPN3)
Late Evening Tips
1/3 No. 113 Illinois Fighting Illini (6-14, 2-7) at No. 50 Minnesota Golden Gophers (15-5, 5-4), 9 p.m. (BTN)
1/3 No. 76 USC Trojans (12-8, 5-2) at No. 31 Washington Huskies (16-4, 7-0), 11 p.m. (FS1)
2/1 No. 16 LSU Tigers (16-3, 6-0) at No. 104 Texas A&M Aggies (8-10, 1-5), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
3/3 No. 97 UCLA Bruins (11-9, 4-3) at No. 209 Washington State Cougars (8-12, 1-6), 10 p.m. (Pac-12 Networks)
4/3 No. 82 Fresno State Bulldogs (14-5, 5-2) at No. 315 Wyoming Cowboys (5-15, 1-6), 9 p.m. (MWN)
1/4 No. 332 San José State Spartans (3-16, 0-7) at No. 41 Utah State Aggies (15-5, 5-2), 9 p.m. (MWN)
Enjoy this post? Follow Blogging the Bracket on Twitter and Like the site on Facebook.