/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63125782/usa_today_12221149.0.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 Monday, Feb. 25. Records reflect games played through the same date. All times are Eastern.
Top 30 at Top 75 (3 Games)
Group 1 for both the host and visitor (1/1)
No. 3 Duke Blue Devils (24-3, 12-2) at No. 12 Virginia Tech Hokies (21-6, 10-5), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 30 Iowa Hawkeyes (21-6, 10-6) at No. 42 Ohio State Buckeyes (17-10, 7-9), 7 p.m. (BTN)
No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers (19-8, 11-5) at No. 57 Indiana Hoosiers (13-14, 4-12), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
While Zion Williamson will miss this one for the Blue Devils and Justin Robinson continues to miss time for the Hokies, the teams’ showdown at Cassell Coliseum is still the game of the night by some measure. Of the two Big Ten contests, the Buckeyes’ visit from the Hawkeyes is the most important, as the NET’s continued love for an under-.500 Hoosier team is yet another reason why the metric might need some tweaking this offseason. Ohio State lost its first meeting with Iowa back on January 12th at Carver-Hawkeye by a 72-62 score and really needs to exact some revenge to boost a flagging profile. As for the Badgers, a loss in Bloomington would significantly damage their protected seed chances.
31-75 at Top 75 (3 Games)
Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 2 for the host (1/2)
No. 44 Syracuse Orange (18-9, 9-5) at No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels (22-5, 12-2), 9 p.m. (Raycom/TheACC.com/ACC Network Extra)
No. 51 Temple Owls (20-7, 10-4) at No. 60 Memphis Tigers (17-11, 9-6), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
No. 68 Texas A&M Aggies (12-14, 5-9) at No. 15 LSU Tigers (22-5, 12-2), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
In Chapel Hill, the Orange will continue their most difficult stretch of the season, as they’ll try to cool off a Tar Heel squad that’s gone 10-1 since mid-January. (Syracuse’s NET ranking today is also very on-#BRAND.)
The Owls, one of the last teams in today’s projected field, took down the Tigers by a 85-76 score in Philly back on January 24th, but Memphis has dropped just one American contest at home all season (to Cincinnati) and two overall (Tennessee is responsible for the other.)
As for LSU, the Tigers will look for a repeat of their 72-57 road win when they host the Aggies, another team with an inflated NET, in Baton Rouge.
31-75 at 76-135 (2 Games)
Group 2 for both the host and the visitor (2/2)
No. 53 Alabama Crimson Tide (16-11, 7-7) at No. 80 South Carolina Gamecocks (14-13, 9-5), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
No. 41 TCU Horned Frogs (18-9, 6-8) at No. 120 West Virginia Mountaineers (10-17, 2-12), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
A pair of bubble teams face tricky road tests tonight, though the Crimson Tide’s is a bit more difficult thanks to the Gamecocks’ 6-1 record in SEC home contests. The Horned Frogs blasted the Mountaineers by 31 when the pair met in Fort Worth back on January 15th.
76-160 at Top 75 (6 Games)
Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 3 for the host (1/3)
No. 83 Providence Friars (15-13, 5-10) at No. 49 Butler Bulldogs (15-12, 6-8), 7 p.m. (FS1)
No. 91 Missouri Tigers (12-14, 3-11) at No. 24 Mississippi State Bulldogs (20-7, 8-6), 7 p.m. (SECN)
No. 113 Akron Zips (15-12, 7-7) at No. 16 Buffalo Bulls (24-3, 12-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
No. 119 Saint Louis Billikens (17-10, 8-6) at No. 35 VCU Rams (21-6, 12-2), 7:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
No. 129 San Diego State Aztecs (18-9, 10-4) at No. 37 Utah State Aggies (22-6, 12-3), 9:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
No. 77 Arkansas Razorbacks (14-13, 5-9) at No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats (23-4, 12-2), 9 p.m. (SECN)
Utah State, the last team in today’s field, and Butler, the first team out, have the most on the line here. However, a VCU loss to Saint Louis would open the door for Davidson to move back into a first-place tie in the Atlantic 10 on Wednesday.
31-75 at 136-240 (1 Game)
Group 3 for the visitor; Group 2 for the host only (3/2)
No. 70 Dayton Flyers (18-9, 10-4) at No. 221 UMass Minutemen (10-17, 3-11), 7 p.m. (NESN Plus/ESPN+ ($))
The Flyers have crept back into the bubble picture, but a loss in Amherst would knock them back down. Remember that UMass already defeated Davidson at the Mullins Center on February 9th.
161-353 at Top 75 (1 Game)
Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 4 for the host (1/4)
No. 342 Kennesaw State Owls (5-24, 2-12) at No. 64 Liberty Flames (23-6, 12-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
The Flames will look to keep pace with Lipscomb in the ASUN race, following the Bisons’ close call with NJIT on Monday.
Chronological Schedule
Grouped by quality in each tip window.
Early Evening Tips
1/1 No. 3 Duke Blue Devils (24-3, 12-2) at No. 12 Virginia Tech Hokies (21-6, 10-5), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
1/1 No. 30 Iowa Hawkeyes (21-6, 10-6) at No. 42 Ohio State Buckeyes (17-10, 7-9), 7 p.m. (BTN)
2/2 No. 53 Alabama Crimson Tide (16-11, 7-7) at No. 80 South Carolina Gamecocks (14-13, 9-5), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
2/2 No. 41 TCU Horned Frogs (18-9, 6-8) at No. 120 West Virginia Mountaineers (10-17, 2-12), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
1/3 No. 83 Providence Friars (15-13, 5-10) at No. 49 Butler Bulldogs (15-12, 6-8), 7 p.m. (FS1)
1/3 No. 91 Missouri Tigers (12-14, 3-11) at No. 24 Mississippi State Bulldogs (20-7, 8-6), 7 p.m. (SECN)
1/3 No. 113 Akron Zips (15-12, 7-7) at No. 16 Buffalo Bulls (24-3, 12-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
1/3 No. 119 Saint Louis Billikens (17-10, 8-6) at No. 35 VCU Rams (21-6, 12-2), 7:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
3/2 No. 70 Dayton Flyers (18-9, 10-4) at No. 221 UMass Minutemen (10-17, 3-11), 7 p.m. (NESN Plus/ESPN+ ($))
1/4 No. 342 Kennesaw State Owls (5-24, 2-12) at No. 64 Liberty Flames (23-6, 12-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
Late Evening Tips
1/1 No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers (19-8, 11-5) at No. 57 Indiana Hoosiers (13-14, 4-12), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
1/2 No. 44 Syracuse Orange (18-9, 9-5) at No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels (22-5, 12-2), 9 p.m. (Raycom/TheACC.com/ACC Network Extra)
1/2 No. 51 Temple Owls (20-7, 10-4) at No. 60 Memphis Tigers (17-11, 9-6), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
1/2 No. 68 Texas A&M Aggies (12-14, 5-9) at No. 15 LSU Tigers (22-5, 12-2), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
1/3 No. 129 San Diego State Aztecs (18-9, 10-4) at No. 37 Utah State Aggies (22-6, 12-3), 9:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
1/3 No. 77 Arkansas Razorbacks (14-13, 5-9) at No. 5 Kentucky Wildcats (23-4, 12-2), 9 p.m. (SECN)
Enjoy this post? Follow Blogging the Bracket on Twitter and Like the site on Facebook.