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NET Viewing Guide For Wednesday, February 27, 2019

The Big East is home of the game of the night. For a more traditional look at the schedule, visit MattSarzSports.com.

NCAA Basketball: Villanova at Marquette
Marquette can wrap up the Big East Tournament’s No. 1 seed by sweeping Villanova tonight.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

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, Feb. 26. 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. 23 Maryland Terrapins (21-7, 12-5) at No. 59 Penn State Nittany Lions (11-16, 4-12), 6:30 p.m. (BTN)
No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers (24-3, 12-2) at No. 38 Ole Miss Rebels (19-8, 9-5), 7 p.m. (SECN)
No. 18 Marquette Golden Eagles (23-4, 12-2) at No. 28 Villanova Wildcats (20-8, 11-4), 9 p.m. (FS1)

While Maryland-Penn State’s presence here is yet another indicator of the NET’s shortcomings, the Nittany Lions have defeated Michigan and Nebraska in their last two home games. In the SEC, Tennessee will look to avoid sleepwalking through its midweek game with Saturday’s visit from Kentucky looming. The Wildcats only avoided disaster themselves last night against Arkansas at Rupp Arena. Ole Miss will hope the Vols take it easy tonight as it could use a marquee win for its seeding, but I suspect Rick Barnes’ team will be fired up after its OT loss at LSU on Saturday.

But the game of the night is set for Finneran Pavilion at Villanova, where Marquette can wrap up the Big East’s regular season title and the No. 1 seed at Madison Square Garden by sweeping the Wildcats. Nova has won just once since losing by a point in Milwaukee on February 9th, with consecutive losses to St. John’s, Georgetown, and Xavier costing them positioning on the seed list.

31-75 at Top 75 (2 Games)

Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 2 for the host (1/2)

No. 34 UCF Knights (20-6, 10-4) at No. 72 South Florida Bulls (18-9, 7-7), 7 p.m. (ESPN3)
No. 37 Texas Longhorns (15-12, 7-7) at No. 35 Baylor Bears (18-9, 9-5), 9 p.m. (ESPN)

In Tampa, South Florida will look to wrap up its most difficult stretch of the season by playing spoiler for their archrivals from Orlando. UCF is another team that can’t get caught looking ahead, thanks to Saturday’s looming trip to Houston.

Meanwhile, Texas will attempt to sweep Baylor without the services of Kerwin Roach II, who is still suspended and will likely remain so for some time.

31-75 at 76-135 (1 Game)

Group 2 for both the host and the visitor (2/2)

No. 43 Clemson Tigers (16-11, 6-8) at No. 107 Pittsburgh Panthers (12-15, 2-12), 7 p.m. (ACC RSNs/ACC Network Extra)

Clemson is the first team out of Wednesday’s seed list, but winning in the Steel City won’t be enough to put the Tigers on the right side of the cut line. Clemson won the first meeting, 82-69, on January 29th at Littlejohn.

Top 30 at 76-135 (3 Games)

Group 2 for the visitor; Group 1 for the host only (2/1)

No. 24 Auburn Tigers (18-9, 7-7) at No. 111 Georgia Bulldogs (10-17, 1-13), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
2/1 No. 21 Louisville Cardinals (18-10, 9-6) at No. 127 Boston College Eagles (13-13, 4-10), 9 p.m. (ACC RSNs/ACC Network Extra)
2/1 No. 25 Cincinnati Bearcats (23-4, 12-2) at No. 109 SMU Mustangs (13-13, 5-9), 9 p.m. (CBSSN)

A trio of teams that are either locks (Cincy) or relatively safe (Auburn and Louisville) face potentially challenging opponents on the road, though the Tigers’ task looks to be steeper than the Cardinals’ or, particularly, the Bearcats’. SMU looked completely disinterested on Sunday when UCF nearly doubled them up in Orlando.

76-160 at Top 75 (5 Games)

Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 3 for the host (1/3)

No. 110 DePaul Blue Demons (13-12, 5-9) at No. 74 Georgetown Hoyas (16-11, 6-8), 7 p.m. (CBSSN)
No. 128 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (12-16, 4-11) at No. 2 Virginia Cavaliers (24-2, 12-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
No. 98 Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-17, 3-11) at No. 10 Texas Tech Red Raiders (22-5, 10-4), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
No. 90 Illinois Fighting Illini (10-17, 6-10) at No. 12 Purdue Boilermakers (20-7, 13-3), 8:30 p.m. (BTN)
1/3 No. 159 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (15-12, 9-6) at No. 19 Nevada Wolf Pack (25-2, 12-2), 11 p.m. (CBSSN)

A quartet of teams safely in the bracket, including the new No. 1 overall seed, host beatable opponents this evening. That means the most interesting game here is the Big East contest, as Georgetown will need to sweep DePaul (they play again in Chicago in one week) to stay in the bubble picture. Note that Illinois might be able to give Purdue a game, particularly if the Boilermakers (and Carsen Edwards in particular) struggle as much as they have in their last two contests.

31-75 at 136-240 (2 Games)

Group 3 for the visitor; Group 2 for the host only (3/2)

No. 67 Davidson Wildcats (20-7, 11-3) at No. 210 La Salle Explorers (8-18, 6-8), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
No. 31 Florida Gators (16-11, 8-6) at No. 129 Vanderbilt Commodores (9-18, 0-14), 9 p.m. (SECN)

Davidson will look to remain a game out of first in the Atlantic 10, while Florida needs to overcome some poor recent history in Nashville. Florida last won at Memorial Gym in 2014, when Billy Donovan was the coach and the Gators won 21 SEC games en route to the Final Four. Making matters worse, current head coach Mike White has never won in the building as a player, assistant coach, or head coach.

Top 30 at 241-353

Group 4 for the visitor; Group 1 for the host only (3/1)

No. 4 Houston Cougars (26-1, 13-1) at No. 250 East Carolina Pirates (10-16, 3-11), 7 p.m. (ESPN3)

The Cougars, who have won 11 straight, defeated the Pirates by 44 in Houston on January 23rd.

Chronological Schedule

Grouped by quality in each tip window.

Early Evening Tips

1/1 No. 23 Maryland Terrapins (21-7, 12-5) at No. 59 Penn State Nittany Lions (11-16, 4-12), 6:30 p.m. (BTN)
1/1 No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers (24-3, 12-2) at No. 38 Mississippi Rebels (19-8, 9-5), 7 p.m. (SECN)
1/2 No. 34 UCF Knights (20-6, 10-4) at No. 72 South Florida Bulls (18-9, 7-7), 7 p.m. (ESPN3)
2/2 No. 43 Clemson Tigers (16-11, 6-8) at No. 107 Pittsburgh Panthers (12-15, 2-12), 7 p.m. (ACC RSNs/ACC Network Extra)
1/3 No. 110 DePaul Blue Demons (13-12, 5-9) at No. 74 Georgetown Hoyas (16-11, 6-8), 7 p.m. (CBSSN)
1/3 No. 128 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (12-16, 4-11) at No. 2 Virginia Cavaliers (24-2, 12-2), 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
1/3 No. 98 Oklahoma State Cowboys (10-17, 3-11) at No. 10 Texas Tech Red Raiders (22-5, 10-4), 7 p.m. (ESPNU)
3/2 No. 67 Davidson Wildcats (20-7, 11-3) at No. 210 La Salle Explorers (8-18, 6-8), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
4/1 No. 4 Houston Cougars (26-1, 13-1) at No. 250 East Carolina Pirates (10-16, 3-11), 7 p.m. (ESPN3)

Late Evening Tips

1/1 No. 18 Marquette Golden Eagles (23-4, 12-2) at No. 28 Villanova Wildcats (20-8, 11-4), 9 p.m. (FS1)
1/2 No. 37 Texas Longhorns (15-12, 7-7) at No. 35 Baylor Bears (18-9, 9-5), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
2/1 No. 24 Auburn Tigers (18-9, 7-7) at No. 111 Georgia Bulldogs (10-17, 1-13), 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
2/1 No. 21 Louisville Cardinals (18-10, 9-6) at No. 127 Boston College Eagles (13-13, 4-10), 9 p.m. (ACC RSNs/ACC Network Extra)
2/1 No. 25 Cincinnati Bearcats (23-4, 12-2) at No. 109 SMU Mustangs (13-13, 5-9), 9 p.m. (CBSSN)
1/3 No. 90 Illinois Fighting Illini (10-17, 6-10) at No. 12 Purdue Boilermakers (20-7, 13-3), 8:30 p.m. (BTN)
1/3 No. 159 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels (15-12, 9-6) at No. 19 Nevada Wolf Pack (25-2, 12-2), 11 p.m. (CBSSN)
3/2 No. 31 Florida Gators (16-11, 8-6) at No. 129 Vanderbilt Commodores (9-18, 0-14), 9 p.m. (SECN)

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