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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 Wednesday, Feb. 27. Records reflect games played through the same date. All times are Eastern.
31-75 at Top 75 (2 Games)
Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 2 for the host (1/2)
No. 45 Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-13, 5-12) at No. 9 Michigan Wolverines (24-4, 13-4), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 63 Arizona State Sun Devils (19-8, 10-5) at No. 74 Oregon Ducks (15-12, 6-8), 11 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
If Nebraska and Oregon want continued at-large consideration, wins tonight will be necessary. The Cornhuskers play their second game of a four-contest finishing stretch against NCAA locks. They fell short against Purdue on Saturday in Lincoln. Meanwhile, the Ducks have a visit from the Sun Devils and next Saturday’s trip to Washington left. ASU won the first meeting by 14 back on January 19th in Tempe.
31-75 at 76-135 (1 Game)
Group 2 for both the host and the visitor (2/2)
No. 60 Minnesota Golden Gophers (17-11, 7-10) at No. 85 Northwestern Wildcats (12-15, 3-13), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
The Golden Gophers are the rare power conference team that won’t play a game on any of the four weekend days left in the season—they’ll host Purdue on Tuesday and visit Maryland next Friday. Minnesota can’t get caught looking ahead to those quality win opportunities in Evanston tonight.
76-160 at Top 75 (2 Games)
Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 3 for the host (1/3)
No. 83 Xavier Musketeers (15-13, 7-8) at No. 49 St. John’s Red Storm (20-8, 8-7), 6:30 p.m.
No. 115 San Diego Toreros (17-12, 6-8) at No. 52 San Francisco Dons (21-7, 9-5), 10 p.m. (TheW.tv)
The Musketeers’ closing stretch, a home-and-home with the Red Storm sandwiching a game at Butler, could get them to 18-wins and more serious at-large consideration. But Xavier will have to win all three.
As for the Dons, they’re likely going to need to win the WCC Tournament at this point. The Toreros defeated them by four back on January 26th. USF and idle BYU, 10-5 in league play, are in position to finish third and fourth in the WCC, which would mean they’d each have to win three games to earn an NCAA bid. Finishing third would be the optimal choice for both, since that’s the way to avoid a semifinal against top-seeded Gonzaga. Since the Dons swept the Cougars this season, they have an edge in the face.
31-75 at 136-240 (3 Games)
Group 3 for the visitor; Group 2 for the host only (3/2)
No. 47 Furman Paladins (22-6, 11-5) at No. 158 Samford Bulldogs (16-13, 6-10), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
No. 58 New Mexico State Aggies (24-4, 12-1) at No. 222 UMKC Kangaroos (10-18, 5-8), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
No. 73 Old Dominion Monarchs (22-6, 12-3) at No. 137 UTSA Roadrunners (15-12, 9-5), 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
Furman lost at home to Samford, 75-73, back on January 26th, while UMKC gave NMSU (already WAC regular-season champs) a scare on January 31st, even if they ended up losing by 16.
However, the game to watch in this group is ODU’s second visit of the season to UTSA, thanks to the Roadrunners’ 74-73 win on January 26th. That was an all-time awful collapse by the Monarchs, who led by 18 with 4:43 to play! Old Dominion can clinch the top seed in the C-USA Tournament by finishing the job this time.
76-160 at 76-135 (2 Games)
Group 2 for the visitor only; Group 3 for the host (2/3)
No. 80 Arizona Wildcats (16-12, 7-8) at No. 81 Oregon State Beavers (17-9, 9-5), 9 p.m. (FS1)
No. 86 USC Trojans (15-13, 8-7) at No. 109 UCLA Bruins (15-13, 8-7), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Dave Pasch and Bill Walton will be calling the game at Pauley. That will a plus for some viewers (and a minus for others). USC is going for a season sweep after a dominant 80-67 win at the Galen Center on January 19th. Oregon State, still theoretically an at-large candidate, can’t afford to lose a second game to Arizona, who won by 11 in Tucson, also on January 19th.
31-75 at 241-353 (2 Games)
Group 4 for the visitor; Group 2 for the host only (4/2)
No. 55 Murray State Racers (23-4, 14-2) at No. 259 Morehead State Eagles (11-18, 7-9), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
No. 51 Belmont Bruins (23-4, 14-2) at No. 309 UT Martin Skyhawks (10-17, 5-11), 8:30 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
The Racers and Bruins can both move closer to the top two seeds in the OVC Tournament, and a bye to the event’s semifinals. Murray State defeated Morehead State by 21 to open league play back on January 3rd, while Belmont took down UTM 82-67 on February 2nd.
Top 30 at 241-353 (3 Games)
Group 4 for the visitor; Group 1 for the host only (4/1)
No. 19 Wofford Terriers (24-4, 16-0) at No. 270 Chattanooga Mocs (12-17, 7-9), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (27-2, 14-0) at No. 212 Pacific Tigers (13-16, 3-11), 11 p.m. (ESPN2)
No. 29 Washington Huskies (22-5, 13-1) at No. 275 California Golden Bears (5-22, 0-15), 11 p.m. (FS1)
The last two teams with a shot at conference perfection are in action tonight, with the Terriers aiming for a repeat of their 80-69 win over the Mocs from January 26th and the Bulldogs looking to hammer the Tigers again. Gonzaga defeated Pacific by a 67-36 count on January 10th.
Washington can’t finish with a perfect Pac-12 record, thanks to their February 9th loss at Arizona State, but the Huskies can claim the top seed in the conference tournament by completing a season sweep of a dreadful Cal team.
161-353 at Top 75 (1 Game)
Group 1 for the visitor only; Group 4 for the host (1/4)
No. 325 Portland Pilots (7-22, 0-14) at No. 39 Saint Mary’s Gaels (19-10, 10-4), 11 p.m. (NBCS California/AT&T SN Rocky Mtn./Root Sports/TheW.tv)
Thanks to the WCC’s shortened league schedule of 16 games, there’s no longer a true round-robin played among the conference’s 10 teams. So, this will be the first meeting of the season between the second-place Gaels and last-place (and winless) Pilots. Remember that Saint Mary’s hosts Gonzaga on Saturday night.
Chronological Schedule
Grouped by quality in each tip window.
Early Evening Tips
1/2 No. 45 Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-13, 5-12) at No. 9 Michigan Wolverines (24-4, 13-4), 7 p.m. (ESPN)
1/3 No. 83 Xavier Musketeers (15-13, 7-8) at No. 49 St. John’s Red Storm (20-8, 8-7), 6:30 p.m.
3/2 No. 47 Furman Paladins (22-6, 11-5) at No. 158 Samford Bulldogs (16-13, 6-10), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
3/2 No. 58 New Mexico State Aggies (24-4, 12-1) at No. 222 UMKC Kangaroos (10-18, 5-8), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
4/2 No. 55 Murray State Racers (23-4, 14-2) at No. 259 Morehead State Eagles (11-18, 7-9), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
4/1 No. 19 Wofford Terriers (24-4, 16-0) at No. 270 Chattanooga Mocs (12-17, 7-9), 7 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
Mid-Evening Tips
3/2 No. 73 Old Dominion Monarchs (22-6, 12-3) at No. 137 UTSA Roadrunners (15-12, 9-5), 8 p.m. (CBSSN)
4/2 No. 51 Belmont Bruins (23-4, 14-2) at No. 309 UT Martin Skyhawks (10-17, 5-11), 8:30 p.m. (ESPN+ ($))
Late Evening Tips
2/2 No. 60 Minnesota Golden Gophers (17-11, 7-10) at No. 85 Northwestern Wildcats (12-15, 3-13), 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
2/3 No. 80 Arizona Wildcats (16-12, 7-8) at No. 81 Oregon State Beavers (17-9, 9-5), 9 p.m. (FS1)
2/3 No. 86 USC Trojans (15-13, 8-7) at No. 109 UCLA Bruins (15-13, 8-7), 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Late Night Tips
1/2 No. 63 Arizona State Sun Devils (19-8, 10-5) at No. 74 Oregon Ducks (15-12, 6-8), 11 p.m. (Pac-12 Network)
1/3 No. 115 San Diego Toreros (17-12, 6-8) at No. 52 San Francisco Dons (21-7, 9-5), 10 p.m. (TheW.tv)
4/1 No. 1 Gonzaga Bulldogs (27-2, 14-0) at No. 212 Pacific Tigers (13-16, 3-11), 11 p.m. (ESPN2)
4/1 No. 29 Washington Huskies (22-5, 13-1) at No. 275 California Golden Bears (5-22, 0-15), 11 p.m. (FS1)
1/4 No. 325 Portland Pilots (7-22, 0-14) at No. 39 Saint Mary’s Gaels (19-10, 10-4), 11 p.m. (NBCS California/AT&T SN Rocky Mtn./Root Sports/TheW.tv)
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