On Tuesday night, the nation’s top-ranked team fell as Minnesota knocked off Indiana. On Wednesday, nine ranked teams will look to avoid a late-season upset that could potentially drop them a couple rungs come Selection Sunday. Here is the scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013.
College basketball schedule: Georgetown vs. UConn headlines Wednesday slate
Nine of the nation’s ranked teams will be on the court Wednesday evening, including No. 4 Michigan, No. 7 Georgetown and No. 11 Arizona.
USA TODAY Sports
No. 4 Michigan at Penn State, 6:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network
The Wolverines can score with anyone in the country. For coach John Beilein, getting a consistent defensive performance from his young team has been the issue for most of the season. Continuing to prepare for a run in March, Michigan should have little problem disposing of the Nittany Lions, who rank 304th in the country in scoring.
No. 5 Miami vs. Virginia Tech, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3
The Hurricanes spent the past few weeks playing with fire, just narrowly edging their ACC foes both at home and on the road. They finally got burnt over the weekend, losing to Wake Forest by 15. Look for the veteran-laden Hurricanes to get back on track against the Hokies as they continue fighting for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
No. 7 Georgetown at Connecticut, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Georgetown really opened some eyes over the weekend, knocking off Syracuse in front of 35,000 fans at the Carrier Dome. The win now has the Hoyas thinking of a top seed come March, and they're still in the hunt for a Big East title. With UConn not allowed to play in the postseason this year, look for coach Kevin Ollie and his players to give Otto Porter and Georgetown everything they've got.
No. 10 Louisville at DePaul, 9 p.m. ET
The Cardinals have been overlooked a bit in recent weeks, but this is a dangerous team with plenty of experience. Look for Louisville to cruise past DePaul, which is 11-16 this season.
No. 11 Arizona at USC, 9:30 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network
The Wildcats are a tough team to figure out. They’ve shown flashes of brilliance, but they’ve also been vulnerable due to inconsistent guard play and youth along the frontline. Look for Arizona to come out focused against a USC team that has played better in recent weeks since firing coach Kevin O’Neil.
No. 14 New Mexico vs. San Diego State, 10:15 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network
This game won’t get much publicity with the late start time, but it’s arguably the best matchup on Wednesday. New Mexico is one of the best defensive teams in the country. While they’re stumbled a bit against the Mountain West, SDSU has the talent to beat just about anyone on any given night. This one will be worth staying up late for.
No. 15 Oklahoma State at TCU, 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU
The Cowboys have been a pleasant surprise in the Big 12 this season and, while they're likely out of the conference championship race, Marcus Smart keeps them in just about every game. Look for Oklahoma State to make quick work of TCU, whose only conference win is over Kansas.
No. 18 Saint Louis vs. Saint Joseph’s, 8 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network
Butler coach Brad Stevens said last month that Saint Louis was a Final Four team. Right now, there may not be a hotter team in the country than the Billikins. Winners of nine straight, including back-to-back wins over ranked VCU and Butler, SLU is in the driver’s seat to win the Atlantic 10.
No. 23 Pittsburgh vs. South Florida, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3
Much like Arizona, Pittsburgh is a tough team to figure out. The computer systems love the Panthers for their efficient play on both ends of the court, although they’re somehow 9-6 against Big East teams. Look for the Panthers to win convincingly against South Florida, which is 1-13 in conference play.
More from SB Nation:
See More:
