I'll start this now as we're roughly a third of the way through the conference season. Feel free to bring this up once the games have been played.
I can't pick a winner at this point with much confidence, but the coaches' preseason selections seem fairly accurate to me at this point. I will be shocked if anyone besides UofL, Pitt, and UConn wins the regular season. I say that with the knowledge that Marquette hasn't lost and Syracuse is 5-2.
Here is how the coaches voted:
School Points
1. Connecticut (9) 214
2. Louisville (3) 205
3. Pittsburgh (3) 200
4. Notre Dame (1) 195
5. Villanova 153
6. Marquette 146
7. Georgetown 141
8. Syracuse 139
9. West Virginia 121
10. Providence 99
11. Cincinnati 91
12. Rutgers 53
13. Seton Hall 50
14. St. John's 44
15. DePaul 43
16. South Florida 26
Obviously they won't be perfect, but after seeing everyone play 5-7 league games, I think that is roughly how it will play out. Move ND & Nova down a few notches, move Syracuse & South Florida & maybe WVU up a few spots, and that's how I see it playing out.
I'm sure some will take offense to me only giving 3 teams a shot to win the league, but I say that after taking a look at who everyone has opened league play against. Some have been coasting so to speak, at least as much as you can in this league, while others have easier schedules in February. I am also considering how well the top teams play on the road and how I think teams will hold up over 18 games in a league with 9 likely NCAA teams.
I'm of a similar mind here. I think it will come down to a battle between UConn, Pitt, and UofL for The BEast title. There could be a surprise coming up. But I'd bet against it...
I'm waiting to see this weekend's games before making any predictions. If SU beats UL and ND beats UConn, I think SU will actually be the favorite to win the Big East regular season title based upon how the schedule plays out.
Cheers,
Neil
(01-23-2009 11:58 AM)omnicarrier Wrote: [ -> ]I'm waiting to see this weekend's games before making any predictions. If SU beats UL and ND beats UConn, I think SU will actually be the favorite to win the Big East regular season title based upon how the schedule plays out.
Cheers,
Neil
I love you Neil (in a sports guy way
) but no way
Cuse's sux at FT shooting and it will kill us in several more games
Neil, I could say the same if WVU Pitt, St. John's, Louisville, and Syracuse in their next 4 games, Marquette loses to Notre Dame and Georgetown, and Louisville loses another game. But odds are against both of us, dude...
(01-23-2009 12:02 PM)TexanMark Wrote: [ -> ] (01-23-2009 11:58 AM)omnicarrier Wrote: [ -> ]I'm waiting to see this weekend's games before making any predictions. If SU beats UL and ND beats UConn, I think SU will actually be the favorite to win the Big East regular season title based upon how the schedule plays out.
Cheers,
Neil
I love you Neil (in a sports guy way ) by no way
Cuse's sux at FT shooting and it will kill us in several more games
Ah, but you are assuming we will be in some tight games.
Cheers,
Neil
You guys better be ready for the Mountaineer invasion next weekend. WVU is going to make the Orange work hard for every point. If they come out half stepping, they'll end up like Georgetown last night...
I agree that either Louisville, UConn, or Pitt will probably win/share the Big East title this year. However, I think it should also be noted that each of the three teams above still have some weaknesses. UConn has a boatload of talent but I still feel like they are having chemistry issues (similar to last year). UofL has an outstanding defense but is prone to blowing leads and sputtering on offense. Pitt's starters are outstanding basketball player but I think there is a huge drop off between their first five and the bench (e.g. when Blair goes out and his sub comes in).
I'm not sold on Marqueete due to their lack on a dominant Big man. I think it will hurt them down the stretch against UConn, Pitt, and UofL.
With that said, however, I think Georgetown, Notre Dame, Syracuse, West Virginia, and Providence are going to make the conference difficult to impossible to predict. Those four teams have a talent, but they are also wildly inconsistent. Syracuse for example looked lost against G'Town but then demolished Notre Dame. G'Town beat Syracuse but looked bad against WVU. WVU has had a few head scratcher game but some games were they look downright scary. Same with Providence. Notre Dame on the road is nowhere near Notre Dame at home. While it is less likely that any of the above teams win the Big East this year, I think they all are more than capable of beating (even badly) the three favorites listed above.
That was a pretty good summary, UofL07. I think WVU, and a couple of other teams have inconsistency issues due to the youth of the team. The Mountaineers start 2 freshmen, and several other teams have young players in starting roles. As the season progresses, the development of these young players will determine how each team does in the conference race.
It's going to be fun watching to see how the season develops...
I'd say Pitt right now as they have only the 1 loss on the year. Louisville and UConn are talented teams too.
Whoever wins the BE, it will be an incredible accomplishment. This league is extremely good and DEEP. Probably the best it's been since expansion.
Everynite you have a big game. This is like back in the 1980's when the Big East first stated and you had St John's, Syracuse, Georgetown and Villanova playing on ESPN all ranked in the top 10.
All I know is USF will NOT finish last, as predicted in the preseason.
(01-24-2009 01:49 AM)BullsFanInTX Wrote: [ -> ]All I know is USF will NOT finish last, as predicted in the preseason.
Probably not, but our fortunes are NOT trending well. Ajayi blew out his knee, so his career is now over. And this morning Mercer and Crater were arrested for pot possession. Mercer's probably gone now, and I have to figure Crater's on a short leash.
USF's program can improve if we get a few breaks, but we definitely seem to take a step back every time we seem to be able to take a step forward. At least we're currently giving Villanova all they want (46-44 in the second half)...
USFFan
UConn picked up a huge win tonight. I was really hoping for the Irish to continue defending their home court, as I wanted the Huskies picking up a 2nd loss in conference.
Tomorrow is a huge game in the Dome. I have to think in the conference race it is more crucial for the Orange. They are way behind the eight ball in the conference title race with a loss, despite some teams only being 1/3 of the way through the schedule. It will be a very difficult game tomorrow for UofL. Even though I think Syracuse lacks the defense and consistency to win the league, they are very dangerous if the shots are falling, especially at home.
Just a thought, do you notice how the power of the basketball conference is shifting to the football schools? (ie: UConn, Syracuse, Louisville, Pittsburgh and West Virgina) Cincinnati is starting to improve back to its old winning ways, so with Memphis being add, we could easily survive as a 9 team all-sports conference.
With UConn beating ND at their place and Louisville beating us today at the Dome, yes, I'll now concede the Big East winner will be either the Cards, the Huskies, or the Panthers.
All three are simply a step above the rest.
With Georgetown's loss to Seton Hall today, I'd put Marquette, West Virginia, and Syracuse as the next three down.
And then a step below them, Georgetown, Nova, ND, and Providence.
Btw, Cards fans, TWill is the best player we have faced all season long. You've got a special one there, capable of carrying your team to the Final Four.
Cheers,
Neil
(01-23-2009 03:09 PM)OUBOBCATJOHN Wrote: [ -> ]I'd say Pitt right now as they have only the 1 loss on the year. Louisville and UConn are talented teams too.
UCONN also only got 1 loss. UCONN has beat more ranked teams than Pitt I believe.
The title will come down to UCONN, Pitt and UL. I am looking forward to both games later in the year.
Yes UCONN got some inconsistency issues, but the team is loaded top to bottom. Like UL and Pitt, UCONN also plays excellent D. It will be a war down the stretch.
(01-25-2009 11:01 PM)SF Husky Wrote: [ -> ]The title will come down to UCONN, Pitt and UL. I am looking forward to both games later in the year.
Regular season title, I agree...but once everyone shows up at MSG, "strange things" happen (i.e. Syracuse's tournament run out of no where several years ago).
Curious Big East Question: Because the Big East Tournament at MSG is sooooo huge (i.e. important) do fans even care if their team wins a "regular season" Big East Title and/or is there such a thing??
Seems that all of the pub falls on the MSG Tourn Champ.
(01-26-2009 08:52 AM)KnightLight Wrote: [ -> ] (01-25-2009 11:01 PM)SF Husky Wrote: [ -> ]The title will come down to UCONN, Pitt and UL. I am looking forward to both games later in the year.
Regular season title, I agree...but once everyone shows up at MSG, "strange things" happen (i.e. Syracuse's tournament run out of no where several years ago).
Curious Big East Question: Because the Big East Tournament at MSG is sooooo huge (i.e. important) do fans even care if their team wins a "regular season" Big East Title and/or is there such a thing??
Seems that all of the pub falls on the MSG Tourn Champ.
For conferences where a good conference record means a high seed in the NCAAs regardless of what happens in the conference tournaments, Conference tournaments usually don't mean much. Big East one probably means the most out of the Big 6 though. I remember many top coaches actually mock and belittle their own conference tournaments (Olsen-Pac 10, Knight-Big 10, ect). Even Syracuse have shown a lack of enthusiasium for the BET unless they're on the Bubble. A lot of schools use the conference tournament as rest and prepping for the NCAAs. Heck the NCAA tourney committee have shown many time to ignore conference tourney results for the big 6.
Regular season always means more for major conferences.