Lousy night for the Big East

[Wade for President]

NIT #1 seed St. John's loses by 11 @ home to Robert Morris, and NC State is starting to run away from Xavier in the play-in game.

Ugh.  Really need somebody to carry the conference torch this week.

[ChicosBailBonds]

NIT #1 seed St. John's loses by 11 @ home to Robert Morris

May end up being the most embarrassing day in St. John's basketball history

[GoldenWarrior11]

Robert Morris beat Kentucky last year, at Kentucky.  They are no slouch.

[EnderWiggen]

Ugh.  Really need somebody to carry the conference torch this week.

Don't worry, we got this!

wait...

Well, at least GT won

[wardle2wade]

Robert Morris beat Kentucky last year, at Kentucky.  They are no slouch.

Robert Morris won at home last year vs UK.  Kentucky opted to play on the road due to Rupp being used for NCAA's.

[Mutaman]

May end up being the most embarrassing day in St. John's basketball history

No there was that night in that strip club and then the hotel  in Pittsburgh. One player expelled and 5 suspended. About 10 years ago. Tonight was pretty bad though.

[Eye]

Pretty good point there. Ah, the days of Mike Jarvis ruining the program. Still recovering to some degree.

[77ncaachamps]

Fans were overheard cheering, "Fire Lavin."

wow...

[The Equalizer]

Fans were overheard cheering, "Fire Lavin."

wow...

This year in non-conference play Robert Morris had already lost to Eastern Kentucky, Buffalo, Delaware, Youngstown State, Oakland, Oklahoma State and Alabama . . .in addition to the aforementioned Kentucky.  Plus conference losses to Central Connecticut, Wagner, and Mount St. Mary's.

St. Johns losing at home by double digits to Robert Morris is a debacle of Western Michigan proportions.

[jt92]

Let's face it folks, this is a lousy conference.  The brief stint in the old big east was fun.  Unfortunately it had to end.  And while so many people on this board were excited to renew rivalries with Xavier and butler there were some of us who were realists and knew that the subtractions and the additions to the BE was a considerable step backwards.  It's going to be much more difficult for us to rebuild in this mid major than it was in the old conference.  Those are the facts right now. These are the cards that have been dealt to us and we go from here but it's sad.  My guess also is that Xavier and providence wouldn't have made the tournament in the old BE and Villanova certainly wouldn't be a 2 seed...because the conference is weak!

[slack00]

Let's face it folks, this is a lousy conference.  The brief stint in the old big east was fun.  Unfortunately it had to end.  And while so many people on this board were excited to renew rivalries with Xavier and butler there were some of us who were realists and knew that the subtractions and the additions to the BE was a considerable step backwards.  It's going to be much more difficult for us to rebuild in this mid major than it was in the old conference.  Those are the facts right now. These are the cards that have been dealt to us and we go from here but it's sad.  My guess also is that Xavier and providence wouldn't have made the tournament in the old BE and Villanova certainly wouldn't be a 2 seed...because the conference is weak!

Great.  What do you suggest should have happened instead?  Accept the invitation from the B1G or ACC that was never extended?

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

This year in non-conference play Robert Morris had already lost to Eastern Kentucky, Buffalo, Delaware, Youngstown State, Oakland, Oklahoma State and Alabama . . .in addition to the aforementioned Kentucky.  Plus conference losses to Central Connecticut, Wagner, and Mount St. Mary's.

St. Johns losing at home by double digits to Robert Morris is a debacle of Western Michigan proportions.

Still more embarrassing for Kentucky. They were preseason top 5 and coming off a national championship.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Let's face it folks, this is a lousy conference.  The brief stint in the old big east was fun.  Unfortunately it had to end.  And while so many people on this board were excited to renew rivalries with Xavier and butler there were some of us who were realists and knew that the subtractions and the additions to the BE was a considerable step backwards.  It's going to be much more difficult for us to rebuild in this mid major than it was in the old conference.  Those are the facts right now. These are the cards that have been dealt to us and we go from here but it's sad.  My guess also is that Xavier and providence wouldn't have made the tournament in the old BE and Villanova certainly wouldn't be a 2 seed...because the conference is weak!

Then please explain why the Big East was consistently ranked the 3rd or 4th best conference in the nation the entire year...

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Let's face it folks, this is a lousy conference.  The brief stint in the old big east was fun.  Unfortunately it had to end.  And while so many people on this board were excited to renew rivalries with Xavier and butler there were some of us who were realists and knew that the subtractions and the additions to the BE was a considerable step backwards.  It's going to be much more difficult for us to rebuild in this mid major than it was in the old conference.  Those are the facts right now. These are the cards that have been dealt to us and we go from here but it's sad.  My guess also is that Xavier and providence wouldn't have made the tournament in the old BE and Villanova certainly wouldn't be a 2 seed...because the conference is weak!

So all the experts and numbers saying we were the 4th best conference were? What? Idiots? Drunk?

It's definitely going to be hard to rebuild when the Big East is currently tied for 2nd in 2014 Top 100 recruits with 14. We trail the ACC (20) and are tied with Kentucky...I mean...the SEC (why do I keep doing that?). Let's not forget that the ACC has 5 more teams than us and the SEC has 4 more. We have also out recruited the Big 10, Big 12, PAC 12, MWC, and A10...most of whom have more teams than we do.

We got 40% of our conference in the tournament this year. That's pretty darn good. What's that say about the SEC who got 1 less bid with 4 more teams?

And let's not forget the $$$. Our basketball programs are making more TV money than any other.

I think we are doing just fine.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

So all the experts and numbers saying we were the 4th best conference were? What? Idiots? Drunk?

It's definitely going to be hard to rebuild when the Big East is currently tied for 2nd in 2014 Top 100 recruits with 14. We trail the ACC (20) and are tied with Kentucky...I mean...the SEC (why do I keep doing that?). Let's not forget that the ACC has 5 more teams than us and the SEC has 4 more. We have also out recruited the Big 10, Big 12, PAC 12, MWC, and A10...most of whom have more teams than we do.

We got 40% of our conference in the tournament this year. That's pretty darn good. What's that say about the SEC who got 1 less bid with 4 more teams?

And let's not forget the $$$. Our basketball programs are making more TV money than any other.

I think we are doing just fine.

Exactly. Its foolish to expect a year like 2011 where the Big East got 11 out of their 16 teams in. That kind of outlier will never happen again, even for the current ACC.

[spartan3186]

Motivation plays a HUGE role in the NIT. St Johns was quite obviously not motivated against Robert Morris. They expected an NCAA appearance and ended up in the NIT.

Honestly, if we had played in the NIT I would've put a huge sum of money on our opponent. Our senior class was coming off 2 Sweet 16s and an Elite 8. You think they would've been motivated in the NIT? Not a chance.

[chapman]

Motivation plays a HUGE role in the NIT. St Johns was quite obviously not motivated against Robert Morris. They expected an NCAA appearance and ended up in the NIT.

Honestly, if we had played in the NIT I would've put a huge sum of money on our opponent. Our senior class was coming off 2 Sweet 16s and an Elite 8. You think they would've been motivated in the NIT? Not a chance.

Agree completely.  Really don't care for judging NIT performances.  Half the teams don't try or don't care, then you get the Western Michigan or Robert Morris that was hoping is glad to be there.  The Western Michigan "embarrassment" ranks up there with the Michael Beasley massacre in my most embarrassing moments in MU history.

[Eldon]

Let's face it folks, this is a lousy conference.  The brief stint in the old big east was fun.  Unfortunately it had to end.  And while so many people on this board were excited to renew rivalries with Xavier and butler there were some of us who were realists and knew that the subtractions and the additions to the BE was a considerable step backwards.  It's going to be much more difficult for us to rebuild in this mid major than it was in the old conference.  Those are the facts right now. These are the cards that have been dealt to us and we go from here but it's sad.  My guess also is that Xavier and providence wouldn't have made the tournament in the old BE and Villanova certainly wouldn't be a 2 seed...because the conference is weak!

Everyone on this board and I'm sure everyone on the boards of the other Catholic 7 schools agree with you that this conference will never even be close to the old BE.  But reaching old BE status is a very, very high hurdle to jump.

Football gave us lemons, we made lemonade.  That's being realistic.

[connie]

Everyone on this board and I'm sure everyone on the boards of the other Catholic 7 schools agree with you that this conference will never even be close to the old BE.  But reaching old BE status is a very, very high hurdle to jump.

Football gave us lemons, we made lemonade.  That's being realistic.

Agree. Let's not forget just how awesome the old BE was.  We should be happy to be a part of that history.

[jt92]

I just don't think the conference is any good.  It's just my opinion.  There's probably nothing we can do about it which makes it sad.  Makes it even tougher this year when we are sitting home.  I guess I should have a parade because maybe just maybe we can get tournament team Dayton in our conference soon.

[CTWarrior]

Exactly. Its foolish to expect a year like 2011 where the Big East got 11 out of their 16 teams in. That kind of outlier will never happen again, even for the current ACC.

Not for nothing, other than us and UConn, the Big East was TERRIBLE in the 2011 NCAA tournament (the year we got 11 teams - see below).  Crazy to judge the conference on one season.  I think we will regularly send 3-5 teams year in and year out.  Of course not as good as the Big East since we joined.  This conference will be fine until the big time football programs split off from the NCAA (if they do that).

#1 Pittsburgh beat #16 UNC-Asheville, lost to #8 Butler
#2 Notre Dame beat #15 Akron, lost badly to #10 Florida State
#3 UConn won national championship
#3 Syracuse beat #14 Indiana State, lost to #11 Marquette
#4 Louisville lost to #13 Morehead State
#5 West Virginia beat #12 Clemson, lost to #4 Kentucky
#6 Georgetown got killed by #11 VCU
#6 Saint John's lost to #11 Gonzaga
#6 Cincinnati beat #11 Missouri, lost to #3 UConn
#9 Villanova lost to #8 George Mason
#11 Marquette beat #6 Xavier, beat #3 Syracuse, lost to #2 North Carolina


6 lost earlier than seed expected
3 lost when seed expected to lose
2 exceeded expectations

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Not for nothing, other than us and UConn, the Big East was TERRIBLE in the 2011 NCAA tournament (the year we got 11 teams - see below).  Crazy to judge the conference on one season.  I think we will regularly send 3-5 teams year in and year out.  Of course not as good as the Big East since we joined.  This conference will be fine until the big time football programs split off from the NCAA (if they do that).

#1 Pittsburgh beat #16 UNC-Asheville, lost to #8 Butler
#2 Notre Dame beat #15 Akron, lost badly to #10 Florida State
#3 UConn won national championship
#3 Syracuse beat #14 Indiana State, lost to #11 Marquette
#4 Louisville lost to #13 Morehead State
#5 West Virginia beat #12 Clemson, lost to #4 Kentucky
#6 Georgetown got killed by #11 VCU
#6 Saint John's lost to #11 Gonzaga
#6 Cincinnati beat #11 Missouri, lost to #3 UConn
#9 Villanova lost to #8 George Mason
#11 Marquette beat #6 Xavier, beat #3 Syracuse, lost to #2 North Carolina


6 lost earlier than seed expected
3 lost when seed expected to lose
2 exceeded expectations

Just to play devils advocate. Butler made it the NC game that year and some guy named Brad Stevens. Twice the BE knocked each other out. Gerogetown is well...Georgetown and VCU beat everybody in their path and the 8 vs 9 matchup us essentially a toss-up.

[The Sultan of Silly]

I just don't think the conference is any good.  It's just my opinion.  There's probably nothing we can do about it which makes it sad.  Makes it even tougher this year when we are sitting home.  I guess I should have a parade because maybe just maybe we can get tournament team Dayton in our conference soon.[/quote

I agree with JT92.....when everyone else on this board was euphoric when we broke off to form our own conference I knew it was a sad day for Marquette and others as a slow death of the program was inevitable......much like the slow death post 1977 until 1989 when we bottomed out and started to rise again under O'Neil and had some good breaks along the way with the formation of the Great Midwest conference, hiring Tom Crean, getting Dwyane Wade, having Louisville with us in Conference USA, joining the Big East and having Buzz as our coach.  I'm afraid the slow downturn has begun again.    

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I agree with JT92.....when everyone else on this board was euphoric when we broke off to form our own conference I knew it was a sad day for Marquette and others as a slow death of the program was inevitable......much like the slow death post 1977 until 1989 when we bottomed out and started to rise again under O'Neil and had some good breaks along the way with the formation of the Great Midwest conference, hiring Tom Crean, getting Dwyane Wade, having Louisville with us in Conference USA, joining the Big East and having Buzz as our coach.  I'm afraid the slow downturn has begun again.    

Well youre also a troll who is just seeking attention so I put no stock into any of your opinions.

[GooooMarquette]

Everyone on this board and I'm sure everyone on the boards of the other Catholic 7 schools agree with you that this conference will never even be close to the old BE.  But reaching old BE status is a very, very high hurdle to jump.

Football gave us lemons, we made lemonade.  That's being realistic.

Very well said.  It isn't like we had a better option....