Heard Mike & Mike this morning discussing the latest bracket predictions form Lunardi. Good news is that he had Villanova as a #1 - bad news is that Providence and St. Johns were in his "first four out". So that leaves Creighton and Xavier as the only other BE teams (I assume). Or is this just the ESPN anti-Big East bias showing through?
No, I believe this is reality showing through. I have seen several other projected brackets that have just about the same thing, and none of those were from ESPN people.
Very likely to be a 3 bid league right now. Unless the Johnnies or PC do well in the tournament, or someone other than XU, VU, or CU win the BET. SJU's start to the season is really killing them. PC's finish to the season is killing them. MU's lack of any quality wins killing us.
Assuming one of Nova, Creighton, or Xavier wins the BET, I think the BE gets 4 bids provided St. John's, Providence, or Georgetown makes the finals knocking off one of Creighton or Nova along the way. If any two of St. John's, Providence and Georgetown face off in the championship game, I think we could get 5. Hopefully we join the list with a nice 3 games in 3 nights run though!
It will be a travesty if the A-10 gets more team in than the Big East. Head to head against A-10 the Big East has performed quite well...
MU over GWash
Georgetown over VCU
Creighton over St. Joes on road
Providence over LaSalle Neutral, win over Rhode Island away, OT loss at Mass on road
St. Johns by 50 over a bad Fordham club
Nova over St. Joes by 30
One bad loss - Creighton to GeorgeWashington..
Shaping up that way. I think St, johns may be able to play their way in, but I think Xavier is hanging by a thread. They lose to MU they are probably in trouble. The good news is that they have to select 68 teams, but I actually think only 2 teams remains a possibility. Georgetown or St. John's may need to get hot.
When it all shakes out, I think the Big East gets at least 4 bids.
I also believe that the St Johns-Prov winner is in.
If Georgetown beats Depaul, I think the tourney squeaks them due to their big wins.
If Xavier loses to us, they'll probably be the first team out.
Quote from: wardle2wade on March 10, 2014, 12:34:36 PM
When it all shakes out, I think the Big East gets at least 4 bids.
I also believe that the St Johns-Prov winner is in.
If Georgetown beats Depaul, I think the tourney squeaks them due to their big wins.
If Xavier loses to us, they'll probably be the first team out.
Agree on 1 and 3. X will be hoping for a trip to Dayton if they lose to MU.
I think Georgetown has to make it to Saturday to feel secure.
Quote from: Ners on March 10, 2014, 12:25:46 PM
It will be a travesty if the A-10 gets more team in than the Big East. Head to head against A-10 the Big East has performed quite well...
MU over GWash
Georgetown over VCU
Creighton over St. Joes on road
Providence over LaSalle Neutral, win over Rhode Island away, OT loss at Mass on road
St. Johns by 50 over a bad Fordham club
Nova over St. Joes by 30
One bad loss - Creighton to GeorgeWashington..
+1
This is why the committee baffles me sometimes. They reward leagues where the great teams demolish the weak (AAC, ACC, Big 12, SEC, A10, etc) and punish those where there is true competition. If Villanova lost to Depaul (before they lost Melvin) in regular season play, I would be surprised...but not dumbfounded.
The BEast also killed itself by scheduling soft non-cons. Besides us, who had a truly tough non-con slate? Numbers 3-7 in the BEast all have RPIs in the 50s and 60s but are actually in the top 40 teams in the nation.
I think a team other than Villanova, Creighton, or Xavier will win the BET. St John's in MSG will be tough.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on March 10, 2014, 12:24:13 PM
Very likely to be a 3 bid league right now. Unless the Johnnies or PC do well in the tournament, or someone other than XU, VU, or CU win the BET. SJU's start to the season is really killing them. PC's finish to the season is killing them. MU's lack of any quality wins killing us.
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Palm, at CBS Sports, has 4 BE teams in right now. While I agree our lack of good wins is hurting us, what is killing us is our playing 5 teams with RPI's over 300. Move those games to 150-200 RPI and we are in easily.
We did our part this week to help Providence and St. Johns get those bids.
Funny - one team's bad loss is another team's good win :)
Quote from: Ners on March 10, 2014, 12:25:46 PM
It will be a travesty if the A-10 gets more team in than the Big East. Head to head against A-10 the Big East has performed quite well...
MU over GWash
Georgetown over VCU
Creighton over St. Joes on road
Providence over LaSalle Neutral, win over Rhode Island away, OT loss at Mass on road
St. Johns by 50 over a bad Fordham club
Nova over St. Joes by 30
One bad loss - Creighton to GeorgeWashington..
The BEast also killed itself by scheduling soft non-cons. Besides us, who had a truly tough non-con slate? Numbers 3-7 in the BEast all have RPIs in the 50s and 60s but are actually in the top 40 teams in the nation.
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Reply:
On ESPN's RPI site, they list Marquette's strength of schedule as #57. Other teams in our conference: Georgetown-#9, Creighton-#17, DePaul-#24, Xavier-#40, Villanova-#45, and St. Johns-#52. Everyone in our conference had a strength of schedule below #100.
Quote from: kclem on March 10, 2014, 01:11:52 PM
On ESPN's RPI site, they list Marquette's strength of schedule as #57. Other teams in our conference: Georgetown-#9, Creighton-#17, DePaul-#24, Xavier-#40, Villanova-#45, and St. Johns-#52. Everyone in our conference had a strength of schedule below #100.
If you're in the mood to pile on, our schedule was another area that did not work out well at all this year. The schedule was very challenging but did not come with a commensurate strength of schedule because the buy games were so terrible.
Quote from: Jajuannaman on March 10, 2014, 12:25:08 PM
Assuming one of Nova, Creighton, or Xavier wins the BET, I think the BE gets 4 bids provided St. John's, Providence, or Georgetown makes the finals knocking off one of Creighton or Nova along the way. If any two of St. John's, Providence and Georgetown face off in the championship game, I think we could get 5. Hopefully we join the list with a nice 3 games in 3 nights run though!
That's what I've been saying. Of course it is pre-BET so things could change and we get 4.
An article that touches on this and the A-10
http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/college/content/20140309-kevin-mcnamara-big-east-tourney-carries-a-lot-of-weight-this-year.ece
I see this as the pro and con of a smaller (only 10 team) league vs. the old big east. Harder to get more than half the conference in the ncaa tournament because the losses have to come from somewhere. But in a down year, it seems much more realistic to have a chance to upset and win the conference tournament. Last year, no chance in heck could we win with the 16 team big east and playing that many nights in a row. Now with only 3 games in a row, seems more up for grabs. I kind of like that, more tourney excitement.
Quote from: BW221 on March 10, 2014, 06:23:55 PM
I see this as the pro and con of a smaller (only 10 team) league vs. the old big east. Harder to get more than half the conference in the ncaa tournament because the losses have to come from somewhere. But in a down year, it seems much more realistic to have a chance to upset and win the conference tournament. Last year, no chance in heck could we win with the 16 team big east and playing that many nights in a row. Now with only 3 games in a row, seems more up for grabs. I kind of like that, more tourney excitement.
That was my reasoning as well when I would debate with the guys who were saying 5 or 6. Simple mathematics.
Quote from: brandx on March 10, 2014, 06:31:40 PM
That was my reasoning as well when I would debate with the guys who were saying 5 or 6. Simple mathematics.
I suspect SLU and someone else will push us to 12 teams in the next few years, which will help a bit as well.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on March 10, 2014, 07:04:23 PM
I suspect SLU and someone else will push us to 12 teams in the next few years, which will help a bit as well.
I was hoping this season would bring to light who that #12th team might be, but I still don't have a clue. Wonder if it'll end up being Dayton when the time comes.
Sidenote... As strong as the #ABD movement was on scoop, Dayton fans do enjoy their basketball... always surprise me how well they travel.
I think the down years by Marquette and Georgetown impacts the perception of the league. The emergence of the middle class teams was great but not enough to offset . The conference tourney is going to be fought tooth and nail.
Results like tonight don't help
The only way it becomes a 4 bid league this year if MU wins the BET against PC or St. Johns.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on March 12, 2014, 11:09:34 PM
Results like tonight don't help
Providence and Xavier need wins tomorrow.
Quote from: TAMU Eagle on March 10, 2014, 12:43:43 PM
The BEast also killed itself by scheduling soft non-cons. Besides us, who had a truly tough non-con slate? Numbers 3-7 in the BEast all have RPIs in the 50s and 60s but are actually in the top 40 teams in the nation.
It killed itself by losing too many key non-conference games.
If MU had not lost to Ohio State, New Mexico, San Diego State, Wisconsin and Arizona State, we'd easily be in the tournament.
If St. Johns had not lost to Penn State, Syracuse and Wisconsin, they'd easily be in.
If Providence had not lost to Maryland, UMass and Kentucky, they'd easily be in.
These three teams lost every single major non-conference test combined. And no, I don't consider George Washington a major test.
Quote from: MUfan12 on March 12, 2014, 11:12:51 PM
Providence and Xavier need wins tomorrow.
I'm not convinced Xavier does. In fact, I think the Stainbrook injury helps them because it becomes a big excuse for a the reason why if they lose. Providence, yes they need to win. The winner of SJU \ Providence keeps hope alive, the loser is NIT bound.
Quote from: esard2011 on March 12, 2014, 11:12:30 PM
The only way it becomes a 4 bid league this year if MU wins the BET against PC or St. Johns.
If SJU or PC win it, 4 bid league. XU is going to make it.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on March 12, 2014, 11:39:20 PM
I'm not convinced Xavier does. In fact, I think the Stainbrook injury helps them because it becomes a big excuse for a the reason why if they lose.
I hope you're right. I thought they were safe after they beat Creighton, but then they went and lost to Seton Hall.
Two losses to a lousy team like MU wouldn't look great, either.
Quote from: MUfan12 on March 12, 2014, 11:42:48 PM
I hope you're right. I thought they were safe after they beat Creighton, but then they went and lost to Seton Hall.
Two losses to a lousy team like MU wouldn't look great, either.
I'll go with win tomorrow, they're a 11 or 10 seed. Lose tomorrow, they're a 12 seed.
Any good-chance scenario where we are a two-bid league?
My hope is "no" but my thought is "yes"
Quote from: ElDonBDon on March 13, 2014, 12:41:16 AM
Any good-chance scenario where we are a two-bid league?
My hope is "no" but my thought is "yes"
Sure, MU blows XU out of the arena tomorrow and then lays a big turd against Creighton. PC beats SJU and then turds against Nova.