Any way the Big East gets 9?

[Coleman]

The conference is so deep and really you could argue that maybe 10 are deserving of bids. But that's never gonna happen. Realistically, is there any way we get 9 teams in this year?

Would a South Florida or Cincinnati (or Marquette) get in with 10-8 records and a win in the Big East tourny?

My take: I really feel like there is going to be a 9th place team with a solid case. Of course this will also depend on whether the strong teams in the mid-majors can pull out championships in their respective conference tournaments. Keeping the bubble relatively small.

[77ncaachamps]

In the same vein, if any of the BE bubble teams are to be considered, they must go far in the conference tourney to lock their bid to dance despite posting a respectable last 12 games.

[Coleman]

Yeah I agree. It might take an upset of a Villanova or Syracuse in the quarters for a South Florida, Notre Dame, Cincy, or 10-8 Marquette squad. But I think that's possible.

[BrewCity83]

I expect some of the teams that are in the top 10 of the Big East now to start dropping some games as they all play each other down the stretch.  I bet probably 8 will finish strong (I expect MU to finish in the top 8 now) and the 9-10-11 teams in the conference probably won't get to 10 wins.  I say 8 get in.

[HoopsMalone]

Considering that the Pac-10 might only get 2 in, the BE could fill that gap. 

[Tom Crean's Tanning Bed]

The ND win over USF was big. Stops USF's momentum a bit and knocks them down to 5-6.  Buzz would be well advised to look over the game tape and see how ND was able to contain Dominique Jones (which I am sure he is doing as we speak).

ND needed that win badly, but probably still won't get in unless they can win a road game or 2.  They are absolute garbage away from the Joyce Center, and considering they still have to go to Seton Hall, Louisville, Georgetown, and Marquette, that road win may be hard to come by.

[pillardean]

Considering that the Pac-10 might only get 2 in, the BE could fill that gap.

A10 and Mountain West will fill that gap and then some.
 
SEC is still down though they are better than last year just not that much better.  ACC isn't that strong either.  It's a toss up there, no real "locks" other than Duke and G Tech.  So, I guess, maybe there will be more than 8 but I don't find that likely.  Most probably 7 and possibly 8 will be NCAA teams if you ask me.  

[BuzzSucksSucks]

Pomeroy projects 7 BE teams to finish 10-8 or better (Check out the "Proj" column),  with Marquette in a group tied for 4th at 11-7.  I think it looks good for us, and maybe even 10-8 might be enough.  http://kenpom.com/conf.php?y=2010&c=BE

[Eye]

In concept, sure. I'd say there are 5 teams right now, barring something really strange happening the next month, that are in in cuse, nova, WV, Gtown and Pitt. And there are only 3 teams that can only get in by winning the BET, SJU, Rutgers and DU. So 4 of the remaining 8 have to play well enough in the next month or so to get there.

Remembering back to that year where CUSA got six in, there were 5 teams at 12-4 and UL at 9-7. The teams in that middle 8 have to start beating those teams in the top 5 more often than they have been so far (5 times so far in 23 chances, ND over WV, MU over Gtown, USF over Gtown, Hall over Pitt, USF over Pitt). I think 9 teams would need to get to 10-8, and that 9th place team would have to for sure beat the 8th place team in the BET, and at least give the No 1 seed a run for their money. The bottom 7 can't be beating the top 9. And I think there'd have to be a gap of at least two games from 9 to 10, i.e. 9 is 10-8 and the other seven are all 8-10 or worse.

That all being said, I don't think it's going to happen. Looking at the schedules of those 8 teams ...

UL - probably needs to win 2 of the following 5 - home and home with cuse, Gtown, at UConn, at MU. I think they'll do that.
MU - probably needs to win 2 of the following 4 - Pitt, at Cincy, at Hall, at SJU. I think they'll do that.
ND - probably needs to win 3 of the following 5 - Pitt, at Hall, at UL, at Gtown, at MU. I don't see them doing that.

[Eye]

Oops. Continuing on ...

UC - Probably need to win five of the following 6, at UConn, at USF, MU, at WV, nova, at Gtown. I don't see them doing that.
USF - Probably need to win at MU or at nova. Certainly possible, but I don't see them doing that.
UConn - Probably need to win at cuse or nova. Once again certainly possible, but I don't see them doing that.
PC - Probably need to win out, including Gtown, at nova, WV, cuse, at USF, at Pitt. No shot.
Hall - Actually not too bad of a shot believe it or not. I think they've had to win all of the following four including MU at home, but all they have left on the road are SJU, at WV and at PC. Possible, but probably not.

I think there's a better chance that just MU and UL break free from the middle group of 8 to have secure spots going into the BET and only seven get in instead of nine. But it is possible with some upsets, i.e. USF winning at MU or nova, or UConn winning at cuse or nova.