Byes In the Big East Tournament

[TallTitan34]

http://www.bigeast.org/pdf4/144247.pdf?ATCLID=1322952&SPSID=99617&SPID=11228&DB_OEM_ID=19400

Above is the link to the 2009 Big East Tournament bracket.  This year they are changing the bracket in order for all teams to make it.

Seeds 1 through 4 receive a first and second round bye.
Seeds 2 through 8 receive a first round bye.
Seeds 9 through 16 receive no bye games.

If Marquette was able to get a 1 through 4 seed could you imagine the last five games of the regular season plus playing a very quality Big East team in our first tournament game.  Yikes!

[Kramerica]

I think it will be tough to break into that top four listing, but I have a hard time with MU falling into the bottom half of the league, especially after starting off 4-0. 

[dsfire]

I understand why they wanted to keep byes in the BE tourney, but really all they've done is reduce the chances of the 9-12 seeds doing anything - it'll take a cinderella performance for a first-round team to make it to the final.

If Marquette was able to get a 1 through 4 seed could you imagine the last five games of the regular season plus playing a very quality Big East team in our first tournament game.  Yikes!

As a lower seed we'd have to play the same games PLUS a pretty decent team the day before

[🏀]

I think top 4 is possible, but an outside chance. I could see Syracuse losing a player due to suspension, handicapping them into March. Pitt, UConn, GT and us grabbing the byes. ND is still lurking though...

[The Man in Gold]

I'm a little disappointed they didn't go to the traditional 16 team bracket but from a preparation perspective it makes sense.  No top team wants to play 4 games in 4/5 days a week before the NCAA tournament.  Even if seeds 1-4 got to play on Tuesday with Wednesday as a rest day, that would still be 4 games in 5 days.  Ultimately that probably would hurt the Big East in the real tournament.  Its unfortunate because I think that would have made for better ratings and fan interest than the survive and advance ladder style we have now.

Either way it will be a great 5 days of basketball.  I think we finish in the 5-8 range - likely 5 or 6 again.

[dsfire]

Problem is the teams in the 5-8 seeds will be top teams, and have to play up to 4 games in 4 days (not that that's a change).  Hell, the 9 seed might be a top 25 team at the end of the season.

[reinko]

See it probably coming down to tie-breakers.  We already have one on WVU, so that's a plus.  If we can steal another at 'Nova, a split with GT, chances are good for a seed in the 4-6 range.

[Dish]

As brutal as the Big East is this year, I think the schedule sets up amazingly well for MU to be fighting for at least the fourth seed.

MU has a legit shot to be 9-1 heading to Villanova on Feb 9th.

@ Providence
DePaul
@ ND
Georgetown
@ DePaul
@ South Florida

I'm not saying they'll be 9-1 after this stretch, but it's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility. The have a week to prepare for Providence and for DePaul. At ND is almost a lock for a loss, but it's not crazy to think they can go 5-0 in the five games.

Then MU goes to 'Nova, followed by SJU and Seton Hall. Normally these might be trap games, but MU gets both at home in Milwaukee.

MU finishes with the stretch of five games everyone knows about.

@ G-Town
UConn
@ 'Ville
@ Pitt
Cuse

I think it really benefits MU having this stretch of the season. If MU can really pile up the wins heading into this stretch, they'll be in great shape. Plus, I like having all five of these in a row. If you put "@ Seton Hall" in the middle of this stretch, that would be screaming "Trap Game". MU will have to come out with da fire and da passion all in a row, and I think that will help big time. At Louisville doesn't sound as scary as it did prior to the season, and UConn and Syracuse visit us (with no return).

MU's off to a great start, and I think things set up nicely.

[dwaderoy2004]

Problem is the teams in the 5-8 seeds will be top teams, and have to play up to 4 games in 4 days (not that that's a change).  Hell, the 9 seed might be a top 25 team at the end of the season.

I think that is probably the most ridiculous thing about this conference this year.  Right now, a team in the top 25 is in the bottom half of the conference and would have to win 5 games in 5 days.  That is crazy.

[🏀]

MU will have to come out with da fire and da passion all in a row, and I think that will help big time.

Said only in the way da coach can.

[Big Papi]

I think that is probably the most ridiculous thing about this conference this year.  Right now, a team in the top 25 is in the bottom half of the conference and would have to win 5 games in 5 days.  That is crazy.

Why do all the teams have to go to MSG and why does it have to be over consecutive days? 

They could easily rectify this by having a conference tourny similar to what a lot of mid-majors do.   Play the first round 1-16 with no byes with the top 8 teams having home games on Monday or Tuesday.  (Goal for every team is to finish in the top half of the conference and get a home game)  The 8 winners then go to MSG with the games played on Thurs/Fri/Sat.   

[willie warrior]

I voted the Warriors in the 5-8 slot. iIwould just ask people who think that it will be tough to get in the top 4 slots to remember that 4 teams do have to make it, so why not MU? I do agree it will be tough but if we play tough and get some production out of the center position, why not MU?

We definitely need to establish a better inside presence, however.

[jaygall31]

I know it sucks not having a true inside presence for us....but can't we kind of go by the philosohpy "Just dont let that position hurt us offensively". We're rebounding a lot better than anyone could forsee. As long as burke can body up and Otule and Pat can bang around...why not us? I agree, Why Not us this year.

[jce]

I actually really like the format of the conference tourney.  Those who don't perform during the regular season have a much tougher time getting to the tournament than those who did perform during the regular season.  I have them 5-8.

[TallTitan34]

My main worry is that brutal five game stretch at the end coupled with a difficult game in the BET. 

When the committee looks at out last 10 games those 6 games will have a huge impact on our seeding. 

[Marquette84]

My main worry is that brutal five game stretch at the end coupled with a difficult game in the BET. 

When the committee looks at out last 10 games those 6 games will have a huge impact on our seeding. 

Should a 9-16 team ever actually play in 5 straight games, it would mean they've beaten one of the top 4 seeds--that would most definitely hurt the NCAA seeding of the #1 and #4 teams in the conference. 

In reality, no team should get 5 straight games--the champion will most likely come from the top 4 seeds, and those teams only play 3 games.

The notion that a lower seeded team will play their way in will only come at the expense of a top rated seed suffering in the NCAA.

Take, for example, the #9 seed.  If they win two more games (#16 and #8), then lose to #1 (no shame there), they should still get into the NCAA, and the #1 conference seed still has an excellent chance at a #1 overall--and therefore an increased chance of going deep into the NCAAs, hence more $$$ for the league.

On the other hand, if the #9 team actually does play five games in five days, it will mean that they've beaten the #1 and #4 teams.  That hurts the league because if #1 lost to #9, there is no way the Big East team gets a #1 seed (assuming other conferences avoid such meltdowns).

[radome]

I would prefer no byes but for a different reason.  There is nothing like a young team with a so-so record that matures at the end and wins the tourney to get an automatic bid to the big dance.  It would be extremely unlikely with the stacked BE this year but that young team could be MU in 09-10.  The top seeded teams will likely get in anyway - just one more from the conference.

[Brewtown Andy]

It looks like the fight for the final Day 1 bye is shaping up to be something fierce.