Big East Tourney bracket: Week-ending 2/28 (including Mon game)

[MUBasketball]

OK here's the new look at the tournament, if the season ended tonight. Again, I think I seeded the 7-9 teams correctly -- only possible error would be swapping South Florida and Cincinnati. USF is 2-1 against the other three teams (66.6%), while Cincy is 3-2 (60%). So since USF and Cincy split, not sure if the tie-breaker is wins against other teams with the same record, or winning percentage against the other teams. I went with winning percentage. Somebody feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

Movement since last week:
Notre Dame: Jumped from #10 to #8 (+2)
USF: Jumped from #11 to #9 (+2)
Cincinnati: Jumped from #12 to #10 (+2)
Rutgers: Jumped from #15 to #13 (+2)
West Virginia: Jumped from #4 to #3 (+1)

Pitt: Dropped from #3 to #4 (-1)
St. John's: Dropped from #13 to #14 (-1)
Providence: Dropped from #14 to #15 (-1)
UConn: Dropped from #8 to #11 (-3)
Seton Hall: Dropped from #9 to #12 (-3)

[dsfire]

That would be a poor draw for us.  And that's plain embarrassing for St. John's to be even with/behind Rutgers; SJU is a much better team.

[PGsHeroes32]

We are actually in 5th right now not 6th. Its all moot though since winner of tomorrows game gets 5th.

[HoopsMalone]

Let's be sure to swap with Louisville if that bracket holds.  Or, at least, avoid UConn at all costs.  Give me the Rutgers/Seton Hall winner.

[MUBasketball]

We are actually in 5th right now not 6th. Its all moot though since winner of tomorrows game gets 5th.

Incorrect, until the game is played tomorrow, Louisville wins the tie-breaker. In situations where teams have identical conference records, and they split (or, in this example, haven't yet played), then the tie-breaker is determined by highest seeded team defeated. Since Louisville beat the #1 seed Syracuse, they would get the higher seed.

[bamamarquettefan]

so if we win tomorrow, then we guaranty a 5th seed (unless Pitt were to forget to show up for their two easy home wins to open the door for 4th).  That means a 2 p.m. game on the 10th, and I just found out I have to fly up to Jersey for a morning meeting that day and could actually stay for a 2 p.m. game but not a 7 pm or 9 pm.  Come on guys, if you win I get to come unexpectedly!

[PGsHeroes32]

Well on this site and Cbs we are listed ahead of them thanks to our better record

[Jacks DC]

so if we win tomorrow, then we guaranty a 5th seed (unless Pitt were to forget to show up for their two easy home wins to open the door for 4th).  That means a 2 p.m. game on the 10th, and I just found out I have to fly up to Jersey for a morning meeting that day and could actually stay for a 2 p.m. game but not a 7 pm or 9 pm.  Come on guys, if you win I get to come unexpectedly!

Are these time slots already set?  I have been to the BE tourney a few times and I always thought they set the time slots after the matchup was set (slotting the best matchups for TV in prime time).

[MUBurrow]

i really wouldnt want that.  especially if we dont win our next two, that matchup against uconn reeks of a play in game.

[PGsHeroes32]

lets just punch our ticket tomorrow night, but in all honesty that game vs Uconn would be a play in game, if Uconn finishes 11th it means they lose downt he stretch in their last 2

[Doctor V]

Pretty nice that MU can lock up the 5 seed with a win tomorrow.

Not so nice that all that the games are so early. Maybe its my fault for moving out west...

I wish it were possible for MU to win and keep that 6pm pst slot

[jaygall31]

yes to avoiding Uconn, but would love another battle with Pitt in the Quarters.

[ChicosBailBonds]

i really wouldnt want that.  especially if we dont win our next two, that matchup against uconn reeks of a play in game.

Yup, that's why on CS last night I talked about the Doomsday scenario.  Losing the next two at home and then playing either St. John's in the Garden or UCONN.  That could be three straight losses.

We HAVE to win one of the next two games.

[NavinRJohnson]

Pretty nice that MU can lock up the 5 seed with a win tomorrow.

Pretty amazing. As it stands, MU is guaranteed to finish in the upper half of the BE. Whodda thunk it? Not me. I figured we had a chance to get there, but certainly not with two games left to play, and certainly not if you had told me that Junior, COT, and Maymon would be MIA for the majority of the season. I would have been ok with an NIT bid before the season started, and before the injuries. Regardless of what happens this week, they have had a great season all things considered. That said, I sure do hope they win tonight, lock up  that 5th spot and and the NCAA bid.

[mu_hilltopper]

Looking at the first column, the bottom half of the BE .. we've beaten 7 of 8 of those teams.  (Damnit, DePaul.)

We beat 1 of the top 7 (GTown).  (Top 8 includes us.)  Thankfully, we have 2 more chances versus top 8 teams this week.

[willie warrior]

Just curious: Why is Loserville a 5 seed and we are a 6 seed right now. Is there a tie breaker that has already determined that at this point?

It will definitely be determined tonight.

[bma725]

Just curious: Why is Loserville a 5 seed and we are a 6 seed right now. Is there a tie breaker that has already determined that at this point?

Tie breaker when you haven't played is highest seed defeated.  They beat Syracuse, therefore they are ahead of us.

[Marquette84]

Pretty amazing. As it stands, MU is guaranteed to finish in the upper half of the BE. Whodda thunk it? Not me. I figured we had a chance to get there, but certainly not with two games left to play, and certainly not if you had told me that Junior, COT, and Maymon would be MIA for the majority of the season. I would have been ok with an NIT bid before the season started, and before the injuries. Regardless of what happens this week, they have had a great season all things considered. That said, I sure do hope they win tonight, lock up  that 5th spot and and the NCAA bid.

Some of us said .500 was the floor for this year's team.

[dsfire]

Yup, that's why on CS last night I talked about the Doomsday scenario.  Losing the next two at home and then playing either St. John's in the Garden or UCONN.  That could be three straight losses.

We HAVE to win one of the next two games.

Not that I'd like to see that scenario to happen, but why is playing St. John's in the Garden such a terrible thing?  They've drawn terribly there this year, and I can't imagine they'll suddenly double in fans for the tournament.  Plus we have some precedent in being able to beat them in MSG.

[copious1218]

Aside from the first game against possibly UConn - I like the draw of WV in the quarters and Nova in the semis.  Better, IMHO, then drawing Pitt and Cuse.

[Doctor V]

Yup, that's why on CS last night I talked about the Doomsday scenario.  Losing the next two at home and then playing either St. John's in the Garden or UCONN.  That could be three straight losses.

We HAVE to win one of the next two games.

The problem with this scenario is that if UConn wants anything to do with a "play-in-game" they will not be sitting on that 11 seed- they would be out with that seed unless their "play-in-game" came in the BE semis or final.

UConn must beat ND, if not win both of its next two- this would bump them to a likely 8 seed in the conference tournament. I just dont see an 8-10 finish in the conference doing it for them, unless they roll through to the Finals of the conference tournament. Their resume is better than other bubble teams, but not to the extent where they could finish 8-10, win 2 games in the BET, and get in

[BrewCity83]

I hope UConn gets hot.  It helps MU since we beat 'em.

[Doctor V]

I hope UConn gets hot.  It helps MU since we beat 'em.

Sorry, but I dont really agree with this. MU doesnt really need much help at this point, since they control their own destiny and shouldn't rely on a win at UConn to get into the tournament. Also, Marquette has multiple away wins now, and one at bubble dweller UConn wont make the difference

The last thing MU needs is another BE team being right on the bubble. Lunardi, amazingly in my opinion, still has them in. Im not claiming to be smarter than he is, but I'd be shocked if they were in at this point.

That said, I really do think that UConn vs ND tomorrow is as close to a play-in game as you can get before the conference tournaments. I believe Lunardi will take UConn off his bracket if they lose, or will be right back on the bubble if they win

[robmufan]

I hope UConn gets hot.  It helps MU since we beat 'em.

Out of UCONN, USF, and UC...I would think that UCONN is the team I least want to see!

[TJ]

Looking at the first column, the bottom half of the BE .. we've beaten 7 of 8 of those teams.  (Damnit, DePaul.)

We beat 1 of the top 7 (GTown).  (Top 8 includes us.)  Thankfully, we have 2 more chances versus top 8 teams this week.

Actually, we beat all of the bottom 8, and are 9-1 against them.  Doesn't help S.O.S. when 2 of your 3 home and home games are against the bottom 2 teams in the conference, but it certainly helps your win total.