Big East not that strong?

[NersEllenson]

I actually agree with you here.  Excepting the Seton Hall game, which I discount because of all the stuff going on around the team, I think those games mean something.  The ball's in the air and the kids are playing, I think they're giving effort.  Why would NC State or Texas Tech be any more enthusiastic?

In the end, other than Syracuse, I see real flaws on all the Big East teams this year.  While I used to be a huge national college basketball fan, I have slowly narrowed my focus onto just the Big East the last few years since we joined.  So I admittedly lack perspective.  To me, West Virginia is weak at guard and aren't the best scoring team in the world (which is always of paramount importance in the NCAAs), Nova can't defend and is too small (they are basically us + 5%), Pittsburgh always underperforms in the NCAAs because they can't consistently score the ball, ND is slow and is using gimmmicky slow down tactics which never work over sustained periods in the NCAA since the shot clock, we are small and lack depth and have no level to rise to as I think we are maxed out (think Keady's old Purdue teams), Georgetown is inconsistent and not deep, and Louisville is wildly inconsistent.  Maybe I'm jaded by how good everyone was last year, but I just don't think the league is that strong and I'd be surprised by any Big East team in the Final Four other than Syracuse, and even they have lost their last two games.

I suppose if you went through all the other schools you could come up with the same types of stuff.  All that really matters is us, though.  Anywhere from a 10 point point loss to UW to an Elite 8 wouldn't shock me with these guys.

Agree with your analysis 100%..all well said. 

Why would you judge a conference by the consolation tournament?  It makes no sense at all!

I'm not sure we are judging this conference based on the NIT tournament, but rather just trying to draw some insight into how things could play out in the Bg dance.  When you have two 9-9 Big East teams who lose to 5-11 NCState and 4-12 Texas Tech (and consider NC State beat Mu at home), it gives me pause for concern about how the Big East will fare in the NCAA and partiularily how we stack up against Big 12/AC Teams.  that said Cincy beat Maryland too. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

St. John's loses tonight by 2 points at Memphis

Cincinnati wins over Weber State


Big East 2-3 in the NIT thus far

[NersEllenson]

St. John's loses tonight by 2 points at Memphis

Cincinnati wins over Weber State


Big East 2-3 in the NIT thus far

Man, St. Johns lost another heartbreaker last night.  Gotta credit the Memphis fan base, great turnout for an NIT game, loud and into it - It certainly looked like that game mattered to its fans, players, as well as the St. John's kids.  Needless to say, we barely beat St. Johns, and their Big East record was deceiving on some level - whereas Memphis was 13-3 in Conference USA, good for 2nd place.

[TallTitan34]

Notre Dame and Villanova aren't helping the case...

[JMcSteal]

yup good job ND and Nova, reppin the big east well

[CTWarrior]

yup good job ND and Nova, reppin the big east well

Villanova was absolutely given that game by the referees the last few minutesmof regulation.  Reynolds hurled himself into the defense and got the call four times in a row, all questionable.  He doesn't get any one of those calls and Nova loses.  I thought Rice was going to attack an official at one point.