Big East Play Thread

[Oldgym]

Butler @ St John's, 38-38, halftime.

[Marcus92]

I'd be perfectly fine with 5 bids in if we see another Big East team in the Final Four this season — and maybe one or two others in the Sweet 16, for good measure.

In my opinion, teams making an impact in the NCAAs is better for the conference (and thus for Marquette). Once the tournament begins, nobody notices or remembers the 8th team in from some super conference that loses in the first round.

Conferences are known for their championship pedigrees. The ACC for Duke and NC (and I guess now Louisville). The B12 for Kansas. The Big 10 for Michigan State and Indiana. The Pac-12 for UCLA and Arizona. The SEC for Kentucky and Florida.

Right now, Villanova is the Big East's best candidate for creating a strong national identity in the eyes of fans and recruits. Hopefully we can join them — or knock them off the top perch — very soon.

[Slim]

No easy wins in the Beast. St. John's defeats Butler

[PGsHeroes32]

Butler might fade back to mid pack here soon.

[Golden Avalanche]

Butler might fade back to mid pack here soon.

Because they lost one game?

[PGsHeroes32]

Because they lost one game?

Because they are not that good

[warriorchick]

Here's a scenario for you guys who are into this to kick around:

Suppose every team in the Big East wins every home game and loses every away game.  In other words, they go 1-1 against every other BEast team. Also suppose that every game in the Big East tournament was hard-fought and very close.

How would the selection committee determine how many Big East teams should get into the tournament?  Would they base it mostly on non-con performances?

[Golden Avalanche]

Because they are not that good

They are not that good because they lost one game?

[PGsHeroes32]

They are not that good because they lost one game?

Because they are not that good

[Marcus92]

Here's a scenario for you guys who are into this to kick around:

Suppose every team in the Big East wins every home game and loses every away game.  In other words, they go 1-1 against every other BEast team. Also suppose that every game in the Big East tournament was hard-fought and very close.

How would the selection committee determine how many Big East teams should get into the tournament?  Would they base it mostly on non-con performances?

Okay. I'm game.

For starters, someone has to win the Big East tournament. Let's say St. John's, because they're playing at home in Madison Square Garden. They get the automatic bid with a record of 19-16 (9-9). Probably no better than a 12 seed. The rest would have to be based on non-conference results.

Losing all their away games would hurt good teams like Villanova, Creighton and Xavier the most. Nova's record at the end of the regular season, for example, would be 22-9 (9-9). Say they go to the BE championship and finish 24-10 (9-9). With every loss to an inferior team (based on pre-conference season rankings), the Wildcat's ranking would drop. They'd get maybe a 4 seed at best.

Xavier, Butler and Creighton probably still get bids — but somewhere in the 6 to 11 range. Marquette's prospects might not change that much, since we're projected to finish close to 9-9 anyway. On the bubble, maybe one of the last teams in.

I can't believe I just spent any amount of time thinking about this.

[Jay Bee]

Here's a scenario for you guys who are into this to kick around:

Suppose every team in the Big East wins every home game and loses every away game.  In other words, they go 1-1 against every other BEast team. Also suppose that every game in the Big East tournament was hard-fought and very close.

How would the selection committee determine how many Big East teams should get into the tournament?  Would they base it mostly on non-con performances?

RPI :/

They claim not to care about conf affiliation...

So, overall year's perf compared to all teams in the nation

[Marcus92]

RPI :/

They claim not to care about conf affiliation...

So, overall year's perf compared to all teams in the nation

For some reason, reading this makes me think about a thread maybe a year ago about the prospects of a Marquette team coached by mini Al McGuire (or with a roster entirely made up of mini Al McGuires, I can't remember).

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Haven't been sold on Butler all season. Still not sold.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Haven't been sold on Butler all season. Still not sold.

Continue to play some D and MU can make a little hay here.

[jsglow]

They are at Creighton.  I doubt a beat down will be coming.

True dat.  Should be a helluva game.  How bout them Johnnie!

[MUBigDance]

I'm one of many that's done the math to 10-8 with assumed wins home and away against STJ, DP ... assumed losses against NOVACORPS and mostly against CR, BT and X... but maybe we've got to throw all that math away.
I'm now seeing SH away as critical as GT at home because you just never know when a DePaul will be a jump shot away from tying the no1 team in the land.

[Tugg Speedman]

The close win over Depaul might be the best thing for Nova. A good wake up call to keep them focused.

They have won 19 straight, 45 at home (on campus court) and a national championship.

Oh, and they also beat Deapul are are still #1.

So why do you think they needed a wake up call and how exactly were they losing their focus?

[GGGG]

They have won 19 straight, 45 at home (on campus court) and a national championship.

Oh, and they also beat Deapul are are still #1.

So why do you think they needed a wake up call and how exactly were they losing their focus?

They were playing the perennial conference doormat at home the first game of the BE season, their first game after Christmas, before going on the road to play a top 10 team.

Pretty obvious how they could lose their focus going up 12 in the second half.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

They were playing the perennial conference doormat at home the first game of the BE season, their first game after Christmas, before going on the road to play a top 10 team.

Pretty obvious how they could lose their focus going up 12 in the second half.

Yep.  Classic trap game.

[MUBigDance]

They have won 19 straight, 45 at home (on campus court) and a national championship.

Oh, and they also beat Deapul are are still #1.

So why do you think they needed a wake up call and how exactly were they losing their focus?

Nova is on a great run....great to have a class act coach and program in our league for everyone else to aspire to. I think we need to mention Archie the human wakeup call that graduated last year. Real name Ryan Arcidiacono - I swear I thought his name was really Archie Diacono for a long time.

That guy will never make the NBA (although trying in the D league...I think the Spurs related). But I "hated him", he was frustrating but he was a general and I felt always on his toes. Nova may be even better this year but they may need a wakeup call not having Archie.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

They have won 19 straight, 45 at home (on campus court) and a national championship.

Oh, and they also beat Deapul are are still #1.

So why do you think they needed a wake up call and how exactly were they losing their focus?

Because they had won 19 straight, 45 straight at home, and a national championship.

When you win so many in a row, its easy to get a little complacent and think you are going to roll every team you play. A good scare against a bad team is a good way to ingrain the mindset that you can't take any opponent lightly.

[Golden Avalanche]

Because they are not that good

Ah. So you've got nothing.

[We R Final Four]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18376358/butler-bulldogs-team-plane-loses-cabin-pressure-coach-says-was-scary-had-guys-crying

First a bad loss then this.

[SaveOD238]

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18376358/butler-bulldogs-team-plane-loses-cabin-pressure-coach-says-was-scary-had-guys-crying

First a bad loss then this.

I remember some pretty severe turbulence on the charter plane back from Cleveland after we beat Syracuse (I was in the band).  I was gripping the armrest, players in the back were screaming.

What happened to Butler last night is so much worse.  That's the type of trauma that could leave lasting issues.  Glad everyone is ok.

[muwarrior69]

I do hope they find what caused the cabin to lose pressure. Should give EVERY D1 team pause when flying charter until the know what happened.