Can The Big East Get Seven Teams In?

[Tugg Speedman]

Steward Mandel of Fox has the Big East Getting SEVEN teams in

http://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/story/bracket-watch-projections-predictions-bracketology-ncaa-tournament-mandel-022817

Nova - 1 seed
Butler - 3 seed
Creighton - 6 seed
Xavier - 9 seed
MU 9 - seed
Seton Hall - 10 seed
Providence - 11 seed

It would be great for MU and the Big East if this happened.  Especially considering the seven does not include "blue blood Georgetown."

All that said, this seems aggressive ... what say you?

[mileskishnish72]

Any hope of a 7 if we win Sat? 8-9 runs right into #1.

[rocky_warrior]

Well, half the conference was top 30 when conference season started.  So yes, 7 BE teams are within the best 68 teams in the land.

[Eye]

Sure. Would be surprised if 1 of the 7 weren't in the PIG, but 7 very possible at this point.

[amen426]

Lunardi just tweeted about 15 minutes ago his "last four in"...

Xavier, Cal, USC, Wake Forest

First four out:
Vandy, GT, Rhode Island, K-State

Hope Xavier gets in for all the injuries they endured this year. They'll play Depaul in back to back games. Will those 2 wins be enough to get into the tournament? I would think so..

[forgetful]

Lunardi just tweeted about 15 minutes ago his "last four in"...

Xavier, Cal, USC, Wake Forest

First four out:
Vandy, GT, Rhode Island, K-State

Hope Xavier gets in for all the injuries they endured this year. They'll play Depaul in back to back games. Will those 2 wins be enough to get into the tournament? I would think so..

The bolded is why that win was huge.  We swept Xavier, they only have Depaul left winning doesn't improve their situation at all.  Losing doesn't really hurt us compared to them, so we should always stay a spot in front of them. 

[GB Warrior]

Well, half the conference was top 30 when conference season started.  So yes, 7 BE teams are within the best 68 teams in the land.

Agreed, but i have a feeling only 6 make it.

FWIW, Lunardi now has X as last 4 in after tonight, and they're in trouble. They have not really beaten anyone of consequence save for Creighton (road).

That said, this conference has lived up to its glory day legacy of beating up on itself: MU sweeps XU, Prov sweeps MU, yada yada yada.

[rocky_warrior]

FWIW, Lunardi now has X as last 4 in after tonight, and they're in trouble. They have not really beaten anyone of consequence save for Creighton (road).

True, but they'll clobber DePaul this weekend, and likely squeak into the NCAA.  But even if they don't I'd rather MU makes it than X. 

[brewcity77]

Xavier needs to beat DePaul, and possibly twice as they could still get the 7. Can't afford a slip-up, but should be okay at 20-13 (9-9) on body of work, though man it's been an ugly month for them.

[bilsu]

Xavier only gets in if they take 7 teams. In my mind their is no way they can take Xavier ahead us. Right now my only worried would be if the committee only wants to give the Big East 5 bids. Beat Creighton on Saturday and there are no worries. Xavier will be definately out if they lose either game to DePaul. We probably want Xavier to win both games.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Xavier only gets in if they take 7 teams. In my mind their is no way they can take Xavier ahead us. Right now my only worried would be if the committee only wants to give the Big East 5 bids. Beat Creighton on Saturday and there are no worries. Xavier will be definately out if they lose either game to DePaul. We probably want Xavier to win both games.

You'd find a way to make any scenario depressing.

[Herman Cain]

I think the BET will have a big impact on the total number of Big East Teams in the tournament. The Big East Bubble teams who can get to the semi finals will have pretty good resumes.  If one of the Bubble teams wins the tournament it will help everyone for the most part.

[forgetful]

Agreed, but i have a feeling only 6 make it.

FWIW, Lunardi now has X as last 4 in after tonight, and they're in trouble. They have not really beaten anyone of consequence save for Creighton (road).

That said, this conference has lived up to its glory day legacy of beating up on itself: MU sweeps XU, Prov sweeps MU, yada yada yada.

What might end up being big for X, is the win against Wake.

[RJax55]

Xavier needs to beat DePaul, and possibly twice as they could still get the 7. Can't afford a slip-up, but should be okay at 20-13 (9-9) on body of work, though man it's been an ugly month for them.

Though DePaul is bad, they haven't quit on Leitao. Almost beat Seton Hall last Saturday. They have played most of the league quite tight at home. Scary, scary game for Xavier.

Reminds me of a similar situation back in 2012. Last conference game of the season and Seton Hall limped into the AllState right on the bubble. Got flat-out destroyed by a terrible DePaul squad. This was the Herb Pope Hall team, missed the tourney.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

X wins the next two and maybe one in the BET; MU, SH & Prov win Saturday; SJU goes all the way in the BET...

[Herman Cain]

X wins the next two and maybe one in the BET; MU, SH & Prov win Saturday; SJU goes all the way in the BET...

In the old days that would get a Sports Illustrated cover for the Big East.

[TallTitan34]

When the league got 11 of 16 even that was only 69%.

70% would be amazing.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Xavier needs to beat DePaul, and possibly twice as they could still get the 7. Can't afford a slip-up, but should be okay at 20-13 (9-9) on body of work, though man it's been an ugly month for them.

+1

[burger]

Even though I believe not published on the site until later today......

Joe Lunardi has dropped Xavier to an 11 seed updated after last night......

Who would think that Depaul could have the chance to take a 2nd BEast team out of contention.....

[bilsu]

You'd find a way to make any scenario depressing.

I look at the possibilities. The risk to MU is how many bids the committee thinks the Big East deserves. Certainly, I could see them not wanting to give Big East 7 bids.
It comes down to how many bids they are going to give to the other power 6 conferences. If they are putting in team's like Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Iowa, etc. because they think those leagues deserve more bids than it is coming out of someone else's hide. Also, you have the risk of an unexpected team winning the power conference's tourney. For example if they feel there are 9 ACC teams that deserve bids and somehow one of the other teams win the conference tourney. Personally, I think the ACC should not get an extra bid if this happens, but it more likely is going to drop a last four in team. The last bracketology had three Big East teams in the last four, so anything funny happening is likely to hurt our conference. Also, I do not believe they will allow 3 Big East teams in the play in games, which means they would have to move a team up or out.

[muwarrior69]

Any hope of a 7 if we win Sat? 8-9 runs right into #1.

I rather be a 10, 11 or 12. Three 11 seeds have made it to the final 4. Nova was the lowest seeded team to win it all back in '85 as an 8 seed.

[Herman Cain]

I look at the possibilities. The risk to MU is how many bids the committee thinks the Big East deserves. Certainly, I could see them not wanting to give Big East 7 bids.
It comes down to how many bids they are going to give to the other power 6 conferences. If they are putting in team's like Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Iowa, etc. because they think those leagues deserve more bids than it is coming out of someone else's hide. Also, you have the risk of an unexpected team winning the power conference's tourney. For example if they feel there are 9 ACC teams that deserve bids and somehow one of the other teams win the conference tourney. Personally, I think the ACC should not get an extra bid if this happens, but it more likely is going to drop a last four in team. The last bracketology had three Big East teams in the last four, so anything funny happening is likely to hurt our conference. Also, I do not believe they will allow 3 Big East teams in the play in games, which means they would have to move a team up or out.

I think MU,Providence and Seton Hall doing well are helping the entire league.   The case for 7 Big East teams is strong if those 3 keep performing well.

The good news for the Big East is all 7 candidates had decent non conference results.

[bradley center bat]

Xavier only gets in if they take 7 teams. In my mind their is no way they can take Xavier ahead us. Right now my only worried would be if the committee only wants to give the Big East 5 bids.

The committee give teams bids, not leagues. Plus, I don't think the committee is saying I feel like giving the Big East only 5 bids.   

[muwarrior69]

What are the final games on Saturday? I know we play Creighton and X plays Depaul.

[Coleman]

Any hope of a 7 if we win Sat? 8-9 runs right into #1.

I think that's pushing it. A lot of brackets still have us as a 10 or 11. Going to take a few wins at the BET to move up to a 7.

I think if we beat Creighton, we are probably at best a 9 going into the BET. If we lose, we are an 11, possibly playing in Dayton.