Big East Conference Predictions

[brewcity77]

Now that non-conference play is mostly done, I'm curious how everyone sees the league shaking out in 2019. Records not needed. Here's mine:

1) Marquette 15-3
2) Villanova 12-6
3) Seton Hall 11-7
4) Creighton 10-8
5) Butler 10-8
6) Providence 9-9
7) St John's 8-10
8) DePaul 6-12
9) Xavier 5-13
10) Georgetown 4-14

[HowardsWorld]

Long time lurker here finally registered. I've been to all three games against the top 15 opponents. The home court advantage displayed is more than people think it is. It was loud for Kansas St, Wisconsin and Buffalo. I don't see them losing a home game this season. I would agree with Brew City on 3 losses.

Going 9-0 at home and 6-3 on the road. I think they might slip up against Villanova, Seton hall and St, Johns. I wouldn't have said St Johns if Seton Hall hadn't played them a few days earlier. I don't think St. Johns has played anyone good and had Marquette been the first team in conference I would have felt better since MU could have punched them in the mouth first before SH. Realistically I think this team can get a 2 seed if they just hold suit at home.

[PGsHeroes32]

15-3?!?!?

I think that's a little high.

I do think we are the favorites tho. I'm hoping more for 13-5

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

1. Villanova 13-5
2. Marquette 13-5
3. Butler 12-6
4. St. John's 11-7
5. Creighton 9-9
6. Providence 9-9
7. Seton Hall 9-9
8. Xavier 5-13
9. DePaul 5-13
10. Georgetown 4-14

This is based on the assumption that Reeves (PC) and Keita (SJU) come back and are contributors.

[brewcity77]

Thoughts on the league...

Villanova: Expecting mixed early results, but a late push will get them around the 5/6 line and look like an incredibly dangerous team.
Seton Hall: The team I was most wrong on. Powell is the most likely challenger to Howard's BEPOY bid. Solid tourney team.
Creighton: Think Marquette 2016-2018. Offense will steal some games, defense will lose some. Bubble team.
Butler: As Kamar Baldwin goes, so go the Bulldogs. He's been terrible in their losses and great in their wins. Probably a tourney team.
Providence: This is the team that will beat some of the top teams but lose to the bottom. They don't really do anything particularly well. They look like a NIT team.
St. John's: When you're undefeated & your Pomeroy ranking has dropped for a month, that screams paper tiger. No size & haven't beat anyone of significance. Maybe not as severe, but I expect a repeat of last year's strong start & precipitous fall.
DePaul: Dave Leitao's best DePaul team in his second go around.
Xavier: They just haven't beat anyone.
Georgetown: They also haven't beat anyone, and have two freshmen in the backcourt.

[fjm]

We are going 13-5.

[Loose Cannon]

Yeah, I'm in the 13-5 camp too.  I think there are bumps in the road for a team that has not had excessive winning experience and might lapse a little, like after the big win against Nova.  I hope most fans here have a tighter grip on the Wagon if this happens.

[WarriorFan]

Here's the thing... for the last couple years we said we'll win one or two we probably shouldn't (on paper) but we'll also lose at least one or two that we probably shouldn't.

Now this year, to whom are we supposed to lose?   I actually think we're better than every BEAST team on any given day... but if we run into the best teams (X/Nova) on a day that we're not hitting shots and Markus cant find cheat mode then we'll lose... but in fact we should not.

The games I worry about are DePaul and Providence.  Providence because they have athleticism and aggressiveness (and in my opinion great coaching) that they can game plan to beat anyone.  And DePaul because we don't seem to take them seriously.

Bottom line is that we need to win all the home games (no mistakes) and lose only 4 of the road games.  I predict we'll lose on the road at X, Nova, DePaul, and PC.  14-4.

[tower912]

12-6.  More road losses  than we would like.

[CountryRoads]

12-6.  More road losses  than we would like.

I think so as well. I predict 8-1 at home and 4-5 on the road (but obviously would be glad to be wrong).

Here is our road records in this conference so far:

Nova: 0-5
Butler: 0-5
St. Johns: 1-4
Xavier: 1-4
Providence: 2-3
Georgetown: 2-3
DePaul: 3-2
Creighton: 3-2
Seton Hall: 3-2

Total: 15-30

[mu_hilltopper]

I think so as well. I predict 8-1 at home and 4-5 on the road (but obviously would be glad to be wrong).

Agree.  We're going to lose one at the Chaluparena, because Arby's.  8-1

4 or 5 wins on the road. 

We'll lose a game we're not supposed to, win one also.

12 or 13 wins .. And that's if Markus stays healthy.

[79Warrior]

12-6. Winning on the road is tough. We will not be the dog in many conference games. Crowds will be fired up to knock us off. I think 12-6 is reasonable.

[GrimmReaper33]

13-5 or 12-6 sounds right.  The conference is certainly down this year but 15-3 is a little far fetched, IMO.  Will be interesting to see how this team does in their first few road games in conference.

We've only played one road game so far and got throttled by a solid, not great Indiana team.  I think the team has improved since then but there are plenty of places where it is not easy to win in this conference- even if it is a down year for some of those teams.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

12-6.  More road losses  than we would like.

I still don't see it. Name the teams we lose to on the road. I have Nova and Butler forsure and maybe St. John's but other than that I really don't see who they lose to.

[79Warrior]

I still don't see it. Name the teams we lose to on the road. I have Nova and Butler forsure and maybe St. John's but other than that I really don't see who they lose to.

I think you are underestimating how difficult it is to win the the road in CBB. We are no longer the underdog. We will go into almost every venue with a target on our backs. First time in the Wojo era. Will be fun but every game will be a battle.

[tower912]

I still don't see it. Name the teams we lose to on the road. I have Nova and Butler forsure and maybe St. John's but other than that I really don't see who they lose to.

MU managed to lose to Depaul on the road last year.    Any road game is a battle.    It is simply my opinion that we lose more road games than we win.    I'm not going to go game by game and predict.   

[DFW HOYA]

1. Villanova 13-5
2. Marquette 13-5
3. Butler 12-6
4. St. John's 11-7
5. Creighton 9-9
6. Providence 9-9
7. Seton Hall 9-9
8. Xavier 5-13
9. DePaul 5-13
10. Georgetown 4-14

This is based on the assumption that Reeves (PC) and Keita (SJU) come back and are contributors.

That's discouraging. In 2013, Georgetown was #5 in the country. Now, it's drawing DePaul-sized crowds.

[WarriorDad]

MU 2nd.  Nova still team to beat, best talent but they are younger than they normally are.  We can become too one dimensional at times. If we can get over that, than we become team to beat.

[MuMark]

Seton Hall looks better then anticipated.......Creighton gave Gonzaga everything they wanted in Omaha.

Butler is good......Nova will be tough.....Providence just won at Texas and will get Reaves back.

I don't see 15-3.

[Golden Avalanche]

Marquette is the class of the league. Have experience in key spots, depth, versatility, and have the best balance on both sides of the game. Think 14 is the ceiling in terms of wins. Conference will be much tighter then it's ever been.

Nova and Butler next.

Johnnies and PC.

Hall, DePaul, Jays.

Hoyas and X. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I still don't see it. Name the teams we lose to on the road. I have Nova and Butler forsure and maybe St. John's but other than that I really don't see who they lose to.

I agree with your two "forsure" road losses. On top of that, I think we will be a dog at St. John's. I think we will be pretty close to a pick em at Seton Hall, Providence, Creighton and Xavier. MU also manages to lose at least one "WTF" game a season and I think at DePaul and at Georgetown are great candidates for that this season. I think there are 5-6 possible road losses in there.

[fjm]

Like nova the last few years, I'd youre the top dog in the league, you get everyone's best efforts every game. This will lead to a few L's we are. It anticipating.

[Cheeks]

1) Marquette 13-5
2) Villanova 12-6
3) Seton Hall 11-7
    Butler 11-7
5) St John's  10-8
6) Providence 8-10
    Creighton 8-10
8) Xavier  7-11
9) DePaul 5-13
    Georgetown 5-13

[brewcity77]

I agree with your two "forsure" road losses.

I don't think there are any "for sure" road losses. I think we'll lose some games, but none are certain. Villanova already lost twice at the Pavilion and has shown the ability to lose to anyone. They also have the ability to beat anyone, but we could certainly win there.

Same goes with Butler. Everyone thinks they are invincible at Hinkle, but that's just because they beat 'Nova a couple times there and Marquette hasn't won there since realignment. Fun fact...Marquette is the ONLY Big East team that hasn't won a game at Hinkle. Fun Fact 2...Butler has never won more than 6 home conference games in a season at Hinkle since realignment. That doesn't mean we will win there, but it's not the fortress it's made out to be.

In terms of talent and depth, I do believe that if we stay healthy, we will be the best team on the floor in every game we play from now until March 21st with the possible exception of Villanova if they put it all together. That certainly doesn't mean we'll win every game, but we will have a chance to win every game.

That said, we could lose 5 or 6 on the road and it wouldn't shock me. There also isn't a team in the league, DePaul, Xavier, and Georgetown included, that I think are automatic wins on the road.

[mileskishnish72]

I am worried about:

@SJU -  when is the last time we won in NY? A couple of years ago at MSG it was the worst game I've ever seen MU play in person.
@Creighton
@Butler - McDermott flops like Davison
@Prov
@Nova

9-0 at home, avoid one of these and it's 14-4. Should be good enough.