Big East 2024 Offseason

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

FT’s no Matta blah blah blah.

But it is insane some of the free throw disparities that are happening in these games. X shooting 15 more free throws before garbage time.
That cost UConn the game.

Actually that is the free throw stat that matters. Free throw rate.

Free throw percentage is not usually a statistically significant factor.

[Dickthedribbler]

I’d take Danny Hurley coaching my team

I'll take Jay Wright coaching my team. You can win a National Championship without swearing at referees in the final 2 minutes of essentially an even game.

[Uncle Rico]

I'll take Jay Wright coaching my team. You can win a National Championship without swearing at referees in the final 2 minutes of essentially an even game.

Yes, I’d take him, too

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I'll take Jay Wright coaching my team. You can win a National Championship without swearing at referees in the final 2 minutes of essentially an even game.

Uh… you don’t think Wright got techs for yelling at refs?

[wisblue]

From what I’ve seen so far this conference season, if MU wants to get to 12 conference wins, they’d better get 8 or 9 in the 10 games against SH, Butler, DePaul, GU, and SJU. Those teams all look pretty bad.

Then pick up 3 or 4 against the other 5 teams. Those are going to be hard to come by; getting the one against Creighton is a good first step.

[wadesworld]

I’d like to see us guard the 3 point line in the second half.

[brewcity77]

I'm of the opposite mind. In general on defense I think it is better to not let the opponent do what they want to do. Neptune is no Wright but he's not a dummy. If they want to shoot threes it is because the coach knows that that this is a better strategy for their team than going for twos. Yes they have a better 2P% than 3P% but I think that is because teams are defending the three and they are only taking the two when it is effectively a gimme. I think Nova will turn down twos in favor of threes whether you try to run them off the line or not. The difference is that they will make them if you leave them open and will only make some of them if you are in their grill.

We discussed this at length, but they mirrored the strategy I thought they would and ultimately it worked. 'Nova shot over their heads in the first half, then regressed to the mean in the second. They were still getting plenty of good looks, but they weren't hitting them. It was always unlikely 'Nova would keep up the 46% they were making in the first half, and they finished right around 36% while taking more than half their shots from beyond the arc. It was the right strategy. We left them open, they made some early, then came back to reality because we shut them out of the lane.

[muwarrior69]

UCONN plays Providence, Creighton and then us. Will they sweep?

[Scoop Snoop]

From what I’ve seen so far this conference season, if MU wants to get to 12 conference wins, they’d better get 8 or 9 in the 10 games against SH, Butler, DePaul, GU, and SJU. Those teams all look pretty bad.

Then pick up 3 or 4 against the other 5 teams. Those are going to be hard to come by; getting the one against Creighton is a good first step.

And winning at Nova is a good second step.

[MU82]

UCONN plays Providence, Creighton and then us. Will they sweep?

I think UConn is very good, but I also think overrated some with all the Best in Country talk. Unimpressive against Georgetown, not overpowering against Nova, and now this loss.

I think Marquette has a great opportunity to take one from them at home. We'll have trouble with Sanogo ... but they'll have some trouble with us, too.

[brewcity77]

I think UConn might still be the best team in the country, but that's because I don't think there are any overwhelming teams. Houston, Purdue, UConn, Tennessee, and maybe Kansas all have a case right now. Today went poorly for them, but no one is finishing undefeated. I still think they win 16-18 Big East games. Hopefully January 11th is one they don't win.

[wadesworld]

UCONN had been as impressive as any team in the country. Lost to a top 25 team on the road in a tight game.

[MU82]

Marquette's got a decent shot at making UConn lose to another top-25-ish team on the road on 1/11/23.

[Scoop Snoop]

I think UConn is very good, but I also think overrated some with all the Best in Country talk. Unimpressive against Georgetown, not overpowering against Nova, and now this loss.

I think Marquette has a great opportunity to take one from them at home. We'll have trouble with Sanogo ... but they'll have some trouble with us, too.

Until the Georgetown game, I admit I was buying into the Best in the Country talk, but I saw some chinks in their armor in DC. Nova played fairly well against them on the road (another chink) and then today they simply got outplayed. Hurley getting T'd up was the icing on the cake. 

Marquette taking them down in Milwaukee is very doable. On the road? I doubt it. 

[MU82]

Until the Georgetown game, I admit I was buying into the Best in the Country talk, but I saw some chinks in their armor in DC. Nova played fairly well against them on the road (another chink) and then today they simply got outplayed. Hurley getting T'd up was the icing on the cake. 

Marquette taking them down in Milwaukee is very doable. On the road? I doubt it.

You said this better than I did. My thoughts exactly.

[lawdog77]

True, though I was rooting for him to get the triple-double (2 assists away)

Not me. After getting a tech last game talking sh!t to the Nova coach, as well as him talking trash today to Kunkel after a made 3, he is moving up on the dislike list

[Uncle Rico]

Not me. After getting a tech last game talking sh!t to the Nova coach, as well as him talking trash today to Kunkel after a made 3, he is moving up on the dislike list

Two things.  Easy to hate, good coach

[Vander Blue Man Group]

So I know there has been talk of there only being 4 Big East teams potentially making the tourney this year.  It's early but it seems there might be a clear top and bottom "half" of the league.  Could definitely see these 6 going dancing:

Marquette
UConn
Xavier
Providence
Creighton
Nova

Thoughts? 

[Galway Eagle]

So I know there has been talk of there only being 4 Big East teams potentially making the tourney this year.  It's early but it seems there might be a clear top and bottom "half" of the league.  Could definitely see these 6 going dancing:

Marquette
UConn
Xavier
Providence
Creighton
Nova

Thoughts?

Nova and Creighton are both skilled enough. Question is whether there's enough good opportunities left for both to get a good resume to counter some rough losses

[MuggsyB]

You said this better than I did. My thoughts exactly.

Did I not write several days ago we could absolutely take them out on 1-11? 

[Mu8891]

I hope I’m wrong…

But, no way the BE gets 6 teams.  5 maybe…

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Nova and Creighton are both skilled enough. Question is whether there's enough good opportunities left for both to get a good resume to counter some rough losses

I hope I’m wrong…

But, no way the BE gets 6 teams.  5 maybe…

Both fair and maybe Providence ends up on the outside.  But I can see Providence, Creighton, and Nova running up wins on the lower half of the conference and getting a big win or two. 

Maybe I'm just being too optimistic for the conference as a whole give the OOC struggles. 

[brewcity77]

So I know there has been talk of there only being 4 Big East teams potentially making the tourney this year.  It's early but it seems there might be a clear top and bottom "half" of the league.  Could definitely see these 6 going dancing:

Marquette
UConn
Xavier
Providence
Creighton
Nova

Thoughts?

I think all six have the potential to get there. Butler and Seton Hall aren't entirely dead as both have some decent non-con wins to hang their hats on.

Might try to dig in tonight, but it will depend largely on how the standings come out. Teams like PC, Creighton, and 'Nova probably don't get in at 10-10 or 11-9. But if you had all of those teams at 12+ wins in league they could all get in. But then you need 3-4 really bad teams. Get Butler, Georgetown, and DePaul all to 15+ losses and you have a shot. Last year, the six Big East tourney teams went 34-4 against the bottom three teams in the league. Do something like that and we might be able to get to six, especially with the ACC, Pac-12, A-10, and WCC down compared to recent years.

[CountryRoads]

So I know there has been talk of there only being 4 Big East teams potentially making the tourney this year.  It's early but it seems there might be a clear top and bottom "half" of the league.  Could definitely see these 6 going dancing:

Marquette
UConn
Xavier
Providence
Creighton
Nova

Thoughts?

Technically possible but the bottom 5 will get a few wins and knock a team or two in that list out.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I think all six have the potential to get there. Butler and Seton Hall aren't entirely dead as both have some decent non-con wins to hang their hats on.

Might try to dig in tonight, but it will depend largely on how the standings come out. Teams like PC, Creighton, and 'Nova probably don't get in at 10-10 or 11-9. But if you had all of those teams at 12+ wins in league they could all get in. But then you need 3-4 really bad teams. Get Butler, Georgetown, and DePaul all to 15+ losses and you have a shot. Last year, the six Big East tourney teams went 34-4 against the bottom three teams in the league. Do something like that and we might be able to get to six, especially with the ACC, Pac-12, A-10, and WCC down compared to recent years.

Yeah, that was the type of scenario I was thinking of.  Probably unlikely but possible.