2009 Big East Tournament Bracket

[NavinRJohnson]

I haven't seen this until just now. I guess I assumed they would go to a straight 16 team tournament, but I love what they are doing with the byes This thing is gonna be great...

http://www.bigeast.org/pdf2/97447.pdf?ATCLID=1322952&SPSID=99617&SPID=11228&DB_OEM_ID=19400

[Gwaki]

wow, thats crazy.  two game byes!!

[CTWarrior]

Thye really have to do it this way.  You don't want your best teams to have to win four games in four days less than a week before the NCAAs begin.  It will make the regular season more interesting, in that you will have teams that are busting their butts for both the top 4 and the top 8.

[Big Papi]

Perfect setup.  The only teams that really take it on the chin when compared to prior years are teams seeded 9 through 12 as they have to play an extra game.  No real change for teams 1 through 8.

[marquette09]

I think they are almost forced to do it that way becasue it would be impossible for 8 games to be played one day in the same areana as would be necessary if all the teams played on day one.

[mu_hilltopper]

But those 9-12 teams .. they're happy to play extra games.  They're already bubble or sub-bubble teams.  An extra win increases their chances a tiny bit.  Even if it's NIT chances and seeding.

[Big Papi]

They could always split the tourny up kind of like how the Horizon league does it.  Keep the same schedule of Wednesday to Saturday but have opening round games on a Sunday or Monday at the higher seeds home court.  Scheduling might be a bit tricky as I don't know who has their own arenas but at least this way teams 9 through 12 get a bit of an advantage back.  THey play an extra game but get the game at home and get a day or two to recover before the next game provided that they win.

[Big Papi]

But those 9-12 teams .. they're happy to play extra games.  They're already bubble or sub-bubble teams.  An extra win increases their chances a tiny bit.  Even if it's NIT chances and seeding.

I know the committee does not look at the selections this way but it would be very rare if the Big East ever had more than 8 teams in the tourny.  Teams 9-12 would definitely have to win more than 1 game.  Maybe 2, probably 3.  They get to that third game against a team that is well rested and it is probably lights out.

[Eye]

Not completely out of the realm of possibility that nine make it this year. Villanova seems to be the farthest away right now, but if they win two of their next three, UConn and MU at home and at UL (tough mind you, but possible) and they hold serve against PC and USF, they'd be 10-8, 20-10, with wins over Pitt, cuse, WVU and two of those three.

[TallTitan34]

Not completely out of the realm of possibility that nine make it this year. Villanova seems to be the farthest away right now, but if they win two of their next three, UConn and MU at home and at UL (tough mind you, but possible) and they hold serve against PC and USF, they'd be 10-8, 20-10, with wins over Pitt, cuse, WVU and two of those three.

It really is incredible how close the Big East is.  I have a feeling there will be a lot of tie breakers used to determine the seeding for the tourny.

If Providence and St. Johns win one more game than Seton Hall and DePaul tie breakers are going to be used to determine who goes home this year.  I like the idea of everyone getting in.

[ChicosBailBonds]

There is a scenario where 6 Big East teams finish 10-8, including us.

It's not completely ludicrous either.