Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Big East Final Standings


Ranked in order of Big East Tournament seed...

1. Syracuse (15-3)
I've hesitated all season long to believe in this team, and I give up. They destroyed Nova at the Dome; they're the best in the Big East and maybe the entire country. I can neither confirm nor deny that this is a reverse jinx.

2. Pitt (13-5)
The Panthers exceeded everybody's expectations by finishing second in the Big East in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year. A lot of the credit goes to the Big East's Most Improved Player, Ashton Gibbs.

3. West Virginia (13-5)
They're really good, but their fatal flaw seems to be weakness at the point guard position. They probably could have beat us in regulation with a true point guard taking control at the end of that game.

4. Villanova (13-5)

Taylor King might be out for the rest of the season. That hurts, but luckily Nova has the depth to deal with it. Yarou, Cheek, and Armwood need to step up.

5. Marquette (11-7)
They have gone to overtime in four of their last five games. It looks like the Golden Eagles are getting an early start to March Madness.

6. Louisville (11-7)
After sweeping the season series versus Syracuse, the Cardinals are currently projected as an 8-seed in the NCAA tournament. I would hate to be the 1-seed that has to face them in the second round.

7. Notre Dame (10-8)
The Irish lose Luke Harangody and end the season on a 4-game winning streak. More proof to Bill Simmons' Ewing Theory, or more proof to my theory that Gody is overrated?

8. Georgetown (10-8)

A week after being hospitalized and finding out he has diabetes, Austin Freeman scores 24 points in a win over Cincinnati... good for him. Looking at the career arc fellow diabetic Adam Morrison, Freeman should continue to dominate in college, grow a huge afro and a mustache, get drafted in the lottery by Michael Jordan, then win an NBA championship for sitting on the bench.

9. South Florida (9-9)
The Bulls play DePaul in the first round of the Big East Tournament. Congrats on your first Big East Tournament victory USF!

10. Seton Hall (9-9)
Currently on the outside of the bubble looking in, I could definitely see the Pirates winning three games in the BET and earning a bid in the NCAA Tournament.

11. Cincinnati (7-11)
They're still a year or two away from being real contenders; that is assuming Lance Stephenson doesn't pull a Sebastian Telfair and enter the NBA before he's ready.

12. UConn (7-11)
There have been some nice surprises in the Big East, (Syracuse, Pitt, Marquette) but UConn is by far the most disappointing team. I'm rooting for them to beat St. John's and Marquette, just so Nova can get some revenge by beating them in the third round.

13. St. John's (6-12)

They needed not one, not two, but three overtimes to beat DePaul in their season finale. That must have been almost like watching the six-overtime Syracuse-UConn game in the BET last year, but only if all the players were drunk. Then again, Eric Devendorf played in that game, so maybe it wasn't that far off.

14. Rutgers (5-13)
Hamady Ndiaye was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, which gives further support to the adage that defense wins championships. What's that? Rutgers is horrible? Never mind then, keep shooting.

15. Providence (4-14)

The Friars ended the season on a 10-game losing streak. Maybe a diet of coffee and donuts isn't so good for basketball players.

16. DePaul (1-17)
There's always next year.

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