Big East Basketball Prediction #1
Here at the Mountain Top we like to gaze into the future…we predict the final order of finish in the Big East. To do so, instead of taking into account only who’s hot and who’s not, we actually take into account every game remaining on the schedule, factoring in season-ending tiebreakers when needed, and from there create the final standings. Each week we will post these along with our analysis from the week in Big East hoops.
| Team | Record | Projected Record | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | 3-1 [15-2] | 16-2 [28-3] | DaJuan Blair is the real deal, he shut down Roy Hibbert for the most part. The next three in a row for the Panthers come against the lower tier of the conference, and Pitt has a great home court advantage at the Pete. Fields may return in mid-February which would just be that much more of a boost for Pitt. |
| Georgetown | 3-1 [13-2] | 16-2 [26-3] | Were the Hoyas “exposed” in Pittsburgh? Slightly. However, if John Thompson III can get Hibbert to assert himself ever-so-slightly, the Hoyas will rampage through the rest of the Big East schedule. Notre Dame is in the MCI Center today, a slip-up there would really shake my confidence in the Hoyas. |
| Notre Dame | 3-1 [13-3] | 14-4 [24-6] | The Irish still must visit Louisville and Georgetown and host Pitt, with a home rematch with Marquette looming. The Irish haven’t made a lot of road trips this year, so we’ll hold out judgement to see if they can win on the road in-conference. |
| Marquette | 3-2 [13-3] | 13-5 [24-6] | There seem to be a lot of Marquette doubters out there, however consider their two losses on the road at Freedom Hall and the WVU Coliseum were at two of the most difficult road venues in the conference. Still it gets no easier for the Eagles heading to Connecticut this weekend and also visiting Notre Dame and Syracuse before season’s end. However, lots of winnable games still remain on their slate. Dominic James’ wrist injury could be catastrophic if it becomes chronic and nagging in nature. |
| Louisville | 3-1 [13-4] | 11-7 [21-10] | Nobody is playing better basketball in the conference right now, maybe in the nation than Louisville. However, look at the schedule going down the stretch, UL must still visit Marquette, Pittsburgh, Connecticut and Georgetown, and host Notre Dame, Syracuse and Villanova. The schedule-makers did the Cards no favors but if they can make it through favorably, they will be a legitimate top five team nationally. |
| Connecticut | 3-2 [12-4] | 11-7 [21-10] | The Huskies are ready to return to the upper half of the Big East after the tough season last year. They played Georgetown to the wire in MCI Center, and if Roy Hibbert has to nail a three to beat you, I think you’re doing something right. Connecticut has a must-win this weekend against struggling Marquette. Non-conference tests at Indiana and at home against Georgia Tech still loom, but the good news is Marquette, Pitt, Louisville and Notre Dame must all visit the Nutmeg State. |
| West Virginia | 3-2 [13-4] | 11-7 [22-9] | WVU ran into a buzzsaw on the road at Notre Dame and Louisville, and the home win against Marquette is losing some luster, but WVU ran Syracuse out of the gym and the schedule is to their liking, anything can happen in the Backyard Brawl home-and-home against Pitt, and Georgetown will visit Morgantown. The Mountaineers will see road tests at Connecticut, Providence, DePaul and Villanova. |
| Syracuse | 3-2 [13-5] | 9-9 [19-12] | This team could have been a contender, but with their lack of depth they will be hard-pressed to see .500 in the conference. The Carrier Dome is still an intimidating place for any road team, and Marquette, Pitt and Georgetown all must visit the Orange. Syracuse gets back-to-back road games near the end of the season with Louisville and Notre Dame, which could make or break their NCAA chances. |
| Cincinnati | 3-2 [7-9] | 8-10 [13-17] | Who would have thought this team could be anywhere but the cellar in the Big East after their early-season non-conference woes. Cincy has shown they can beat anyone in the conference at home with wins over Louisville and Villanova. Pitt, Marquette and Connecticut will try not to fall into the same trap at Fifth Third Arena, while the Bearcats will face road tests against WVU, Georgetown, Pitt and UConn. |
| Villanova | 2-2 [12-3] | 8-10 [19-11] | It’s hard to believe Nova could finish 6-8 down the stretch in conference play, but look at the slate: at Syracuse, Pitt, Georgetown, Louisville, and Providence, and home to Notre Dame, Syracuse, WVU, Connecticut and Marquette. |
| Providence | 3-2 [12-5] | 7-11 [16-14] | The road win at Connecticut showed there is still life in the Friars, but check out this stretch of consecutive games to close out the season: at Syracuse, at ND, at WVU, DePaul, at St. Johns, at Pitt, Louisville, Georgetown, at WVU, at Cincy, Connecticut, Villanova. You don’t get a night off in the Big East, but that is quite a gauntlet even for conference play. |
| DePaul | 3-2 [7-9] | 7-11 [11-19] | This is another team that was left for dead after non-conference woes, but have pulled themselves back up to the middle of the pack. But again I don’t see a lot of W’s left on their schedule, but they should squeak by to make the Big East tourney |
| Non-Tournament Teams | |||
| South Florida | 1-4 [10-8] | 5-13 [14-17] | |
| Seton Hall | 1-3 [11-6] | 3-15 [13-18] | |
| St. John’s | 1-4 [7-9] | 3-15 [9-21] | |
| Rutgers | 0-5 [8-10] | 2-16 [10-21] | |
Tags: Big East, college basketball, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Pitt
