Big East Survivors Thread

[Ripper32]

MSU vs. Marquette

Xavier vs. Pitt

Creighton vs. Baylor

Thoughts? I think 2 of 3 min are advancing through to the next round.

 

[auror]

Marquette's been playing really well, but Izzo is always tough in March and he's got veteran guards again, which is when he usually wins.

Pitt's D has been much improved in March, but they did play two trainwreck offensive teams. I think Xavier cruises.

Creighton Baylor is a toss-up. Does Baylor make a bunch of midrange pullups or miss more of them? Can they stop Kalkbrenner on rolls to the rim?

 

[Ripper32]

Baylor gives up a ton of offensive rebounds. Kalk could go off again.

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

Those could all go either way. I think MSU can give Marquette problems like SJU did.

Xavier were very unconvincing on Friday.

If Creighton has their A game they should beat Baylor.

Sometimes it takes surviving that first game to get settled into a rhythm in the tournament though. All 3 have a chance to move on.

 

[BPT2Storrs]

Xavier and Creighton advance. MSU is too tough in March.

 

[Luna]

I would love for the big east to take over this tournament…like the old days..looks like its a possibility… we need the bounces to go our way.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Marquette's been playing really well, but Izzo is always tough in March and he's got veteran guards again, which is when he usually wins.

Pitt's D has been much improved in March, but they did play two trainwreck offensive teams. I think Xavier cruises.

Creighton Baylor is a toss-up. Does Baylor make a bunch of midrange pullups or miss more of them? Can they stop Kalkbrenner on rolls to the rim?

I agree on Xavier/Pitt. Pitt is very mediocre, and the only team from Lunardi's last 4 in or last 4 byes that is still in the Tournament. If Xavier shows up focused on offense, they should score at will.

Marquette is a better team than Michigan State and the better teams usually win in the second and third rounds.

Creighton has the better starting lineup but their bench just sucks, and Baylor is good. This game is a toss-up.

 

[gsmooth]

Marquette's been playing really well, but Izzo is always tough in March and he's got veteran guards again, which is when he usually wins.

Pitt's D has been much improved in March, but they did play two trainwreck offensive teams. I think Xavier cruises.

Creighton Baylor is a toss-up. Does Baylor make a bunch of midrange pullups or miss more of them? Can they stop Kalkbrenner on rolls to the rim?

Another thing to consider is Creighton's short and lousy bench just got shorter and lousier with Mason Miller's ankle injury. Playing the 5 starters more minutes in the high altitude in Denver will be challenging.

 

[auror]

I agree on Xavier/Pitt. Pitt is very mediocre, and the only team from Lunardi's last 4 in or last 4 byes that is still in the Tournament. If Xavier shows up focused on offense, they should score at will.

Marquette is a better team than Michigan State and the better teams usually win in the second and third rounds.

Creighton has the better starting lineup but their bench just sucks, and Baylor is good. This game is a toss-up.

Izzo has taken 2 5s and a 7 to the Final Four, and another 7 to the E8. I agree that best teams usually win in these rounds, but he can be an exception.

 

[storrsroars]

I've got Marquette, Baylor and Pittsburgh in my bracket, and I'm sticking to it.

Anything can happen of course, but I think Marquette has more talent and Smart is easily as good a coach as Izzo. Baylor can stink a place up, but as mentioned above, both the venue and Creighton's bench liabilities favor Baylor. And Xavier looked like crap last game, their success has become Hunter's responsibility, and Pitt arguably now has better guard play and inside play with the development of the Diaz twins.

 

[ctchamps]

This is the way!

 

[firstnline]

It's good to see sPitt bow out.

 

[BugsyCT]

Wish they didn't cram our game in between Marquette & Creighton within a 2-hour window. That's my only real beef with the tourney scheduling - all Big East teams on the same day.

Well, that and how they have 2 stand-alone games on Sat & Sun afternoon and everything else at night. (Gonzaga-TCU a 9:40 tip on a Sunday night?)

Yells at another cloud

 

[Ha Who]

Pitt is still not it.

 

[SoFla Steve]

Marquette next up at 5:15p on CBS. Hoping for 2-0.

 

[businesslawyer]

Wish they didn't cram our game in between Marquette & Creighton within a 2-hour window. That's my only real beef with the tourney scheduling - all Big East teams on the same day.

Well, that and how they have 2 stand-alone games on Sat & Sun afternoon and everything else at night. (Gonzaga-TCU a 9:40 tip on a Sunday night?)

Yells at another cloud

They used to play multiple games on the weekend afternoons. There is one reason and one reason only that it shifted -- because they make more money this way.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Pitt is still not it.

This tournament is the Pitt basketball program’s highlight since they left the Big East.

 

[bendm]

Prob Soon to be 1-1 given the first 7.5 mins of the Marquette game. They look terrible.

 

[RC111]

Marquette next up at 5:15p on CBS. Hoping for 2-0.

Why isn't UConn playing on CBS locally? Isn't CBS for the best viewer draws, and wouldn't that be UConn in CT?

 

[auror]

Izzo has taken 2 5s and a 7 to the Final Four, and another 7 to the E8. I agree that best teams usually win in these rounds, but he can be an exception.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Creighton needs to hold this

 

[Ripper32]

Creighton has to be shooting close to 60%. Scorching.

 

[caw]

This is the way!

This is the way!

 

[storrsroars]

I believe announcers said he was 23-7 in NCAAs when only given one day to prepare.

 

[storrsroars]

Good time for Nembhard to have his best game of the year.