Can we talk about Big East Conference ballin

[Kitaman]

Its that time.

I always felt it weird that we can be the best team in the land but not in our Conference. Being at the top gets every opponents A game, especially effort. However poor our foes played out of Conference this season, they seem to will transform into a top 20 for one game, when we face off (all of them). Also, we scare no one in our Conference, which is why I love these games.

What is your prediction for us this season?

I know I'm a broken record but its time we take the Conference Crown back! What team(s) can realistically stop us?

 

[shizzle787]

We will lose about 5 games in conference. 4 on the road and a head scratcher at home.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Its that time.

I always felt it weird that we can be the best team in the land but not in our Conference. Being at the top gets every opponents A game, especially effort. However poor our foes played out of Conference this season, they seem to will transform into a top 20 for one game, when we face off (all of them). Also, we scare no one in our Conference, which is why I love these games.

What is your prediction for us this season?

I know I'm a broken record but its time we take the Conference Crown back! What team(s) can realistically stop us?

We are the best team in the conference, followed closely by Marquette. There's a drop off to Creighton and then a bigger drop to whoever is next, which is a cluster of schools that will be around .500 in conference.

I think what is missed about conference play is the impact of familiarity. These coaches know what every team in the league runs. They know how to attack the defense and how to create issues for the offense. We saw it last year, when league teams exploited Andre's lack of offense (allowing doubles on Sanogo in the post), our rim protection/rotations when hedging and other weaknesses. It allowed Dan to fix those issues and we were better for it. We got Sanogo the ball facing, cut Andre along the baseline and that broke the double teams.

Don't be surprised if there is some of the same this year. The difference is the league seems weaker, so I don't think we will lose as many games.

 

[tykurez]

I want that BE regular season and tournament title. It’s been 8 years since a tournament title (13 years since the last BE one) and 18(!!!) years since a regular season title.

 

[nomar]

I want that BE regular season and tournament title. It’s been 8 years since a tournament title (13 years since the last BE one) and 18(!!!) years since a regular season title.

That's crazy

 

[Punkbo]

Our on-court leadership with Newton, Karaban and Spencer is so much better than it’s been in the recent past. We will win the Big East regular season title. The tourney is a bit of a crapshoot so no guarantees there, but we should win that as well.

 

[auror]

That's crazy

The 16-team Big East was crazy. We went 15-3 in '09 and tied for 2nd.

 

[cohenzone]

The tournament is just that. The NC is a tournament champion and not the only team that might have won it. Obviously a team has to be good to win it and get hot at the right time. No way was the Napier team the best in the country. I saw a bunch of really erratic performances in person that year.

But the familiarity of league opponents is a real factor in season. Most of the teams in the BE have enough talent to give us a go if we aren’t at our best. But they have to be at their best and have a hot shooting night and/or get some of our best in early foul trouble. But UConn is darned impressive and it should take a lot for teams to beat us.

 

[superjohn]

The 16-team Big East was crazy. We went 15-3 in '09 and tied for 2nd.

Best conference ever.

 

[UconnFanDC]

The team that will stop us will be us! The conference is Uconn's as long as all cylinders are clicking. Marquette has tge best shot of saying it's theirs.

 

[OceanDoggie]

The 16-team Big East was crazy. We went 15-3 in '09 and tied for 2nd.

I remember when the expansion league formed and all of the Louisville, Marquette, Cincinnati Fans couldn't believe the dominance Uconn had on the Big East titles.

 

[UofCT]

Its that time.

I always felt it weird that we can be the best team in the land but not in our Conference. Being at the top gets every opponents A game, especially effort. However poor our foes played out of Conference this season, they seem to will transform into a top 20 for one game, when we face off (all of them). Also, we scare no one in our Conference, which is why I love these games.

What is your prediction for us this season?

I know I'm a broken record but its time we take the Conference Crown back! What team(s) can realistically stop us?

My prediction:

@Hall - W
St. Johns- W
DePaul- W
@Butler- W
@Xavier- W
G-Town- W
Creighton- W
@Nova - L
Xavier - W
Providence - W
@ St. Johns - W
Butler - W
@ Gtown - W
@DePaul - W
Marquette - W
@ Creighton - L
Villanova - W
Seton Hall - W
@Marquette - L
@ Providence - L (I imagine they need this to make the tournament)

Puts us at 26-5

 

[Tiamat7]

I still believe it's a 5 or 6 bid league. Unlike last year, the schedule is back loaded for Connecticut, so a lofty conference record heading into February should be expected.

Locks:
UConn
Marquette
Creighton

And then I expect two (2) or three (3) of the following five teams to get in:

PC
Villanova
Butler
St John's
Xavier

NIT:
Seton Hall

Improved but no post season:
Georgetown

New Coach:
DePaul

 

[Edward Sargent]

Beginning of the year I had losses at X, Nova, Marquette (both home and away) and Creighton.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

My prediction:

@Hall - W
St. Johns- W
DePaul- W
@Butler- W
@Xavier- W
G-Town- W
Creighton- W
@Nova - L
Xavier - W
Providence - W
@ St. Johns - W
Butler - W
@ Gtown - W
@DePaul - W
Marquette - W
@ Creighton - L
Villanova - W
Seton Hall - W
@Marquette - L
@ Providence - L (I imagine they need this to make the tournament)

Puts us at 26-5

I'm sure there will be at least one WTF game in BE play this season, I'm just not sure where it will be (or if it will even result in a loss).

I believe we will split with Marquette. I'm not sure we'll lose to Creighton as the advantages they've had in the past (higher BB IQ, length at center for most of the game) are gone. I don't see us losing to PC this year (I'll lable this the revenge of Andrea Hurley) and I we were going to lose at Nova it would have been last season. I'm calling either 18-2 or 19-1 with a 50-50 shot at either.

 

[UofCT]

I'm sure there will be at least one WTF game in BE play this season, I'm just not sure where it will be (or if it will even result in a loss).

I believe we will split with Marquette. I'm not sure we'll lose to Creighton as the advantages they've had in the past (higher BB IQ, length at center for most of the game) are gone. I don't see us losing to PC this year (I'll lable this the revenge of Andrea Hurley) and I we were going to lose at Nova it would have been last season. I'm calling either 18-2 or 19-1 with a 50-50 shot at either.

19-1 would be awesome

 

[Hi-Low]

I don't take any BE road games for granted as wins....except DePaul maybe

 

[my2cents]

That's crazy

Arn't National Championships tournaments?

 

[RC111]

We are the best team in the conference, followed closely by Marquette. There's a drop off to Creighton and then a bigger drop to whoever is next, which is a cluster of schools that will be around .500 in conference.

I think what is missed about conference play is the impact of familiarity. These coaches know what every team in the league runs. They know how to attack the defense and how to create issues for the offense. We saw it last year, when league teams exploited Andre's lack of offense (allowing doubles on Sanogo in the post), our rim protection/rotations when hedging and other weaknesses. It allowed Dan to fix those issues and we were better for it. We got Sanogo the ball facing, cut Andre along the baseline and that broke the double teams.

Don't be surprised if there is some of the same this year. The difference is the league seems weaker, so I don't think we will lose as many games.

I hate to whine about refs, but I remember listening to the Providence game on the radio in my car and couldn't believe that they took 40 odd free throws to our 20, and it seemed half of ours came in the final couple minutes, when the game was already decided. It really is an uphill battle when the refs admit they dislike Hurley to national media.

I understand home court advantage, and I get that aggressiveness and style of play factor in, but I don't think it's a coincidence that our out of conference fouls and FTs were much more even than in conference, and the whistle wasn't so dreaded in March.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

We will lose about 5 games in conference. 4 on the road and a head scratcher at home.

3-4 losses and we win the conference but it’s a long season .In our conference losses last year our opponents shot 3 FT to our 1 . Thats a tough hurdle yo overcome. The big exception was
St Johns who just kicked our butts in every category in that loss. Almost every team has a game like that.

 

[Peacefrog]

It seems that at least the last handful of years we have gotten off the mediocre starts in conference. The schedule sets up for a solid start this year and it would be nice to not have to play catchup after a few weeks.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I hate to whine about refs, but I remember listening to the Providence game on the radio in my car and couldn't believe that they took 40 odd free throws to our 20, and it seemed half of ours came in the final couple minutes, when the game was already decided. It really is an uphill battle when the refs admit they dislike Hurley to national media.

I understand home court advantage, and I get that aggressiveness and style of play factor in, but I don't think it's a coincidence that our out of conference fouls and FTs were much more even than in conference, and the whistle wasn't so dreaded in March.

Yes, the refs jobbed us in that game. But again, we learned from that. The NCAA tournament is a crapshoot. Seeding doesn't matter that much. Losing is a great teacher. The goal is to be the best you can be in March and then let it all play out.

 

[444JR]

If we can consistently defend the 4 spot in the post we will undoubtedly be the clear cut best team in the country, This feels like our only real weakness.

Only having DC, AK, and SJ to rely on concerns me. Getting Castle back is obviously a huge deal. The guy needs to work on his jumper, but he's definitely among the best defenders in the country and should be a big help guarding 4s that are giving Karaban trouble, and when Karaban goes to the bench.

For this team to reach it's peak potential(Big East Regular Season Champs, BET Champs, National Champs), Ross or Stewart really need to step up as options to go to for tough, reliable defense when Karaban takes a breather or gets into foul trouble.

The team can and will win a lot games even if Stewart or Ross never step up defensively this season, but if they do, I see us winning a lot more of these conference games by double digits.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

My Big East Concerns:
-getting every teams A+++ effort
-being every team’s $2 beer/blue out/white out/whatever game
-tough penetrating guards has been a weakness for our D and that’s what every team has
-other teams getting hot from 3
-weekend road games. We’d be lucky to split these
—Friday 6:30 @ Butler
—Saturday 8:00 @ Nova
—Saturday 12:00 @ St Johns
—Saturday 12:00 @ Georgetown
—Saturday TBD @ PC (senior night)
-Big East refs:
———rewarding “aggressive play” by smaller bigs against DC
———they hate Hurley
———playing into hostile crowds

 

[Tyler2Rings]

they hate Hurley

Let's see if things change after a championship