Current Las Vegas Betting Odds for the Big Dance

[oldude]

SC +270
UConn +275
TX, USC, UCLA, ND +500

It appears that Dawn complaining about being the #2 overall seed at least impacted the oddsmakers….

 

[HuskyNan]

Can we stop taking potshots at coaches here? Try the high road

 

[cabbie191]

Can we stop taking potshots at coaches here? Try the high road

Good point Nan.

If I recall correctly, Geno has been known for an occasional complaint, both for rankings and seeding (not necessarily the Huskies but others in the Big East) as well as officiating.

 

[oldude]

Good point Nan.

If I recall correctly, Geno has been known for an occasional complaint, both for rankings and seeding (not necessarily the Huskies but others in the Big East) as well as officiating.

To your point, in his presser after the selection show, Geno once again said what he always says. “We go where they tell us to go and we play who they tell us to play.” But when asked about the BE having only 2 teams in the Big Dance, specifically in relation to the Ivy League’s 3 teams, Geno raised his concern that “We (the BE) need to do something about that.” What exactly the conference needs to do was never specified by Geno.

 

[ec33]

What exactly the conference needs to do was never specified by Geno.

Maybe bring in a former WNBA commissioner to run the conference?

Outside of UConn and men's basketball in general, I am not sure the Big East takes athletics any more seriously than the Ivies (who at least play football).

 

[DefenseBB]

To your point, in his presser after the selection show, Geno once again said what he always says. “We go where they tell us to go and we play who they tell us to play.” But when asked about the BE having only 2 teams in the Big Dance, specifically in relation to the Ivy League’s 3 teams, Geno raised his concern that “We (the BE) need to do something about that.” What exactly the conference needs to do was never specified by Geno.

Here's a suggestion-How about play better against the P4 Schools, get better players, get better coaches and pay them like the Big East Men's programs do. Even the outrage at Creighton being project an 8 seed irritated far too many on this forum who were misguided in their assessment. Creighton needs to beat Illinois and prove the committee wrong (though that theory always has holes in it).

The depth of players, better coaching and more schools willing to pay for programs means the depth has drastically improved for this tournament. The second round is now going to be full of quality games among the top 32 teams, which was unimaginable 10 years ago.

Heck, plenty of the 8/9 games offer compelling matchups. To me, this is still largely a "chalk" tournament with a probable 6 of the top 8 seeds making it to the Elite 8.

There will be some great Sweet 16 games with LSU-NC State and rematch for ND with TCU. I predict both LSU and ND winning those two games to qualify for the Elite 8.

Overall, this is any of 8 teams opportunity to win.

 

[HuskyNan]

Here's a suggestion-How about play better against the P4 Schools, get better players, get better coaches and pay them like the Big East Men's programs do. Even the outrage at Creighton being project an 8 seed irritated far too many on this forum who were misguided in their assessment. Creighton needs to beat Illinois and prove the committee wrong (though that theory always has holes in it).

The depth of players, better coaching and more schools willing to pay for programs means the depth has drastically improved for this tournament. The second round is now going to be full of quality games among the top 32 teams, which was unimaginable 10 years ago.

Heck, plenty of the 8/9 games offer compelling matchups. To me, this is still largely a "chalk" tournament with a probable 6 of the top 8 seeds making it to the Elite 8.

There will be some great Sweet 16 games with LSU-NC State and rematch for ND with TCU. I predict both LSU and ND winning those two games to qualify for the Elite 8.

Overall, this is any of 8 teams opportunity to win.

Lucy Olsen, Aneesa Morrow, Liza Karlen, et al, left to go to schools with more robust NIL programs. Big East schools need a plan to keep the women. The men seem to be doing ok

 

[oldude]

Lucy Olsen, Aneesa Morrow, Liza Karlen, et al, left to go to schools with more robust NIL programs. Big East schools need a plan to keep the women. The men seem to be doing ok

BE MBB got a respectable 5/11 teams into the Big Dance. But that pales in comparison to the SEC’s 14/16 teams.

You point out the exodus of several top WBB players from the BE to P4 schools. NIL and the portal are largely to blame. Unfortunately, I don’t see BE schools not named UConn being able to compete financially for top WBB players anytime in the near future.

Again, while Geno said, “We need to do something,” I’m not quite sure what options are realistically available for BE WBB as a whole to attract and retain top talent.

 

[oldude]

Maybe bring in a former WNBA commissioner to run the conference?

Outside of UConn and men's basketball in general, I am not sure the Big East takes athletics any more seriously than the Ivies (who at least play football).

It’s all about money and that means big time football and the revenue big time football generates. I’m not sure that a former WNBA commissioner would have the ability to turn the BE into a big time football conference with millions of dollars to spend on WBB.

 

[uconnfan68]

BE MBB got a respectable 5/11 teams into the Big Dance. But that pales in comparison to the SEC’s 14/16 teams.

You point out the exodus of several top WBB players from the BE to P4 schools. NIL and the portal are largely to blame. Unfortunately, I don’t see BE schools not named UConn being able to compete financially for top WBB players anytime in the near future.

Again, while Geno said, “We need to do something,” I’m not quite sure what options are realistically available for BE WBB as a whole to attract and retain top talent.

The SEC has much more practice paying players.

 

[oldude]

Here's a suggestion-How about play better against the P4 Schools, get better players, get better coaches and pay them like the Big East Men's programs do. Even the outrage at Creighton being project an 8 seed irritated far too many on this forum who were misguided in their assessment. Creighton needs to beat Illinois and prove the committee wrong (though that theory always has holes in it).

The depth of players, better coaching and more schools willing to pay for programs means the depth has drastically improved for this tournament. The second round is now going to be full of quality games among the top 32 teams, which was unimaginable 10 years ago.

Heck, plenty of the 8/9 games offer compelling matchups. To me, this is still largely a "chalk" tournament with a probable 6 of the top 8 seeds making it to the Elite 8.

There will be some great Sweet 16 games with LSU-NC State and rematch for ND with TCU. I predict both LSU and ND winning those two games to qualify for the Elite 8.

Overall, this is any of 8 teams opportunity to win.

Your suggestions are interesting. But it all comes down to money. Without the cash cows afforded by big time football programs as with P4 programs, BE teams will always be fighting an uphill battle to hire the top coaches, attract and retain the top players and so on.

Even UConn is going to have to come to terms with a projected $70 million dollar deficit in 2025, and that doesn’t even include potential federal funding cuts.