Early big east predictions

[AZHuskiePop]

There’s a chance the first place team is 14-6, and every fan base is convinced their team sucks for at least part of the conference season. It’s going to be fun.

Top to bottom it’s going to be brutal not one road game you can point to as a sure win .
I don’t know about 6 but I was thinking 4-5 .. Hopefully the league has a winning percentage in the 90’s going in so everyone with a .500 conference record makes the dance like the old Big East . I could see 6 teams in .

 

[Hey Adrien!]

There’s a chance the first place team is 14-6, and every fan base is convinced their team sucks for at least part of the conference season. It’s going to be fun.

This.

Usually, when I predict the Big East, I put teams in "tiers" but as @NJHoops alluded, I expect a lot more parity this season as St. John's, Butler and Georgetown will be a lot better this season than last year.

Parity could either mean the conference cannibalizes itself, minimizing the teams that make the tournament (kinda like the A-10 last year) or the overall quality up and town improves NET ratings, therefore the Big East has six teams in the tournament (kinda like 2022, when eight Big East teams ranked within the top-55 KenPom).

Anywho, here's my rank:

Teams in the Preseason Top 25

1) UConn
2) Marquette
3) Villanova
4) Creighton

Teams that could be in the Top 25 at points this season

5) Xavier

The strong middle of the pack

6) St. John's
7) Providence

Better than last year

8) Georgetown
9) Butler

Worse than last year

10) Seton Hall
11) DePaul

 

[businesslawyer]

Definitely no complaints on how it turned out, but the league as a whole was disrespected by the committee because of the poor OOC results (outside of UConn).

If poor OOC results lead to lower than ideal seeds, how in the world is that being “disrespected?” The only way to judge comparative strength of conferences for seeding purposes is with OOC results.

 

[willie99]

UConn regular season and BET Champions, no worse than 17-3. The three losses we're outshot on the freethrow line by 30 at Creighton and at Xavier and somebody else too. Probably not losing to Marquette this year, that schtick is over for now

We carry 1 or 2 teams off the bubble and into the tourney

We contend for back to back, and the women contend too

I have no idea how the wannabes are going to finish

Arrogant and spoiled

 

[REB1094]

I have Marquette at #1, Creighton/UConn at #2, UConn/Creighton at #3, and it could go anywhere from there. I feel like St Johns, PC, Xavier, Nova, maybe even GTown will be between pretty decent and solid teams.

Seton Hall won’t win a lot of games but I don’t think they’ll be easy to beat. They’ll play really hard and really scrappy. They’ll win a few upsets

I feel like the only free wins this year are DePaul and Butler. There should be 3 real contenders, and a good amount of teams in the running for at large bids

 

[McLovin]

If poor OOC results lead to lower than ideal seeds, how in the world is that being “disrespected?” The only way to judge comparative strength of conferences for seeding purposes is with OOC results.

Fair, but I think the bad results in the OOC were used as a negative for some teams (Creighton, PC) and completely ignored for others (UConn). Both UConn and Creighton deserved better seed lines by at least 1, if not 2. PC at 11 was probably 3 spots too low, considering 19-15 WVU got a 9 seed (and best OOC win was at Pitt).

 

[Hunt for 7]

UConn regular season and BET Champions, no worse than 17-3. The three losses we're outshot on the freethrow line by 30 at Creighton and at Xavier and somebody else too. Probably not losing to Marquette this year, that schtick is over for now

We carry 1 or 2 teams off the bubble and into the tourney

We contend for back to back, and the women contend too

I have no idea how the wannabes are going to finish

Arrogant and spoiled

Very optimistic take….hope you are correct!

 

[Ricker]

I see 3 tiers with the top 6 teams all ncaa

Creighton, UConn, Nova, Marquette, St Johns, Xavier,
Seton Hall, PC, Georgetown
Depaul, Butler

 

[Tiamat7]

I'll wait and see on Xavier. Miller is a great coach, but they will rely on transfers to replace Boum, Colby Jones, and Kunkel. That's a lot to lose in the backcourt. No way they can be placed in the preseason top 3.

Perhaps you have more Intel about Butler than others, but why is the OP suggesting they'll be better? Thad is a good coach, but they'll need someone to pop unexpectedly. Lost two talented players in Lukocious and Bates.

PC is wait and see with the new coach, but the return of Hopkins and Carter will give them a chance. Udoro from GMU is solid.

Agree that Seton Hall is suspect on paper, but still a tough out in NJ. They play hard for Holloway.

It'll be a tremendous year in the BE! I'd bet 6 teams will qualify for the NCAA tournament. If everything falls into place (good OOC results+ not too much canabalizing), perhaps 7.

Tier 1: Marquette, UConn, Creighton

Tier 2: Villanova, Xavier, St Johns, Providence

Tier 3: Georgetown, Seton Hall, Butler

Tier 4: DePaul