The Big East: Not as good as advertised

[Tyler2Rings]

KenPom has the conferences ranked as:

1) Big 12

gap

2) Big 10
3) SEC
4) Big East

The Big East was 2 before yesterday's games

 

[John]

This is the worst the conference has been since realignment. I think it’s time to add Gonzaga.

no.

 

[tzznandrew]

You are correct. Still, we had some talent. We flopped.

The year before, in which they ended up as an 8 or 9 seed in Kansas' bracket, was a travesty. That team with Gibbs, Purvis, DHam, Miller, Brimah, with Facey and Jalen Adams off the bench, should have been a title contender. In many ways that was more telling.

The next two years were riddled with injuries to Gilbert & Larrier in particular. You could squint and make some excuses. Many—including me—did for a very long time. But that 2015-2016 team underperforming as they did should have been enough to realize Ollie didn't truly have it.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Still not sold on Providence or know how good they actually are.

 

[HuskyHawk]

The year before, in which they ended up as an 8 or 9 seed in Kansas' bracket, was a travesty. That team with Gibbs, Purvis, DHam, Miller, Brimah, with Facey and Jalen Adams off the bench, should have been a title contender. In many ways that was more telling.

The next two years were riddled with injuries to Gilbert & Larrier in particular. You could squint and make some excuses. Many—including me—did for a very long time. But that 2015-2016 team underperforming as they did should have been enough to realize Ollie didn't truly have it.

Which is why I made the reference. Neptune was a Wright assistant, or he wouldn't have sniffed the job, same is true of Ollie and Calhoun recommending him. It seems clear to us that he doesn't have it, but I wonder if Nova fans realize it. We at least had 2014 as an excuse, a big one. They don't have any reason to feel good about this hire.

 

[BigTenFan]

KenPom has the conferences ranked as:

1) Big 12

gap

2) Big 10
3) SEC
4) Big East

those three are really close to one another.

gap

5) Pac 12

gap

6) ACC


That objective conference ranking seems both accurate subjectively, and hilarious when it comes to the ACC.

B1G10 really weak this year. Think SEC and Big East probably better

 

[aburks41]

Villanova needs to give a blank check to Dusty May

 

[aburks41]

Which is why I made the reference. Neptune was a Wright assistant, or he wouldn't have sniffed the job, same is true of Ollie and Calhoun recommending him. It seems clear to us that he doesn't have it, but I wonder if Nova fans realize it. We at least had 2014 as an excuse, a big one. They don't have any reason to feel good about this hire.

They all realize it. I haven't seen a single Nova twitter account sticking up for Neptune anymore. They're all turning on him lol, and rightfully so. He is terrible

 

[Connecticut13]

It's still early. Nova needs a new coach. I expect that we'll have a number of bubble teams - and I also expect UConn and Marquette to be national championship contenders. I wouldn't count Creighton out yet either (made that mistake last year!).

 

[REB1094]

UConn, Marquette, and Creighton are elite. The rest of the BE has not represented the conference well. Those are the only teams that will provide quality wins if you beat them, assuming nobody goes on a tear in BE play

Villanova is a wild card but I’m inclined to think they won’t be good because of their coach

Butler also a wild card, not sure what to think of them lol

St Johns will definitely get better as the year goes on. Xavier will if they can get one of their bigs back. Providence might. These teams could sneak onto the bubble

Georgetown and Seton Hall need a few more years. DePaul is hopeless

 

[dogpause]

I think the Big East is actually better than its rank. It's also a conference, through its style of play, that prepares teams to win a NCAA championship. BE style basketball helps create the best edition of its team that a school has ever had.

However, conference play is a different animal than OOC tournament play, and UConn is the perfect example. It takes a different competitive approach to beat a familiar team you've faced twice already in recent months, than it does to encounter them for the first time in a tournament, and experiencing the concussive, shock-bang the Huskies, or a Kansas team, can bring to the floor.

 

[ValleyGuy]

I wouldn’t say it’s that far off. UConn Creighton Providence St Johns Villanova all had to go on the road. The schedule heavily favored the Big 12.
Not to mention Georgetown clearly won that game.

 

[Scrutineer]

It won't show in wins and losses but we've actually played the Big 12 straight up. It should be 5-5 or at least 4-6 instead of 3-7 with Marquette heavily favored tonight against Texas.

The things that are really hurting the league this season is that Neptune stinks and Xavier is so badly compromised with season ending injuries. Those are two schools the Big East relies on being really good year in and year out. Nova needs to fire Neptune end of the season at the latest.

I still think UConn, Creighton, and Marquette all have a chance at the final 4 and UConn has a better chance of anyone winning the whole thing if healthy.

I was surprised by PC's blowout by OU. They seemed destined to have a great year based on early results, especially the Wisconsin game.
DH has talked up the league and the tie with the B1G and the loss to the Big12 aren't backing him up. Let's hope for Marquette to handle Texas and UConn to beat up on Gonzaga. Might help reclaim some prestige if both those schools go on to have good seasons.
Considering the injuries we've dealt with so far we may have as good a chance at a special year as last year's team.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The conference has a lot of winnable games against bad P6 opponents in the next 10 days. No excuses.

 

[caw]

I was surprised by PC's blowout by OU. They seemed destined to have a great year based on early results, especially the Wisconsin game.
DH has talked up the league and the tie with the B1G and the loss to the Big12 aren't backing him up. Let's hope for Marquette to handle Texas and UConn to beat up on Gonzaga. Might help reclaim some prestige if both those schools go on to have good seasons.
Considering the injuries we've dealt with so far we may have as good a chance at a special year as last year's team.

B10 didn't count if it doesn't include UConn IMO.

B12 though, yeah that was rough. Bad scheduling is one thing but some BE teams are floundering right now.

 

[dennismenace]

I think the Big East is actually better than its rank. It's also a conference, through its style of play, that prepares teams to win a NCAA championship. BE style basketball helps create the best edition of its team that a school has ever had.

However, conference play is a different animal than OOC tournament play, and UConn is the perfect example. It takes a different competitive approach to beat a familiar team you've faced twice already in recent months, than it does to encounter them for the first time in a tournament, and experiencing the concussive, shock-bang the Huskies, or a Kansas team, can bring to the floor.

LOL Great analogy!

 

[freescooter]

glorified wcc. its uconn and a bunch of bums

I think UConn…..Marquette………a bunch of bums…….the NEC…..NESCA…..DePaul

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Big East has 7 games against P5 competition today, and is favored in 5 of them. The two games where the Big East team is an underdog, it is only +1.5 and is a home dog (Xavier vs Cincinnati and Georgetown vs Syracuse). The other two games involving Big East teams are with UConn and Creighton, which are both huge favorites.

The Big East needs to do well today.

 

[businesslawyer]

The year before, in which they ended up as an 8 or 9 seed in Kansas' bracket, was a travesty. That team with Gibbs, Purvis, DHam, Miller, Brimah, with Facey and Jalen Adams off the bench, should have been a title contender. In many ways that was more telling.

The next two years were riddled with injuries to Gilbert & Larrier in particular. You could squint and make some excuses. Many—including me—did for a very long time. But that 2015-2016 team underperforming as they did should have been enough to realize Ollie didn't truly have it.

I thought ‘15-16 was a collection of good players. We didn’t have a great one. Hamilton had a lot of skills but couldn’t shoot the ball into a lake from a dock. Brimah never developed into more than a defensive player. Purvis did not play up to his athleticism, and Gibbs was a combo guard trying to run the point for half the game. Maybe that team could have won another 2 or 3 games that year, but that was never a team that was going to be Top Ten or a Final Four contender.

 

[Blue Idiaco]

Villanova loses today there is a real chance the BE is a three-bid conference. Three very good bids, but need to see a lot more from Nova and PC before anointing them tourney teams. Maybe Butler can get a bid?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Villanova loses today there is a real chance the BE is a three-bid conference. Three very good bids, but need to see a lot more from Nova and PC before anointing them tourney teams. Maybe Butler can get a bid?

All the other major conference bubble teams suck too. Someone has to go to the NCAA Tournament, so between the SEC, Big 10, and Big East, there are going to be a whole lot of bids. The Pac 12 and ACC are in a little bit more trouble.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Last year the BE wasn’t that good going into conference play except for us. We saved the BE last year. Due to our rankings, every time we lost, the league got better

 

[UConnSwag11]

A lot of new coaches this year. We should’ve revisit in 3 years once Pitino and the rest get their guys and system in place. Creighton will be interesting once the upper class moves on and if McDermott stays

 

[WrenchFan69]

I know it's bad for the conference but Villanova finishing 6th in the Big 5 is utterly hilarious.

 

[HeGotGame]

While it has not been a great start, Lunardi's bracket has 6 BE teams in

Men's Bracketology: The numbers show it, Kansas is the best program in modern college basketball

Twenty-one years of history says Kansas' preseason No. 1 ranking -- and top overall seed designation -- should be a net positive for the Jayhawks.

www.espn.com