How will the Big East teams perform in the NCAA's?

[Zenigundam]

What do you say? I'm thinking

Villanova- I can see a 16 seed threatening them honestly. They're not as good as some thing. Not F4 bound.

Xavier- Thought it was a Final Four team earlier in the year. I think maybe that's still the case.

Butler- No clue. I don't understand this team.

Providence- One and done imo. No further than the Round of 32 if not.

Seton Hall- Think we could be one and done based on today and how we know the team's been playing so hard just to manufacture this record.

 

[SHUHoopsFan]

Depends on match ups

 

[Merge]

Depends on match ups

Exactly. I'll let you know when I fill out my bracket.

 

[SOBO1]

Like stated above it all depends on match ups. There aren't any great teams in the BigEast (in my opinion). The entire conference could be eliminated by the end of the forst weekend, or maybe a couple teams advance to the sweet 16

 

[jsd21]

Win on the road again and some are still complaining.

 

[SPK145]

I don't see any BE teams doing much damage in the NCAA's.

 

[catholicman]

Villanova is going to go far this year. Mark my words. Xavier is going to go far. Providence has a way of stepping things up when it counts; not many teams will know how to handle Bentil and Dunn. Even though our team has some big flaws, I think we have the potential to make the Sweet 16.

 

[Jerry1992]

Big East will do well this year. Either Nova or Xavier will make final four. The other will make elite 8. Plus Hall could make sweet sixteen with right draw. 2 or 3 in sweet sixteen.

 

[shu09]

I don't see any BE teams doing much damage in the NCAA's.

It does depend on matchups, but all things being equal I tend to agree with the above (unfortunately).

EDIT: For some reason, Xavier slipped my mind. I do think Xavier can go far, they're the most complete team in the league. Could make a run at the Elite Eight, maybe the Final Four if they get a good draw (which they always seem to).

I think Villanova gets bounced earlier than expected again, but in the Sweet 16 this time around.

 

[hallgrad80]

Hate to say this but don't see either Nova or Xavier as a final four team unless they get favorable match ups in later rounds . Both could be Elite Eight teams however.

 

[Zenigundam]

I don't see any BE teams doing much damage in the NCAA's.

Seems like there's something wrong with Xavier. I can't quite identify it though.
Providence plays pretty low IQ basketball. The only x-factor I can see stealing them a game is Fazekas draining some 3's when a team like UConn or Cal takes away Dunn and Bentil.

Surprised that the optimism in this thread is high for Seton Hall though. I really think we're not as good as our record. The team has been hungry for wins in a weak Big East. We have very solid, highly recruited pieces who have come to play this season, but St. John's showed why we were not highly regarded coming into the season.

 

[catholicman]

Seems like there's something wrong with Xavier. I can't quite identify it though.
Providence plays pretty low IQ basketball. The only x-factor I can see stealing them a game is Fazekas draining some 3's when a team like UConn or Cal takes away Dunn and Bentil.

Surprised that the optimism in this thread is high for Seton Hall though. I really think we're not as good as our record. The team has been hungry for wins in a weak Big East. We have very solid, highly recruited pieces who have come to play this season, but St. John's showed why we were not highly regarded coming into the season.

Xavier's problem is its defense. When they concentrate on it, they are hard to stop. But it is easy for them to just run up and down the court trading baskets. Also, teams that slow down the game's pace and force a slow, deliberate half-court game, can give Xavier fits.

 

[statenman]

Bentil and Dunn are run down, I would have to see how they are playing to make a guess on them.
As far as we go, it is entirely based on seeding and match ups. We haven't shown that we are good enough to to beat most top 20 teams.

 

[Zenigundam]

Xavier's problem is its defense. When they concentrate on it, they are hard to stop. But it is easy for them to just run up and down the court trading baskets. Also, teams that slow down the game's pace and force a slow, deliberate half-court game, can give Xavier fits.

Ah yeah that sounds about right. Not too worried about Xavier because they should be OK to get to the 2nd weekend. I'm mostly worried about Villanova embarrassing our conference. It's the same exact team minus Pinkston and Hilliard except they added a McDonald's All American who is a 19 year old kid and a guard.

I was half-kidding about the 16 seed game, but they really don't have a frontcourt that is that much better than that of a decent mid-major, so I wouldn't be surprised if some low-major from the SWAC could hang. Moreover, I don't see the Arch or Hart breaking people's ankles off the dribble drive. They're mostly not quick enough to get by the best defenders, but they swing the ball so much as a team to get open 3's.

I don't know. Villanova's nothing special to me. They remind me of Gonzaga a few years ago, except worse because take away the Zags great frontcourt players Olynyk and Harris. Won't be shocked when Villanova gets thumped whenever they lose.

 

[NYShoreGuy]

What do you say? I'm thinking

Villanova- I can see a 16 seed threatening them honestly. They're not as good as some thing. Not F4 bound.

Xavier- Thought it was a Final Four team earlier in the year. I think maybe that's still the case.

Butler- No clue. I don't understand this team.

Providence- One and done imo. No further than the Round of 32 if not.

Seton Hall- Think we could be one and done based on today and how we know the team's been playing so hard just to manufacture this record.

depends on the matchups, if pc is an 8 or a 9 i wouldnt want to be the 1 seed facing them

 

[SOBO1]

Villanova is going to go far this year.

I would be shocked if they did.

 

[Zenigundam]

Good point. I just don't get why Providence doesn't take care of the ball. They should have a way better record than 18-8.

 

[catholicman]

I would be shocked if they did.

They are going to be playing in Philadelphia in the Wells Fargo Arena for the regional.

 

[HALL85]

It is about match-ups to a degree, but I see Villanova getting to the Elite 8 at least. They have a great defensive team and are big and deep at guard. I think Xavier as well will get through the first weekend.

Everyone else who makes it, perhaps a one and done at best. I don't like Providence at all right now. Butler has work to do just to get in and although we have a very good defensive team, today showed how we can get easily get beat when Angel is in foul trouble. Big drop off with Rasheed and Ish/Nzei get exposed without Angel in there.

 

[Seton75]

What do you say? I'm thinking

Villanova- I can see a 16 seed threatening them honestly. They're not as good as some thing. Not F4 bound.

Xavier- Thought it was a Final Four team earlier in the year. I think maybe that's still the case.

Butler- No clue. I don't understand this team.

Providence- One and done imo. No further than the Round of 32 if not.

Seton Hall- Think we could be one and done based on today and how we know the team's been playing so hard just to manufacture this record.

Nova and xu are as good as any team out there. Sh, Butler and pc can beat some teams too. Based on today we are 2-11 in the big east.

 

[ncaaball2]

Villanova: final four. Could win it all
Xavier: elite 8, but could win it all
Seton hall: I think sweet 16 is realistic

Butler and providence strike me as first round losses right now. But you never know, they have skilled players who have won games before. I see sweet 16 as their ceiling.

 

[SOBO1]

They are going to be playing in Philadelphia in the Wells Fargo Arena for the regional.

I repeat, I would be shocked if they did.

Again it all depends on match ups but I really don't see Nova making it past the sweet 16 (which isn't that impressive for a 1 seed). Good news for Nova fans is that I'm usually wrong. Nova to me just looks very "beatable".

 

[SOBO1]

Villanova has a great record but there are some things that concern me.

Of the teams they have played that are considered "locks" (or close to it) for the tournament (Oklahoma, Virginia, Xavier, Providence) they have a record of 2-3.

They have beaten a good amount of bubble teams (Temple, SHU, St. Joe's) but to me that doesn't indicate you are poised to make a deep run in the tourney. But hey ya never know....

For the record my Dad went to Nova so they are my second favorite team.

 

[ncaaball2]

Any team can lose at any time. Nova could lose. Duke could lose to Lehigh or mercer.

This nova team is clicking 2009 style. That team had a bunch of red flags too. But hey, they were clicking the last two years 2009 style as well. (The 2010 and 2011 teams were imploding, and the 2013 team was a rebuild project happy to dance).

The 2009 lost by 20+ in feb of 2009. Trying to view specific pieces of data to determine if a team can win or lose in a single elimination tourney is a fool's errand at the end of the day.

But I look at the athletes on Villanova, the way they play together, their intelligence and consistency, and I have no reason to doubt this group of kids. You are free to disagree.

 

[SOBO1]

Fair point, and at the end of the day I'll be rooting like hell for nova to go as far as possible.

I think this year's tournament will be true madness because I don't think there is a great deal of separation between the top seeds and the mid range seeds. Anybody can beat anybody.

 

[TheBluePirate]

I don't see any BE teams doing much damage in the NCAA's.

Agree. And we really need to get to the second weekend with two teams to establish credibility which has been looking softer over time.

 

[HALL85]

Put it this way...If Nova and Xavier DON'T get to the second weekend, no one will and it will not look good for the league to get shut out of the Sweet 16 again.

 

[The SHUttle]

If the conference is going to make some tournament noise, this is the year to do it. There really aren't any great teams so it is a field that is ripe for the taking.

 

[donnie_baseball]

Seems like there's something wrong with Xavier. I can't quite identify it though.
Providence plays pretty low IQ basketball. The only x-factor I can see stealing them a game is Fazekas draining some 3's when a team like UConn or Cal takes away Dunn and Bentil.

Surprised that the optimism in this thread is high for Seton Hall though. I really think we're not as good as our record. The team has been hungry for wins in a weak Big East. We have very solid, highly recruited pieces who have come to play this season, but St. John's showed why we were not highly regarded coming into the season.

So one game, which SHU won on the road, is justification for the pre-season ranking?

Makes about as much sense as anything else you've postulated here

 

[sami]

I love how a Nova team that is #1 in the nation with losses to Oklahoma, Virginia and Providence offset by a couple of wins might get a scare from a 16-seed, or at least get thumped early.

Also love how a SHU team that is 5-2 on the road in the Big East with losses at Xavier and Nova, and 4-3 at home with only 1 really ugly game is not as good as it's record.

Where do I sign up for over .500 on the road in the Big East every year, which we've already guaranteed and have a likely shot of at least .667?