Oh how the mighty fall. The Big East put on quite a performance yesterday as 3 seed Georgetown, 6 seed Marquette and 6 seed Notre Dame all fell on their collective swords. Villanova, the only Big East team to make it out alive yesterday, barely squeaked by 15th seed Robert Morris and it took an extra session to make it happen. The Big East still has a chance to salvage things today but if yesterday was an indication of the general state of the Big East…well…I can always dream.
Normally, you would think a day of upsets like this would make a bracket look pretty rough but having gone a whooping 2/8 yesterday, I didn’t have any of yesterday’s losers going past the second round. If West Virgina and Syracuse lose today, that could be a different story.
As for the Buckeyes, we can thank those Bobcats to the south for putting a smack down on Georgetown. Although I would have loved to see the Buckeyes do it, it does open things up a bit. Although the score doesn’t show it, Tennessee got a good scare from San Diego state as they drew within a point with only 20 seconds or so left in the game. If Ohio rolls like they did yesterday, we could easily see an Ohio/Ohio State sweet sixteen. And let’s face it, is there anyone who doesn’t expect Tennessee to self destruct at any minute now? Just remember what happend the last time the Buckeyes met another Ohio School in the tourney. My heart skips a beat thinking about it.
So, if Pittsburgh and West Virginia play to the level of their fellow Big East schools, we’re yet another step closer to my vision of an all Big Ten Final Four.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
“Big Least,” eh? Why, because the 5th, 7th and 8th-best teams in the conference lost?
I wonder how Illinois, Northwestern and Michigan would do in the Big Dance this year? Oh right . . .
Not that it means anything, I’d feel safe betting Illinois would play better than Georgetown did last night. Northwestern? I’d count on them to play to the level of Robert Morris which pretty much means they beat Villanova. The referees might not have protected Reynolds near as much against a school that people have actually heard of before which again, means Villa is out.
Don’t think of for a minute that I’m going to defend _ichigan on this blog.
OU made more three-pointers than anyone in the history of the first round. It wasn’t so much Georgetown played bad as OU played out of their minds.
All I’m saying is that three of the Big East’s worst entries lost yesterday. If Pitt, Syracuse and Louisville win today the conference will have been 5-3 in the first round. Let’s say two of those teams gets to the Elite 8 and one to the Final Four. That’s a pretty darn good tournament for one conference.
Way too early to start with “Big Least” stuff. Wait until one of the good teams loses.
Heck, throw West Virginia in there and they’re 5-4.
And yeah…give credit to Ohio. It’s good to see the Bobcats have a game like that. It’s historic for them.
Granted, it’s an over statement unless Syracuse, WVU, Pitt or Vila drop out.
Donning my Big Ten glasses again, the odds are much better for the Big East. They’ve got more chances in the lottery. Although they only have one more top 25 team than the Big Ten, they’ve got four more teams in the tourney. Using your formula, the Big East can have 6 teams drop out before the Elight 8 and it still looks good for the Big East. The Big Ten can only lose one.
All that aside, while I’d like to see the Big Ten field two Final Four teams, there’s only one I’m putting my hopes in. Georgetown cracked the door a little more but it will be Kansas that is the test. If Turner and company are on, it could be a heck of a game.
The endurance factor may really come into play against Kansas also. Not a lot of play coming from the bench.
Turner named POY by basketball writers.