Lenn Robbins breaks down the ferocious field for this week’s Big East Tournament:

THE FAVORITES

LOUISVILLE (25-5, 16-2)

LAST YEAR: Lost to Pitt, 76-69, in overtime in the quarterfinals.

THE COACH: Rick Pitino.

THE STAR: Terrence Williams.

THE SKINNY: The Cards apply more pressure than an IRS audit.

THE ODDS: Hillary declares it her administration-to-1.

PITTSBURGH (28-3, 15-3)

LAST YEAR: Beat Georgetown, 74-65, in the title game.

THE COACH: Jamie Dixon.

THE STAR: DeJuan Blair.

THE SKINNY: Like a boa constrictor, the Panthers squeeze the life out of you.

THE ODDS: Christian Bale enters anger management counseling-to-1.

CONNECTICUT (27-3, 15-3)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 78-74, to WVU in the quarterfinals.

THE COACH: Jim Calhoun.

THE STAR: Hasheem Thabeet.

THE SKINNY: The Huskies block the lane better than a double-parked garbage truck.

THE ODDS: Seth Rogan marries a supermodel-to-1.

VILLANOVA (25-6, 13-5)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 82-63, to Georgetown in the quarterfinals.

THE COACH: Jay Wright.

THE STAR: Dante Cunningham.

THE SKINNY: The ‘Cats cause more mismatches than a schizophrenic matchmaker.

THE ODDS: Jimmie Rollins trashes the Mets-to-1.

SYRACUSE (23-8, 11-7)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 82-63, to Villanova in the first round.

THE COACH: Jim Boeheim.

THE STAR: Jonny Flynn.

THE SKINNY: Death, bailouts and the 2-3 zone.

THE ODDS: Rex Ryan guarantees a Jets’ Super Bowl berth-to-1.

MARQUETTE, (23-8, 12-6)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 68-61, to Pitt in the semifinals.

THE COACH: Buzz Williams.

THE STAR: Jerel McNeal.

THE SKINNY: Had the best three-guard attack in the nation until Dominic James broke his foot.

THE ODDS: Stephon Marbury singlehandedly destroys the Celtics-to-1.

THE SLEEPERS

WEST VIRGINIA (21-10, 10-8)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 72-55, to Georgetown in the semifinals.

THE COACH: Bob Huggins.

THE STAR: De’Sean Butler.

THE SKINNY: ‘Cloned ‘Neers,’ the new Dean Koontz novel about a team of 6-7 players that defend & shoot.

THE ODDS: Indiana removes all land lines-to-1.

PROVIDENCE (18-12, 10-8)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 58-53, to WVU in the first round.

THE COACH: Keno Davis.

THE STAR: Sharaud Curry.

THE SKINNY: Enough seniority to get an AARP discount.

THE ODDS: Jamie Lynn Spears (foreward by Britney) writes a book for young mothers-to-1.

GEORGETOWN (16-13, 7-11)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 74-65, to Pitt in the championship.

THE CAOCH: John Thompson III.

THE STAR: Greg Monroe.

THE SKINNY: So young, even unscrupulous agents are asking for ID.

THE ODDS: Cynthia Rodriguez claims that she injected A-Rod with a PED-to-1.

NOTRE DAME (17-13, 8-10)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 89-79, to Marquette in the quarterfinals.

THE COACH: Mike Brey.

THE STAR: Luke Harangody.

THE SKINNY: If only this was a game of horse and the Irish didn’t have to defend.

THE ODDS: Dick Cheney opens a hunting lodge-to-1.

CINCINNATI (18-13, 8-10)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 70-64, to Pitt in the first round.

THE COACH: Mick Cronin.

THE STAR: Deonta Vaughn.

THE SKINNY: The ‘Cats believe in the pride system; everyone in on the kill.

THE ODDS: Madonna announces first Kabbalah/Plastic Surgery Center-to-1.

THE LONG SHOTS

SETON HALL (16-14, 7-11)

LAST YEAR: Lost, 67-54, to Marquette in the first round.

THE COACH: Bobby Gonzalez.

THE STAR: Jeremy Hazell.

THE SKINNY: The Pirates’ style is like shouting, ‘Fire!’ in a crowded theater.

THE ODDS: Ashley Dupre announces she’s found the Lord-to-1 (in room 1401).

ST. JOHN’S (15-16, 6-12)

LAST YEAR: Not invited.

THE COACH: Norm Roberts.

THE STAR: D.J. Kennedy.

THE SKINNY: Playing the Red Storm is like careening through Times Square at Christmas.

THE ODDS: The Second Avenue subway opens on schedule-to-1.

SOUTH FLORIDA (9-21, 4-14)

LAST YEAR: Not invited.

THE COACH: Stan Heath.

THE STAR: Dominic Jones.

THE SKINNY: In the league for football purposes only.

THE ODDS: Sarah Palin takes Plaxico Burress hunting-to-1.

RUTGERS (11-20, 2-16)

LAST YEAR: Not invited.

THE COACH: Fred Hill.

THE STAR: Mike Rosario.

THE SKINNY: Greener than a June tomato.

THE ODDS: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer switch partners-to-1.

DEPAUL (8-23, 0-18)

LAST YEAR: Not invited.

THE COACH: Jerry Wainwright.

THE STAR: Dar Tucker.

THE SKINNY: Last team to go winless in league play was Miami in 1993-94.

THE ODDS: Bernie Madoff turns philanthropist-to-1.