With the Big East Tournament set to tip off in less than four days, we’re getting closer and closer to knowing the exact order of the field. Here is how things look heading into this weekend’s games (including Thursday’s results).
1. Syracuse
2. Villanova
3. West Virginia
4. Pittsburgh
5. Marquette
6. Louisville
7. Notre Dame
8. Georgetown
9. South Florida
10. Seton Hall
11. Cincinnati
12. Connecticut
13. Rutgers
14. St. John’s
15. Providence
16. DePaul
If this order stays the same through this weekend’s games, here is how the tournament will shape up next week:
Double-Byes: Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia, Pittsburgh
Byes: Marquette, Louisville, Notre Dame, Georgetown
First Round matchups:
South Florida-DePaul
Seton Hall-Providence
Cincinnati-St. John’s
Connecticut-Rutgers
Analysis: The Big East will be thrilled to get all three local teams playing on the tournament’s opening night – a sure way to help crowds on what likely could be a slow day at the ticket office. It also will be happy to see Connecticut – which incredibly looks like it will enter the tournament with a double-digit seed – which always draws a huge crowd.
Without question, though, the marquee matchup, if things break down this way, will be Lance Stephenson, who Norm Roberts long pursued to come play for St. John’s, returning to the Garden with Cincinnati to play against the Red Storm. St. John’s escaped with a close victory in the team’s first meeting at the Garden earlier this season, and this one would likely go down to the wire, as well.
Second Round matchups:
South Florida/DePaul vs. Georgetown
Seton Hall/Providence vs. Notre Dame
Cincinnati/St. John’s vs. Louisville
Connecticut/Rutgers vs. Marquette
Analysis: If the favorites win out on Tuesday, there would be some fascinating second round matchups – all of which would have a huge bearing on how many bids the Big East will get to the NCAA tournament. Heading into the tournament, the top seven seeds (Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Marquette, Louisville and Marquette) all should make the field of 65. That leaves Notre Dame, South Florida, Connecticut, Seton Hall and Cincinnati all with winnable games that would greatly enhance their at-large credentials. And if you look at the potential second round matchups (USF-Notre Dame, UConn-Georgetown, Seton Hall/Louisville and Cincinnati Marquette), there’s no reason to think the underdog couldn’t win each of those games. If that were to happen, it could really become a wild week, and as many as 12 teams could be sitting around the television on Selection Sunday with a legitimate claim to being an NCAA Tournament team.
Quarterfinals:
South Florida/DePaul/Georgetown vs. Syracuse
Seton Hall/Providence/Notre Dame vs. Villanova
Cincinnati/St. John’s/Louisville vs. West Virginia
Connecticut/Rutgers/Marquette vs. Pittsburgh
Analysis: If things play out this way, we’d be in for some fascinating quarterfinal matchups at the Garden. How about Syracuse against its arch-rival, Georgotown? Villanova against Seton Hall or Notre Dame? West Virginia against Louisville or Cincinnati? Pittsburgh against Marquette or Connecticut? I’d sign up to see any (and all) of those.
However it shakes out, it’s sure to be a wild week at MSG. I’ll keep revising this breakdown over the next few days, as the field begins to shake itself out as the Big East finishes its final weekend of competition.
