I Bleed Blue and White

****Updated for the night session****

The 2nd day of the Big East Tournament is under 2 hours away! Rejoice! I shouldn’t be complaining about yesterday though. Besides that atrocious Notre Dame-Rutgers affair, the games were pretty competitive and entertaining despite being played by the dregs of the conference.

Today should be better though as we’ll see some NCAA Tournament-quality squads hit the hardwood. Oddly enough, no spreads available for the night session games yet, so we’re going to wait to pick those games until we see a spread.

12:00 p.m. ET – PROVIDENCE -8.5 DePaul

• DePaul’s magical 1-game run will officially end today. It’s not that I don’t like the Blue Demons, because I was thrilled that they won yesterday. I just don’t think they can keep this close. They definitely cannot score with Providence. And even though they rediscovered defense yesterday, I don’t think they can slow down the Friars either. I think Keno’s boys will win this one going away and win by 10+. Plus, I’d rather see Providence take on Louisville. That would actually be a contest.

2:00 p.m. ET – MARQUETTE – 7 St. John’s

• This one I am a little less sure about. I really envision the Johnnies being able to keep this one close. It’s no secret that Marquette is struggling mightily. They haven’t won in a couple of weeks and maybe some doubt is creeping in. But Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews (and Lazar Hayward for that matter) will be the best players on the court. St. John’s is going to need to shoot the ball extremely well because they won’t get a lot of easy buckets. I feel like I’m going to regret this pick, but the Golden Eagles will cover.

7:00 p.m. ET – WEST VIRGINIA – 4.5 Notre Dame

• The Mountaineers are just stifling on defense, so it’s hard to envision the ND shooters getting many open looks. That means that the offense is most likely going to fall on Luke Harangody, who was awful last night, and Tory Jackson, who was very good. I don’t see anyone on the Irish who can account for Da’Sean Butler, and Alex Ruoff killed them in the first matchup. I’m banking on Devin Ebanks bothering Harangody with his length. West Virginia wins, and covers.

9:00 p.m. ET – SYRACUSE -6.5 Seton Hall

• After the underdogs hurt me yesterday, I can’t pick all favorites again. Plus, I love Seton Hall. I think their ability to shoot is going to kill Syracuse’s zone. Syracuse is tricky though. Are they primed for a run after beating Marquette in Wisconsin? The Pirates’ depth worries me, but I’m taking Seton Hall with the points.

The NBE Basketball Report has been doing weekly updates throughout the season, and just released their stock report for the Big East teams as the Big East Tournament begins. NBE categorizes Villanova’s stock as “rising” and believes the sky is the limit for their post-season success.

“4. Villanova 25-6, 13-5, Stock: Rising

National Ranking: 13
Last game: W 97-80 vs. Providence
Big East Quarterfinals vs. No. 5 Marquette or No. 12 Georgetown/No. 13 St. John’s
Current Streak: W 2
Postseason Status: NCAA
Projected Big East Tournament Finish: Quarterfinals

Strong Point: Villanova finished the regular season as the leagues top scoring offense with 79.5 points per game. They also had a 3rd best field goal percentage of 46.6%.

Area of Improvement: The Wildcats slipped a little bit towards the end of the season, ending with a scoring defense average of 73.3 points per game given up. They gave up 70 or more points in 8 of their last 10 games.

Overall Analysis: With the Big East’s most improved player of the year on their roster in forward Dante Cunningham, and a slew of talented guards, headlined by senior Scottie Reynolds, the skies are certainly the limit for the Wildcats. If all goes as planned, two of the best backcourts in the country in Villanova and Marquette will square off in the quarterfinal round. Reynolds with his team leading 15.7 points per game and veteran leadership would remain the X factor in such a game.”

…Oddly enough, NBE says Marquette is struggling, yet projects them to beat Villanova in the quarterfinals…hmmm...

Lenn Robbins of the New York Post discusses the upcoming Big East Tournament in his latest article. Robbins provides predictions for what’s to come this week in Madison Square Garden. Robbins, a Villanova-friendly writer, picks Villanova to win it all by beating Marquette, Louisville, and finally Syracuse in the finals.

“Dante Cunningham, the Post’s Most Improved Player in the league, caps a remarkable run and wins the Dave Gavitt Trophy. Villanova, the league’s free throw shooting team (73 percent), wins the game at the line where ‘Cuse is a lame 64 percent.”

Robbins also talks about some sleepers that could make some noise, as well as Mike Francesa’s interview with Jay Wright.

…The Post is by far my favorite paper, and I love how Robbins isn’t afraid to take a dig at Francesa, since everyone else in NY seems to think he’s a God or something…anyways these are some fun predictions and a good light read…

With the season finales taking place in the Big East yesterday, the seeding is finally set for the Big East Tournament, which begins play on Tuesday. Below is the schedule of games.

Tuesday March 10

• 12:00 p.m. – #9 Cincinnati vs. #16 DePaul
• 2:00 p.m. – #12 Georgetown vs. #13 St. John’s
• 7:00 p.m. – #10 Notre Dame vs. #15 Rutgers
• 9:00 p.m. – #11 Seton Hall vs. #14 South Florida

Wednesday March 11

• 12:00 p.m. on ESPN – #8 Providence vs. Cincinnati/DePaul
• 2:00 p.m. on  ESPN – #5 Marquette vs. Georgetown/St. John’s
• 7:00 p.m. on ESPN – #7 West Virginia vs. Notre Dame/Rutgers
• 9:00 p.m. on ESPN – #6 Syracuse vs. Seton Hall/South Florida

Thursday March 12

• 12:00 p.m. on ESPN – #1 Louisville vs. Providence/Cincinnati/DePaul
• 2:00 p.m. on ESPN – #4 Villanova vs. Marquette/Georgetown/St. John’s
• 7:00 p.m. on ESPN – #2 Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia/ND/Rutgers
• 9:00 p.m. on ESPN – #3 UConn vs. Syracuse/Seton Hall/USF

Friday March 13

• 7:00 p.m. on ESPN – Semifinal #1
• 9:00 p.m. on ESPN – Semifinal #2

Saturday March 14

• 9:00 p.m. on ESPN – Big East Championship Game

You can also go to VUHoops if you want to see the bracket.

…It’s just amazing that this is now a 5 day tournament…and I can’t help but laugh when I see Notre Dame and Georgetown seeded that low…who would have thought?…

…Anyways, I like our draw…I’d bank on Georgetown beating St. John’s after they just lost to them…that won’t happen twice…Georgetown-Marquette should be a pretty good game…and then I like our matchup with either a wounded and reeling Marquette or a revenge matchup with the Hoyas…

…Also like a potential revenge game with Louisville, gosh we should have won that game!…

Villanova doesn’t host Providence until tomorrow night, but the fight for the double-bye in the Big East Tournament starts this evening. Other than LOST, you should keep a close eye on Marquette’s trip to Pittsburgh.

VUHoops has a great outline of all the situations to get the double-bye, but the most simple way is for Marquette to go down to Pitt tonight, and then for Villanova to beat Providence at The Pavilion tomorrow. That would lock up the 4th seed.

#15 Marquette at #4 Pittsburgh (7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2) – Since Dominic James left early in the loss to UConn, most people have written off the Golden Eagles and believe they will enter a tailspin. They were feisty in a loss to Louisville, however, and now look to try and keep hold on a Top 4 seed heading to Pitt. The Panthers lost to Providence last week as DeJuan Blair struggled with fouls, but rebounded over the weekend to take out Seton Hall.

And if you already have your eye on the NCAA Tournament like I do, keep an eye on this matchup tonight as well.

#5 Oklahoma at #12 Missouri (9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN360) – Mizzou has made an incredible run in the last month, soaring to the top end of the Top 25. They placed themselves in direct competition with Villanvoa for a 3 seed in the dance. They were humiliated at Kansas on Sunday. Oklahoma struggled when Blake Griffin was out before rebounding for a win when he returned. It will be a good matchup between the Griffin brothers and Mizzou’s DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons in the frontcourt.

In case you weren’t keeping score, it’s Go Panthers! and Go Sooners! tonight for ‘Nova Nation.

Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune discusses Jim Calhoun’s dislike for the 18 game schedule. Calhoun believes that the uneven scheduling, in which some teams play stronger schedules than others, is hurting some teams’ chances at making the NCAA Tournament. Calhoun Georgetown and Notre Dame as victims of the scheduling format.

“I disagree with the 18 games,” Calhoun said, referring to the format this season where all 16 teams play each other once and three teams twice. “I want to see every team have a fair chance. I think the 18-game schedule is prohibitive.”

Notre Dame plays UConn and Louisville twice, while Georgetown plays Marquette and Syracuse twice. That is a very tough draw, considering that Marquette plays DePaul twice.

…I”m a little torn on this idea…I think the fairest way to fix this is to have everyone play everyone else just once…but as Rick Pitino points out, it’s more about making money than “fairness”…I say just deal with the hand you are dealt and if you play hard and play well, you’ll come out on top…

As part of Yahoo! Sports, Rivals.com writer Mark Huguenin has projected the NCAA field. As he notes, his analysis is not how it would look if the season ended today. In his article, Huguenin says Villanova will land a 2 seed (which would most likely put them in Philadelphia).

“The buzz: Louisville has lost two of its past four, but the Cardinals are in good position to win the Big East. Michigan State is 8-1 vs. teams in the RPI top 50, and a strong finish keeps the Spartans in the hunt for a No. 1 seed. Villanova has the third-best RPI in the Big East (ninth) and could win out in the regular season. Duke’s lack of an inside presence has manifested itself: The Blue Devils have lost four of their past six. Still, Duke is hoping to be able to play in Greensboro, N.C., in the first and second rounds.”

It’s important to note that he has UConn and Pittsburgh receiving #1 seeds, Louisville getting a 2 seed and Marquette receiving a 3 seed. Clemson and Wake Forest are also marked for 3 seeds.

…I don’t love ‘Nova’s schedule as much as Huguenin does, because there are some very dangerous games…but the possibility to win out is certainly there…At this stage, it’s almost not about what seed we get, because I think we’re pretty solid for a Top 4 seed, or at worst a 5…as much as it is finishing ahead of 2 of Duke, Clemson and Wake…

…I’d sign up for a 2 seed right now though…sheesh…

Man, I really hate these long layoffs. I love watching college hoops, don’t get me wrong. I can sit down and watch just about any game, but having not watched ‘Nova since last Friday is starting to get old. Thursday night, please come quickly. As for last night, things didn’t go as we hoped, but you can’t win them all.

Tuesday night recap:

#13 Clemson 93, Maryland 64 – I watched this game and Maryland scrapped with Clemson for most of the 1st half, but Clemson just demolished them after the break. Trevor Booker had 14 and 11, but it felt more like 25 and 22. He was all over the place. Clemson is a dangerous team. They shoot it well and they are fast and athletic. The 2nd half showed just how good Clemson can be, but their performances still vary too much from night to night.

#11 Marquette 79, Seton Hall 67 - This game was close and Seton Hall was actually winning at the half, but they couldn’t stop Marquette in the 2nd half. They did a nice job containing Jerel McNeal, but Wesley Matthews and Lazar Hayward burned them at opportune times. This would have been a nice upset that would have really helped Villanova.

Games to watch for Wednesday:

Providence at #7 Louisville (7:30, ESPN2) – Louisville rebounded nicely from the whooping that Notre Dame handed them last week by blowing out lowly DePaul by 45, but now comes another threat. Providence has now won two in a row and is searching for a quality win. A win at Freedom Hall would almost certainly get the Friars into the NCAA Tournament come Selection Sunday. The Friars will struggle against Louisville’s frontcourt, however, so their best chance is to win a shootout.

Georgia Tech at #8 Wake Forest (7:30) – Georgia Tech is in last place in the ACC with a 1-10 record. It’s an embarrassing season for them, but their lone victory was over the Demon Deacons. Wake is struggling to find consistency and will look to avenge their awful loss to Tech earlier this year. They are in a battle for the 2nd place spot in the ACC, and cannot afford another bad loss.

…Between me and everyone who reads this, I really don’t think that Providence or Georgia Tech have a prayer to win tomorrow…of the two, I think Providence is more likely, and I’ll spend some time watching that game…Louisville’s guards aren’t terribly special and the Friar guards have an advantage there but I don’t see anyone on PC that can match up with Samuels, Clark or Williams…

…As for Tech, they already did the unthinkable once this year…don’t count on it happening twice…

Since we’re getting down to the wire and every game seems to be gaining in importance I’m going to start posting some games to watch for the day, along with how the previous games went. I figure this will be an easy way to keep track of what’s going on in The Big East as well as the rest of the country. I’ll only be doing Big East games, and games that I figure directly relate to Villanova in terms of NCAA seeding. Here’s my first crack at it.

Monday night recap:

Pitt 76, UConn 68 – The Panthers rolled into Hartford, built a lead and kept it for most of the game before UConn began to surge in front late. Levance Fields, who hadn’t made a shot yet, hit 2 enormous 3’s down the stretch to propel Pittsburgh to the big win. The bigger story was DeJuan Blair’s dominance over Hasheem Thabeet. His 22 points and 23 rebounds (compared to Thabeets 5 and 4 effort) probably propelled him into the lead for Big East Player of the Year.

Games to watch for Tuesday:

Maryland at #13 Clemson (7:30, ESPN2) -  The Tigers are coming off a bad road loss to Virginia on Sunday, but remain a threat in the ACC as they are in a dead heat for 2nd place with 4 other teams at 6-4. With a 20-4 record overall, they are one of Villanova’s main competitors for a seed into Philly for the NCAA Tournament. Maryland has struggled to a 5-5 record in the ACC thus far, but they still have strong NCAA Tourney hopes. Greivis Vasquez will lead the Terrapins into Death Valley hoping to secure a quality win.

Seton Hall at Marquette (8:00, ESPN360) – Marquette rebounded from losses to South Florida and ‘Nova with a win over St. John’s, but now face a dangerous Seton Hall team that has given the Big East fits all year. They took UConn to the wire earlier last week and guard Jeremy Hazell and big man John Garcia will look to send Marquette reeling as they head into the final stretch of the season. This is the 2nd of 3 games against teams with losing records before the Golden Eagles close with UConn, Pitt, Louisville and Syracuse.

…As far as Villanova is concerned, it’s safe to say that ‘Nova Nation will be collectively rooting for Maryland and Seton Hall tonight…the game last night was kind of a push, but it’s safe to say that the Pitt victory makes our win over them look better…

Jeff Borzello of the NBE Basketball Report takes a look at the Big East conference and the projects some seeds for the teams who are currently in and/or on the bubble. As of yesterday, Borzello believes that the Wildcats project to a 3 seed right now, based on their strong RPI and strength of schedule.

“Villanova: The Wildcats might have passed Marquette in the conference pecking order, despite their inferior conference record. They blew out the Golden Eagles during the week, and a loss at a good West Virginia team isn’t anything to hang your head about. They have a better RPI, 11 wins vs. the top-100 of the RPI and a much better SOS. Plus, they have a win over Pittsburgh. They face Rutgers on Thursday before heading to upset New York to face Syracuse. Projected Seed: 3″

Borzello believes that right now only 7 teams in the Big East are going to get a bid for the NCAA Tournament, while Georgetown, Notre Dame, Providence and Cincinnati still have work left to do.

…Right now I would put Providence and Cincinnati are VERY close to getting over the proverbial hump…Providence really just needs a signature win before they can feel comfortable, because they should be able to get to 10 conference wins…if Cincinnati can remain strong down the stretch and win a game of two in NYC, they’ll definitely be in…

…Things are a little bit murkier for the Hoyas and Irish…Notre Dame just got a huge win over Louisville and their schedule is favorable down the stretch but they’ll still need to beat either UConn or Villanova to really improve their standing…Georgetown I fear may be the odd team out unless they make a serious run in New York…

…Thanks to Friarblog for the link…