2-24 BETology

What a crazy night in the Big East. We had an upset that further crowds the race for the top 8 in the conference. We had a scorer drop a Big East single game record 52 points, which was more than 2 different teams scored on the evening. We also had a devastating loss for a team, and that loss was not shown on the scoreboard. Let’s get to the action.

WEDNESDAY’S RECAP:
ST. JOHN’S RED STORM 76
DePaul Blue Demons 51
St. John’s just keeps winning. This was an easy let down game, but the Johnnies dominated from start to finish and by doing so the move into 4th place and a double bye spot with just 3 games remaining. St. John’s could do themselves a huge favor bye continuing this 6 game winning streak in the conference by beating Villanova Saturday. If they can do that, they would be sitting pretty with only Seton Hall and South Florida left on the schedule after Saturday. DePaul losing certainly comes as no surprise. The Blue Demons could climb to the 13-seed if they win out and get some help, but we do know that they will certainly be playing on Tuesday.

NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH 94
Providence Friars 93
The game of the night, was an absolute shoot out. 125 shot attempts, 43 3-point attempts, both teams shooting over 50% from the field. Now the crazy stats. Providence guard Marshon Brooks scored 52 points, breaking the previous Big East single season scoring record set in 1991 by fellow Friar Eric Murdock. Brooks was fantastic, shooting 20-28 from the field including 6-10 from beyond the arc. Another crazy stat is that only 5 other Friars scored and only 2 scored in double figures. Brooks scored 52, the rest of his team scored 41. As for the Irish, they had 2 guys scored a total of 60 points. What does this results mean for the rest of the Big East though besides just being an exciting game? Well, actually not much. This game was a game the Irish were expected to win. Notre Dame is a game and a half behind Pitt for the top seed in the conference tournament. They also have a full game lead with only 3 games remaining on the group behind them trying to get a double bye. The Friars do know that they will be playing Tuesday. They could climb as high as 12th in the standings, but that is if they win out and get help.

CINCINNATI BEARCATS 58
Georgetown Hoyas 46
This was a game that Cincinnati absolutely had to have for NCAA Tournament hopes. It finally gives them a quality win for their resume. But this is a loss that Georgetown absolutely could not afford. Not the loss of the game, but the loss of their starting point guard and second leading scorer, Chris Wright, who left the game with a broken left hand. Wright is out indefinitely and the Hoyas will have to rely on sophomore Hollis Thompson and freshman Markel Starks to fill in until Wright can come back, if he can come back. Losing the game didn’t help Georgetown much either as it dropped them out of the top 4 and into a tie with Syracuse, who they host Saturday. The Bearcats have now won 3 in a row and have snuck up into the top 8 during that run. Cincy still has a tough remaining schedule and can’t afford a let down with only 3 games to go. The Bearcats lone road game is against Marquette. Cincy gets both UCONN and Georgetown at home to finish the season.

STANDINGS:
Big East Official Tie-Breaking formula
Pitt Panthers 12-2
Remaining Schedule:
2/24 vs West Virginia
2/27 @ Louisville
3/2 @ South Florida
3/5 vs Villanova
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 11-4
Remaining Schedule:
2/26 vs Seton Hall
2/28 vs Villanova
3/5 @ Connecticut
Louisville Cardinals 10-5
Remaining Schedule:
2/27 vs Pitt
3/2 vs Providence
3/5 @ West Virginia
St. John’s Red Storm 10-5
Remaining Schedule:
2/26 @ Villanova
3/2 @ Seton Hall
3/5 vs South Florida
Georgetown Hoyas 10-6
Remaining Schedule:
2/26 vs Syracuse
3/5 @ Cincinnati
Syracuse Orange 10-6
Remaining Schedule:
2/26 @ Georgetown
3/5 vs DePaul
Villanova Wildcats 9-6
Remaining Schedule:
2/26 vs St. John’s
2/28 @ Notre Dame
3/5 @ Pitt
Cincinnati Bearcats 9-6
Remaining Schedule:
2/27 vs Connecticut
3/2 @ Marquette
3/5 vs Georgetown
West Virginia Mountaineers 8-6
Remaining Schedule:
2/24 @ Pitt
2/27 @ Rutgers
3/2 vs Connecticut
3/5 vs Louisville
UCONN Huskies 8-6
Remaining Schedule:
2/24 vs Marquette
2/27@ Cincinnati
3/2 @ West Virginia
3/5 vs Notre Dame
Marquette Golden Eagles 7-7
Remaining Schedule:
2/24 @ Connecticut
2/27 vs Providence
3/2 vs Cincinnati
3/5 @ Seton Hall
Seton Hall Pirates 5-10
Remaining Schedule:
2/26 @ Notre Dame
3/3 vs St. John’s
3/5 vs Marquette
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 4-11
Remaining Schedule:
2/27 vs West Virginia
3/2 @ DePaul
3/5 @ Providence
Providence Friars 3-12
Remaining Schedule:
2/27 @ Marquette
3/2 @ Louisville
3/5 vs Rutgers
South Florida Bulls 2-13
Remaining Schedule:
2/26 @ DePaul
3/2 vs Pitt
3/5 @ St. John’s
DePaul Blue Demons 1-14
Remaining Schedule:
2/26 vs South Florida
3/2 vs Rutgers
3/5 @ Syracuse

TODAY:
Marquette @ Connecticut 7:00 pm, ESPN2
West Virginia @ Pitt 9:00 pm, ESPN

NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES COMING UP:
Saturday - Syracuse @ Georgetown NOON, CBS
Saturday - St. John’s @ Villanova 2:30 pm, ESPN
Sunday - Pitt @ Louisville 2:00 pm, CBS
Monday - Villanova @ Notre Dame 7:00 pm, ESPN

BETology:
TUESDAY
March 8th:
NOON
9 – West Virginia
Vs
16 - DePaul
2:00
12 – Seton Hall
Vs
13 – Rutgers
7:00
10 – Connecticut
Vs
15 – South Florida
9:00
11 – Marquette
Vs
14 – Providence

WEDNESDAY
March 9th:
NOON
8 – Cincinnati
Vs
Tuesday NOON winner
2:00
5 - Georgetown
Vs
Tuesday 2:00 winner
7:00
7 – Villanova
Vs
Tuesday 7:00 winner
9:00
6 – Syracuse
Vs
Tuesday 9:00 winner

THURSDAY
March 10th:
NOON
1 - Pitt
Vs
Wednesday NOON winner
2:00
4 – St. John’s
Vs
Wednesday 2:00 winner
7:00
2 – Notre Dame
Vs
Wednesday 7:00 winner
9:00
3 – Louisville
Vs
Wednesday 9:00 winner

Check back tomorrow for another update!