BETology 2-24

This is The Rant’s daily look in at the Big East conference as we creep closer to the BET in New York City, which begins March 10th.

STANDINGS:
Big East Official Tie-Breaking formula
*-Connecticut Huskies 13-2
*-Louisville Cardinals 13-2
*-Pittsburgh Panthers 12-2
*-Marquette Golden Eagles 12-2
Villanova Wildcats 10-4
West Virginia Mountaineers 8-6
Providence Friars 8-7
Syracuse Orange 7-7
Cincinnati Bearcats 7-7
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 6-8
Seton Hall Pirates 5-9
Georgetown Hoyas 5-10
St. John’s Red Storm 4-10
T-South Florida Bulls 3-11
T-Rutgers Scarlet Knights 1-13
T-DePaul Blue Demons 0-14
*-clinched a 1st day bye
T-clinched a Tuesday game

LAST NIGHT:
Louisville Cardinals 76
Georgetown Hoyas 58
After the loss to Marquette Saturday, I said that Georgetown would have to beat either Louisville or Villanova as well as their last two games versus St. John’s and DePaul. Well, now they must win all three. Even if they do that, I think they have to make it to Friday in the BET to have any chance of making the NCAA Tournament. At that point (losing on Friday in the BET), the Hoyas would have an 11-11 record versus the best conference in the country with one of the toughest schedules in the country. I think they make it if they do that, but that is asking a lot. They would have to win six straight games, a tough task considering they have won four since we rung in the New Year. Louisville is three wins from clinching the Big East regular season title. Louisville has Marquette on Sunday and Seton Hall next Wednesday, both at home. They close out the season with a very interesting game at West Virginia. This could be a tough game for the Cardinals and keep them from claiming their first Big East title. It is a 9:00 start in Morgantown (read: gives students more time then usual to get tuned up before tip), the last game of the season in Big East play, and also the ESPN Game of the Week with the GameDay crew there.

GAMES TONIGHT:
Pitt Panthers @ Providence Friars
7:00 Regional TV

Syracuse Orange @ St. John’s Red Storm
7:30 Regional TV

UP COMING GAMES ON NATIONAL TV:
Wednesday:
UCONN @ Marquette ESPN
Rutgers @ Notre Dame ESPNU
Thursday:
West Virginia @ Cincinnati ESPN/ESPN2 (check your local listings)
Saturday:
Georgetown @ Villanova ESPN
Notre Dame @ UCONN CBS
Sunday:
Marquette @ Louisville CBS
Providence @ Rutgers ESPNU
Monday:
Villanova @ Notre Dame ESPN

BETology:
TUESDAY
March 10th:
NOON
9 – Cincinnati
Vs
16 – DePaul
2:00
12 – Georgetown
Vs
13 – St. John’s
7:00
10 – Notre Dame
Vs
15 – Rutgers
9:00
11 – Seton Hall
Vs
14 – South Florida

WEDNESDAY
March 11th:
NOON
8 – Syracuse
Vs
Tuesday NOON winner
2:00
5 – Villanova
Vs
Tuesday 2:00 winner
7:00
7 – Providence
Vs
Tuesday 7:00 winner
9:00
6 – West Virginia
Vs
Tuesday 9:00 winner

THURSDAY
March 12th:
NOON
1 – UCONN
Vs
Wednesday NOON winner
2:00
4 – Marquette
Vs
Wednesday 2:00 winner
7:00
2 – Louisville
Vs
Wednesday 7:00 winner
9:00
3 – Pitt
Vs
Wednesday 9:00 winner

Check back tomorrow for another update!