BETology 2-25

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
*-Marquette Golden Eagles 12-2
*-Pittsburgh Panthers 12-3
Villanova Wildcats 10-4
West Virginia Mountaineers 8-6
Providence Friars 9-7
Syracuse Orange 8-7
Cincinnati Bearcats 7-7
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 6-8
Seton Hall Pirates 5-9
Georgetown Hoyas 5-10
T-St. John’s Red Storm 4-11
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:
Providence Friars 81
Pitt Panthers 73
THUMP!!!!! That is the sound of the Panthers coming back to Earth after being named #1 on Monday. The Panthers hope at a regular season title all but flew out the window last night with their terrible performance against Providence. Not to take anything away from Providence, who played a nearly flawless game, but if the Panthers want to be a serious contender to get to Detroit they cannot have let down games like they did last night. Pitt is almost in a must win situation from here out or they risk the chance of losing their two-day bye that the top four teams get this year in NYC. If they were to lose one more, they would fall into a tie with Villanova, who holds the tiebreaker due to a head-to-head victory. Providence did wonders for their NCAA hopes last night. They were a bubble team with no good wins to this point in the season. They still have some work to do and cannot afford to ease up now though. The Friars have just two games remaining, both on the road, at Rutgers and at Villanova. If they win them both the are in the dance no question. If they were to lose one, they may need to win one or two in the BET to secure a spot.

Syracuse Orange 87
St. John’s Red Storm 58
St. John’s secured themselves a spot in Tuesdays opening round games with this loss to the Orange. Syracuse maintains that #8 spot with this win and as of now would avoid also playing Tuesday. However these last two weeks of the season will go a long way to determine the final seedings of the tournament. There are currently five teams clumped together with in two games of each other right at the cutoff line. The top three teams will receive a bye and play Wednesday, while the other two will have to suit up early and play in the opening round on Tuesday. Syracuse plays Cincinnati on Sunday who is currently 9th, just ½ game behind the Orange.

GAMES TONIGHT:
UCONN Huskies @ Marquette Golden Eagles
7:00 ESPN

South Florida Bulls @ Seton Hall Pirates
7:00 Regional TV

Villanova Wildcats @ DePaul Blue Demons
8:30 Regional TV

Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish
9:00 ESPNU

UP COMING GAMES ON NATIONAL TV:
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
Tuesday:
Rutgers @ Syracuse ESPN 360
Cincinnati @ South Florida ESPNU

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 – Pitt
Vs
Wednesday 2:00 winner
7:00
2 – Louisville
Vs
Wednesday 7:00 winner
9:00
3 – Marquette
Vs
Wednesday 9:00 winner

Check back tomorrow for another update!