2-21 BETology

What a week to go away on vacation!! Sorry for the lack of updates recently, I get back to work and unfortunately the real world, cold weather and all, on Tuesday evening so things should be back to normal by then. Until then, I will update as much as possible, but won’t promise anything.

It was a crazy weekend in all of college basketball, not just the Big East. For the first time since November of 2003, the top 4 in the AP rankings all lost in the same week. That on top of 3 OT games in the Big East as well as the top 2 teams losing. Just 2 weeks remaining in the regular season and still lots to determine. 7 games to review and break down, so let’s not delay any longer.

SATURDAY’S RECAP:
ST. JOHN’S RED STORM 60
Pitt Panthers 59
This game was the 5th that St. John’s has won at home against an elite team this year. Being a Pitt fan, I will say that I believe Dwight Hardy was out of bounds before taking the last second game winning shot, but that is in the past and there is nothing that can be done about it. The loss, sets the Panthers back a bit, but not that much since Notre Dame lost also and Pitt still holds a 2 game lead with just 2 weeks remaining in the season. Pitt finishes the season with home games against WVU and Villanova and road trips to Louisville and South Florida. For St. John’s this win bumps them into a 3-way tie for the final double-bye. As of right now they would get that spot due to the strength of their wins against Pitt and Notre Dame. The Johnnies has 3 very winnable games remaining, but the 4th is against Villanova in Philadelphia this Saturday. Nova is one of those teams tied currently for 4th, so that game could end up being the biggest game on the schedule for St. John’s and it is away from MSG where they have had so much success.

VILLANOVA WILDCATS 77
DePaul Blue Demons 75
OVERTIME
This Villanova team better get their act together if they don’t want to avoid ending the same way they did last season (losing 4 of 6 to close the reg. season, losing their 1st BET game, sneaking by Robert Morris in the NCAA’s before losing in the 2nd round to St. Mary’s). They have now won 2 straight, after losing 2 in a row, but the wins are a 3 point win versus Seton Hall and a 2 point overtime win against DePaul. Honestly, if DePaul take you to overtime, the NCAA committee should not be allowed to put you in the Big Dance. All that, and Nova closes with easily the most difficult schedule in the conference. The host Syracuse tonight, then St. John’s Saturday before going on the road to close out against Notre Dame and Pitt. DePaul, well they still stink.

WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS 72
Notre Dame Fighting Irish 58
Well, we knew that at some point WVU would finally get their offense going, and we also knew that at some point Notre Dame would fall back to reality. We just never realized that it would be in the same game. The Irish, one of the better shooting teams in the conference, shot 35% from the field, under 30% from 3 and just a hair over 60% from the foul line, while WVU shot over 40% from both the field and 3, and almost 75% from the charity stripe. The lost blows a golden opportunity for Notre Dame to gain ground on Pitt, they are still 2 back with 4 to play, but hold that valuable head-to-head victory. Notre Dame closes the season at Providence on Wednesday then 2 home games against Seton Hall and Villanova before finishing off on the road in Connecticut. WVU gets a much needed win, pulling them back up into a tie for the final opening day bye spot at 8-6. The Mountaineers have a tough stretch though to finish. They play game 2 of the Backyard Brawl in Pittsburgh Thursday, then stay on the road Sunday against Rutgers before finishing with 2 home games against UCONN and Louisville. One would think WVU has to win at least 2, maybe 3 of those 4 to be in play for that final bye spot. That could be difficult.

GEOREGTOWN HOYAS 61
South Florida Bulls 55
Georgetown took advantage of Pitt and Notre Dame losing and gained a game on both while also keeping some separation between themselves and the rest of the pack chasing. The Hoyas are 2.5 games out of 1st with 3 games remaining, but in a fairly comfortable spot to secure a double bye. In the Hoyas remaining games the face Cincinnati home and away, with a home game against rival Syracuse sandwiched between. South Florida is assured of playing on Tuesday at this point, still with only 2 conference wins. The Bulls have just 3 games remaining too, a home game against 1st place Pitt and road games with DePaul and St. John’s.

SYRACUSE ORANGE 84
Rutgers Scarlet Knights 80
OVERTIME
A win is a win, that is what Syracuse is thinking at this point I would imagine. It wasn’t pretty, but Syracuse has now won 2 straight with 3 to go. They sit one half game behind a 3-way tie for 4th place and a double-bye and one half game from 10th place and playing on the opening day. The Cuse have the week off before traveling Villanova Saturday, then to Georgetown before closing the season in the Carrier Dome against DePaul. With that schedule and how streaky the Orange have been this year, I wouldn’t be surprised with them getting that double bye or playing Tuesday afternoon. The loss for Rutgers puts them into the Tuesday schedule. The best the Knights could do now would be 8-10, which would change their seed, but not get them into a bye and a day off in New York. Rutgers closes with Louisville and WVU at home before road trips to DePaul and Providence.

CINCINNATI BEARCATS 93
Providence Friars 81
OVERTIME
Cincinnati one again wins the games they are supposed to win and taking advantage of their schedule. The Bearcats could possibly claim a bye in the BET yet only 2 wins they have are to teams at .500 or better in the conference (St. John’s and Louisville). The Bearcats will earn it if they do get that bye though with 4 tough games remaining. A home-and-home with Georgetown on top of hosting UCONN and traveling to Marquette. Providence clinched a Tuesday time slot with the loss.

MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES 73
Seton Hall Pirates 64
I once again don’t know what to say about Marquette. They are the definition of average, right down to their 7-7 record. Right now, that won’t cut it if you want a bye on Tuesday in New York. The Eagles do have 3 winnable games down the stretch after going to Connecticut Thursday. I think they will probably have to be above average the last 2 weeks to get that last bye, but their schedule says they could do it. After that UCONN game Marquette has Providence and Cincy at home before a return trip to Seton Hall. As for those Pirates, it looks like their ship has sailed. I guess technically they could still get a bye, but they need TONS of help on top of winning out their final 3 games. I’m not even going to get into detail what they would need to happen until they win 1 or 2 games.

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 10-4
Remaining Schedule:
2/23 @ Providence
2/26 vs Seton Hall
2/28 vs Villanova
3/5 @ Connecticut
Georgetown Hoyas 10-5
Remaining Schedule:
2/23 vs Cincinnati
2/26 vs Syracuse
3/5 @ Cincinnati
St. John’s Red Storm 9-5
Remaining Schedule:
2/23 vs DePaul
2/26 @ Villanova
3/2 @ Seton Hall
3/5 vs South Florida
Villanova Wildcats 9-5
Remaining Schedule:
2/21 vs Syracuse
2/26 vs St. John’s
2/28 @ Notre Dame
3/5 @ Pitt
Louisville Cardinals 9-5
Remaining Schedule:
2/22 @ Rutgers
2/27 vs Pitt
3/2 vs Providence
3/5 @ West Virginia
Syracuse Orange 9-6
Remaining Schedule:
2/21 @ Villanova
2/26 @ Georgetown
3/5 vs DePaul
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
Cincinnati Bearcats 8-6
Remaining Schedule:
2/23 @ Georgetown
2/27 vs Connecticut
3/2 @ Marquette
3/5 vs Georgetown
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 4-10
Remaining Schedule:
2/22 vs Louisville
2/27 vs West Virginia
3/2 @ DePaul
3/5 @ Providence
Providence Friars 3-11
Remaining Schedule:
2/23 vs Notre Dame
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 1-13
Remaining Schedule:
2/23 @ St. John’s
2/26 vs South Florida
3/2 vs Rutgers
3/5 @ Syracuse

TODAY:
Syracuse @ Villanova 7:00 pm, ESPN

NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES THIS WEEK:
Thursday - Marquette @ Connecticut 7:00 pm, ESPN2
Thursday - West Virginia @ Pitt 9:00 pm, ESPN
Saturday - Syracuse @ Georgetown NOON, CBS
Saturday - St. John’s @ Villanova 2:30, ESPN

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

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

Check back tomorrow for another update!