2-25 BETology

The Big East is without a question the best conference in the nation. It also might be the toughest conference to figure out. There are so many talented teams that they just beat up on each other game in and game out. It is thought that this conference could get a record 11 teams into the NCAA Tournament in a few weeks, so that should give you an idea of how good the top of the conference is. With only 8 days left in the regular season there are no spots that have been clinched in the 16-team conference tournament. No team in the conference has more than 3 games remaining and yet other than Pitt nobody has really been able to separate themselves from the rest of the league. Pitt is the only team in the conference that holds more than a game lead on the team immediately behind them. They have a 2 game lead over 2nd place Notre Dame with just 3 games to play after last night’s win. In the other Big East game last night in further cluttered the standings. Check out the results from last night.

THURSDAY’S RECAP:
MARQUETTE GOLDEN EAGLES 74
Connecticut Huskies 67
OVERTIME
Just to give you another idea of how tough the Big East is, UCONN is ranked 15th in the country, after losing last night they are in 10th place in the conference. Marquette jumps into a 3-way tie for 9th place with Connecticut and West Virginia after the results from last night. This is a game that UCONN should have won. And had they won it, they would have been just 1 game out of a double bye in the BET. Now they find themselves currently in position to play an opening day game. The Huskies were up by 8 half way through the 2nd half and up by 2 with under 15 seconds on their home court and still lost the game. One of the reasons was Kemba Walker. As great as he has been at some times, he scored 27 points for UCONN, but it took him 27 shots to achieve that. He also had only 2 assists while turning the ball over 4 times, including 1 with under 10 seconds to go that led directly to the game-tying hoop for Marquette. UCONN has 3 games remaining and all 3 are against teams either tied with them or better than them in the standings. The face Cincinnati and WVU on the road before the season finale at home versus Notre Dame. The Golden Eagles have a much easier end of the season schedule. Marquette has home games with Providence and Cincinnati before going on the road against Seton Hall to close the season.

PITT PANTHERS 71
West Virginia Mountaineers 58
As mentioned above, WVU is now in a 3-way tie with Marquette and UCONN for the 9-10-11 spots after losing in the Backyard Brawl. Pitt with the win clinched a double bye. The Panthers can clinch at least a share of the conference title with one more win. Pitt has road games with Louisville and South Florida still on the schedule before closing the season at home against Villanova. WVU has 3 games to play as well. They go to Rutgers on Sunday, then play UCONN and Louisville at home to finish things. WVU is currently slated for a Tuesday game when the BET kicks off, but could still get all the way up to the top 4 for a double bye.

STANDINGS:
Big East Official Tie-Breaking formula
*Pitt Panthers 13-2
Remaining Schedule:
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
Marquette Golden Eagles 8-7
Remaining Schedule:
2/27 vs Providence
3/2 vs Cincinnati
3/5 @ Seton Hall
UCONN Huskies 8-7
Remaining Schedule:
2/27@ Cincinnati
3/2 @ West Virginia
3/5 vs Notre Dame
West Virginia Mountaineers 8-7
Remaining Schedule:
2/27 @ Rutgers
3/2 vs Connecticut
3/5 vs Louisville
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
*- Clinched Double-Bye

THIS WEEKEND:
Saturday:
Syracuse @ Georgetown NOON, CBS
St. John’s @ Villanova 2:00 pm, ESPN
South Florida @ DePaul 2:00 pm, Regional TV
Seton Hall @ Notre Dame 7:00 pm, ESPNU
Sunday:
West Virginia @ Rutgers NOON, Regional TV
Connecticut @ Cincinnati NOON, ESPNU
Pitt @ Louisville 2:00 pm, CBS
Providence @ Marquette 4:00 pm, Regional TV

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 – Marquette
Vs
16 - DePaul
2:00
12 – Seton Hall
Vs
13 – Rutgers
7:00
10 – Connecticut
Vs
15 – South Florida
9:00
11 – West Virginia
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!