Last Day of the Regular Season in the Big East, the "Soul of College Hoops"

[MU/Panther]

#21 Butler @ #24 Providence, 11am
FS1: Dick Stockton & Steve Donahue

Seton Hall @ Georgetown, 11am
FOX: Tim Brando & Donny Marshall

DePaul @ Marquette, 1pm
FS2: Wayne Larrivee & Dickey Simpkins

Xavier @ Creighton, 1pm
FSN: Mike Corey & Tarik Turner

St. John's @ #4 Villanova, 1:30pm
FOX: Gus Johnson & Jim Jackson

[Goose85]

Is the Creighton game a must win for Xavier?

[Nukem2]

Is the Creighton game a must win for Xavier?No, but if X loses to Creighton it will almost certainly need to win a quarterfinal game in the BET. X would be 18-14 if it were to lose both games. don't think X's resume is strong enough to overcome 14 losses. X needs to take care of business.

[MU/Panther]

ESPN's Joe Lunardi, update 3/6
1-Villanova
6-Georgetown
6-Butler
6-Providence
8-St.John's
10-Xavier

[AlexJesswein]

Really surprised they didn't try and space out the games more like New Years Eve. I suppose 3 of the 5 games being at an NBA arena may have prevented that.

[MU/Panther]

CBS's Jerry Palm
1-Villanova
5-Butler
5-Georgetown
6-Providence
7-St.John's
10-Xavier

[MU/Panther]

Really surprised they didn't try and space out the games more like New Years Eve. I suppose 3 of the 5 games being at an NBA arena may have prevented that.

It's been like this on most Saturday's. Creighton's arena has UNO hockey at night and Providence has a PC hockey and minor league hockey that plays at the Dunkin Donuts Center. Plus, Nascar and UFC is the programming on FS1 at night on most Saturdays.

[Gato78]

I really like the "Soul of College Basketball" saying. That is a really good way to look at our conference with the guts of the regular season and the Tourney at MSG. I don't know if they are using it, I haven't heard it until this thread. If they are using it, it needs to be advertised more prominently--I have watched a ton of BIG EAST hoops this year and did not hear or see it.

[AlexJesswein]

I really like the "Soul of College Basketball" saying. That is a really good way to look at our conference with the guts of the regular season and the Tourney at MSG. I don't know if they are using it, I haven't heard it until this thread. If they are using it, it needs to be advertised more prominently--I have watched a ton of BIG EAST hoops this year and did not hear or see it.

They have used it on almost all their commercials. Really like the ones they did on specific players this year.

[Gato78]

I just have not seen it--or it hasn't penetrated my consciousness. Must be too much flipping around. Now the mascots running around NYC--that I have seen too many times. I hope it wasn't in those commercials. If so, they need to rework it because the action is all focused on the mascots. In any event, I like it.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

Is the Creighton game a must win for Xavier?

I think Xavier is safe. They might drop to a first-four game, but the resumes of teams on the bubble are all really questionable. Having a top-20 SOS and 4 top-30 wins should do it. The real risk for them is if they lose their next two and see numerous bid stealers in the conference tourneys. Then they might start sweating.

[DCwarrior]

Is the Creighton game a must win for Xavier?

A win guarantees a spot, but a loss there and in the 1st round of the BET and I think they're out.

[Nukem2]

A win guarantees a spot, but a loss there and in the 1st round of the BET and I think they're out.
I would agree. 14 losses and a not so difficult NC schedule would be barriers to dancing.

[MU/Panther]

I just have not seen it--or it hasn't penetrated my consciousness. Must be too much flipping around. Now the mascots running around NYC--that I have seen too many times. I hope it wasn't in those commercials. If so, they need to rework it because the action is all focused on the mascots. In any event, I like it.Two different adds. One with the mascots is a Big East Conference add and the other is FS1 commercial.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

I would agree. 14 losses and a not so difficult NC schedule would be barriers to dancing.

It will be very interesting to see how the Selection Committee handles Xavier's non-conference schedule. They only played one top-50 and five top-100 teams in the non-conference. But they also played only 1 sub-200 team. They did a brilliant job of stacking the non-conference schedule with teams in that 101-200 range and didn't play any of the sub-300 RPI drags that most teams like to schedule for automatic wins.

Xavier has a non-conference RPI of 28 and SOS of 37. If you compare Xavier to the 16 teams Lunardi currently has "on the bubble", that would give them the third best non-conference RPI (behind "Last Four Byes" Colorado State-9 and "Next Four Out" Old Dominion-12) and fourth best non-conference SOS. I know the knock is there aren't many great teams, Cincy is probably the only team they played with at-large aspirations, but those are really strong numbers. Also worth noting, that non-conference RPI is better than anyone currently in the "Last Four In" or "First Four Out" categories.

That's the main reason I think the Musketeers are in. When it comes down to it, they put together a savvy schedule and while they may not have the top-tier opposition teams like UCLA and Texas played, they also don't have the duds those teams played either.

[Nukem2]

I don't think Xavier will want to test your theory by losing those 2 upcoming games. 14 losses is just a lot to ignore.

[Alan Bykowski, "brewcity77"]

I don't think Xavier will want to test your theory by losing those 2 upcoming games. 14 losses is just a lot to ignore.

I'm sure they don't :D. There will likely be a few teams on that cutline with 13-14 losses. I think Xavier will get in because of the strength of their non-con and playing in the second best league in the country. Gives them better computer numbers than most of their competitors. But it would make it interesting, no doubt.

I'm hoping they win their next two games, go to Selection Sunday at 20-13 (9-9) and have no worries. But the sadist in me does have a ton of curiosity how that non-con would be regarded by the committee.

[MU/Panther]

Fox Sports 2 DePaul/Marquette

Direc TV 618/1618

Dish Network 397

Verizon 84

AT&T Unv. 1651/651

Time Warner Cable 328

[MU/Panther]

#21 Butler @ #24 Providence, 11am
FS1: Dick Stockton & Steve Donahue----Providence -3

Seton Hall @ Georgetown, 11am
FOX: Tim Brando & Donny Marshall------Georgetown -11.5

DePaul @ Marquette, 1pm
FS2: Wayne Larrivee & Dickey Simpkins--Marquette -5

Xavier @ Creighton, 1pm
FSN: Mike Corey & Tarik Turner----------Xavier -2.5

St. John's @ #4 Villanova, 1:30pm
FOX: Gus Johnson & Jim Jackson---------Villanova -12

[MU/Panther]

Breaking News: Georgetown's D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera will not play today, due to injury.

[MU/Panther]

Butler 29 Providence 18, 4:11 left in the 1st half on FS1

Georgetown 23 Seton Hall 20, 4:07 left in the 1st half on FOX

[MU/Panther]

Halftime
Villanova 50 St.John's 46

Creighton 31 Xavier 30

[DCwarrior]

What the heck is happened to St. John's in the 2nd half?

[DCwarrior]

Huge win for Xavier.

[MU/Panther]

What the heck is happened to St. John's in the 2nd half?
Shocked to see the final. 105-68 I watch some on the DVR on Sunday morning.

[MU/Panther]

Huge win for Xavier.
Was it a last second basket?

[MUMac]

Was it a last second basket?

No, 2 FT's with 6 seconds left

[DCwarrior]

That's four 1-point losses for Creighton this year and the 8th time they lost this year in games where they held the lead in the last minute of the game. They might be the best bad team in the country.