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Villanova, Georgetown still carry flag for Big East, but real battle is in March Villanova, Georgetown still carry flag for Big East, but real battle is in March
(about 3 hours later)
When Villanova and Georgetown meet in a men’s basketball game Saturday at Verizon Center, first place in the Big East will be on the line between two of the conference’s flagship programs. It’s a throwback matchup as well to the Big East’s early stages when those schools helped establish the conference as a basketball powerhouse.When Villanova and Georgetown meet in a men’s basketball game Saturday at Verizon Center, first place in the Big East will be on the line between two of the conference’s flagship programs. It’s a throwback matchup as well to the Big East’s early stages when those schools helped establish the conference as a basketball powerhouse.
The Big East has four teams ranked in the Associated Press top 25 rankings, an equal mix of the conference’s old guard and new blood. Sixth-ranked Villanova and the No. 12 Friars, whose junior point guard Kris Dunn is a national player of the year contender, are joined in the rankings by No. 7 Xavier and No. 23 Butler, newcomers to the Big East following realignment three years ago. The league is ranked as the fourth-best conference by the Ratings Percentage Index and half of its 10 teams project as NCAA tournament qualifiers by CBS Sports bracketologist Jerry Palm. The Big East has four teams in the Associated Press top 25 rankings, an equal mix of the conference’s old guard and new blood. Sixth-ranked Villanova and the No. 12 Friars, whose junior point guard Kris Dunn is a national player of the year contender, are joined in the rankings by No. 7 Xavier and No. 23 Butler, newcomers to the Big East following realignment three years ago. The league is ranked as the fourth-best conference by the Ratings Percentage Index, and half of its 10 teams project as NCAA tournament qualifiers by CBS Sports bracketologist Jerry Palm.
[Four teams from the Big East in The Post’s latest bracket projection][Four teams from the Big East in The Post’s latest bracket projection]
Yet the rebooted Big East continues to chase its past in many ways as far as national recognition while the college basketball public acclimates to the conference’s latest incarnation.Yet the rebooted Big East continues to chase its past in many ways as far as national recognition while the college basketball public acclimates to the conference’s latest incarnation.
“That’s certainly the hope and the aspiration I’m sure,” Bill Raftery, lead men’s basketball analyst for CBS and Fox, said of the Big East recapturing its former glory. “Those [years] were just something special. It’ll take a while to be considered in the same conversation, but it’s in progress, in the making. Despite the naysayers, they’ve been able to attract big players and maintain a very high level of play.”“That’s certainly the hope and the aspiration I’m sure,” Bill Raftery, lead men’s basketball analyst for CBS and Fox, said of the Big East recapturing its former glory. “Those [years] were just something special. It’ll take a while to be considered in the same conversation, but it’s in progress, in the making. Despite the naysayers, they’ve been able to attract big players and maintain a very high level of play.”
Advancing deep into the NCAA tournament, according to Raftery and Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, would offer the conference a considerable boost in terms of its national profile. The Big East spent most of last season at the top of the RPI conference rankings and sent six teams to the NCAA tournament, but only Xavier made it out of the first weekend.Advancing deep into the NCAA tournament, according to Raftery and Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, would offer the conference a considerable boost in terms of its national profile. The Big East spent most of last season at the top of the RPI conference rankings and sent six teams to the NCAA tournament, but only Xavier made it out of the first weekend.
The tentpole programs of the Wildcats (15-2, 5-0 ) and Hoyas (11-6, 4-1) have become subjects of skepticism for their recent performances in March. Since reaching the Final Four in 2009, Villanova has failed to advance beyond the NCAA tournament’s round of 32, losing early three of those times as a No. 2 or No. 1 seed. Georgetown advanced to the Final Four in 2007 in Coach John Thompson III’s third season. Since then, the Hoyas have lost five times to double-digit seeds in the NCAA tournament.The tentpole programs of the Wildcats (15-2, 5-0 ) and Hoyas (11-6, 4-1) have become subjects of skepticism for their recent performances in March. Since reaching the Final Four in 2009, Villanova has failed to advance beyond the NCAA tournament’s round of 32, losing early three of those times as a No. 2 or No. 1 seed. Georgetown advanced to the Final Four in 2007 in Coach John Thompson III’s third season. Since then, the Hoyas have lost five times to double-digit seeds in the NCAA tournament.
The Big East’s untimely exits in the NCAA tournament are all the more disheartening given how far former members of the conference have advanced in recent years. In its final four seasons before splintering, the conference earned five Final Four appearances and two national championships. None of the programs responsible for those achievements — Connecticut, Louisville, Syracuse and West Virginia — are in the new Big East. On top of that, U-Conn. observed its first season in the American Athletic Conference, in 2014, by winning its second national title in four seasons.The Big East’s untimely exits in the NCAA tournament are all the more disheartening given how far former members of the conference have advanced in recent years. In its final four seasons before splintering, the conference earned five Final Four appearances and two national championships. None of the programs responsible for those achievements — Connecticut, Louisville, Syracuse and West Virginia — are in the new Big East. On top of that, U-Conn. observed its first season in the American Athletic Conference, in 2014, by winning its second national title in four seasons.
[LeDay’s surprise emergence bolsters Hokies’ reconstruction project][LeDay’s surprise emergence bolsters Hokies’ reconstruction project]
“Our schools recognize that getting into the tournament is only part of the job,” Ackerman said from San Antonio, where this week she attended the NCAA convention. “It’s not just who gets in but how far you go, and so I think that’s made our coaches doubly and triply committed to building their programs and getting their players tournament ready.”“Our schools recognize that getting into the tournament is only part of the job,” Ackerman said from San Antonio, where this week she attended the NCAA convention. “It’s not just who gets in but how far you go, and so I think that’s made our coaches doubly and triply committed to building their programs and getting their players tournament ready.”
Familiarity with the Big East’s more recent members is growing nationally, Ackerman and Raftery indicated, with schools such as Butler and Xavier collecting victories over other power conference programs this season. Butler, previously known as the Cinderella from the Horizon League that advanced to the national title game in 2010 and 2011, beat then No. 9 Purdue earlier this season. Xavier has opened with a 15-1 record and risen to No. 2 in the RPI, a strength-of-schedule indicator used by NCAA tournament selection committee. Familiarity with the Big East’s more recent members is growing nationally, Ackerman and Raftery indicated, with schools such as Butler and Xavier collecting victories over other power conference programs this season. Butler, previously known as the Cinderella from the Horizon League that advanced to the national title game in 2010 and 2011, beat then-No. 9 Purdue earlier this season. Xavier has opened with a 15-1 record and risen to No. 2 in the RPI, a strength-of-schedule indicator used by NCAA tournament selection committee.
“Teams represent themselves well in November and December,” said Raftery, who will be the television analyst for Villanova-Georgetown. “Nationally it’s a hearty respect for the power teams that play in the league and their status. I think the growth has been steady. I think the big thing is St. John’s and DePaul, in particular, as they get better, the recognition will be enhanced too.” “Teams represent themselves well in November and December,” said Raftery, who will be the television analyst for Villanova-Georgetown. “Nationally it’s a hearty respect for the power teams that play in the league and their status. I think the growth has been steady. I think the big thing is St. John’s and DePaul, in particular, as they get better, the recognition will be enhanced, too.”
The struggles of those two former powers under first-year coaches might also invite unfavorable comparisons to the 1980s. The Blue Demons — not an original member of the Big East but a postseason staple in the ’80s — are 6-11 overall, 0-5 in conference play under Dave Leitao, who guided the program to its most recent NCAA tournament appearance in 2004 before leaving for Virginia. St. John’s, 7-11 overall and the other winless team in Big East play at 0-5, is also rebuilding with Coach Chris Mullin, a three-time Big East player of the year who directed St. John’s to the Final Four in 1985 .The struggles of those two former powers under first-year coaches might also invite unfavorable comparisons to the 1980s. The Blue Demons — not an original member of the Big East but a postseason staple in the ’80s — are 6-11 overall, 0-5 in conference play under Dave Leitao, who guided the program to its most recent NCAA tournament appearance in 2004 before leaving for Virginia. St. John’s, 7-11 overall and the other winless team in Big East play at 0-5, is also rebuilding with Coach Chris Mullin, a three-time Big East player of the year who directed St. John’s to the Final Four in 1985 .
But Thompson, the second-longest tenured coach in the conference behind Villanova’s Jay Wright, has no concerns over the national impression of the Big East. “I think it’s as good as anybody in the country right now, without a doubt,” he said. “The difference is I think the rest of the world is paying attention to [the conference] this year.” But Thompson, the second-longest-tenured coach in the conference behind Villanova’s Jay Wright, has no concerns over the national impression of the Big East. “I think it’s as good as anybody in the country right now, without a doubt,” he said. “The difference is I think the rest of the world is paying attention to [the conference] this year.”