By: David Kay
1. Syracuse: 13-2, 26-2 (LWR: 1)
I love Andy Rautins. There I said it. Judge me, I don’t even care. He honestly deserves to be in All-American consideration. I am not drunk. He is the calming force for this ‘Cuse team and does everything on the floor. By the way, words cannot describe how excited I am for the ‘Nova-‘Cuse game Saturday night. We’re talking as excited as a 12-year old girl seeing a naked lady for the first time.
Up Next: vs. Villanova (Sat), vs. St. John’s (Tues)
2. Villanova: 12-3, 23-4 (LWR: 2)
I have been saying it for two weeks now; this Villanova team is very beatable. Their lack of size causes them to get into way too much foul trouble and the supporting cast around Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher is extremely inconsistent. Would I be surprised if they made it to the Final Four again? No, but they have a lot of improving to do in the next couple weeks.
Up Next: at Syracuse (Sat), at Cincinnati (Tues)
3. West Virginia: 10-5, 21-6 (LWR: 3)
The Mountaineers still have the possibility of earning a two-seed in the NCAA Tournament but can’t afford to slip up the rest of the regular season and need to at least make a run to the Big East Tournament Semifinals.
Up Next: vs. Cincinnati (Sat), vs. Georgetown (Mon)
4. Pitt: 10-5, 21-7 (LWR: 4)
Just when they start to put together an impressive string of victories over West Virginia, Marquette, and Villanova, they lose at a Luke Harangody-less Notre Dame team. That could cost them a three-seed in the tourney although they have a very soft end to the regular season.
Up Next: at. John’s (Sat), vs. Providence (Thur)
5. Georgetown: 9-6, 19-7 (LWR: 5)
When Austin Freeman gets going, he is deadly like he proved at Louisville on Tuesday night. I have a feeling though that their lack of depth is really going to hurt them come tourney time though.
Up Next: vs. Notre Dame (Sat), at West Virginia (Mon)
6. Louisville: 9-6, 18-10 (LWR: 6)
Is it me or does it seem like Edgar Sosa and Jerry Smith are entering former Iowa Hawkeye Jess Settles territory as guys who have been playing college basketball for near a decade?
Up Next: at UConn (Sun), at Marquette (Tues)
7. Marquette: 9-6, 18-9 (LWR: 7)
Back-to-back thrilling overtime wins on the road were absolutely huge in cementing their status as an NCAA Tournament team. I don’t know how they win these games, but they play hard on defense and limit their turnovers which is key especially when they are not hitting their triples. By the way, this dude thinks Lazar Hayward is the Big East Player of the Year.
Up Next: at Seton Hall (Sun), vs. Louisville (Thur)
8. UConn: 7-8, 17-11 (LWR: 8 )
They are suddenly becoming a very, VERY dangerous team. I think their resume is good enough to make the tourney if they finish with a five-hundred conference record. If I’m an five or six seed, I do NOT want to see this team in the first round of the tourney.
Up Next: at Rutgers (Sat), vs. West Virginia (Mon)
9. Notre Dame: 7-8, 18-10 (LWR: 10)
Stealing a 15-point win against Pitt kept their slim, slim NCAA Tournament hopes alive. Luke Harangody has to return this weekend and the Irish have to likely win out and make a decent run in the Big East tournament to have any hope of dancing.
Up Next: at Georgetown (Sat), vs. UConn (Wed)
10. Cincinnati: 7-8, 16-11 (LWR: 9)
Ending the season with West Virginia, Villanova, and Georgetown pretty much guarantees the Bearcats a trip to the NIT. The positive; it looks Lance Stephenson could be returning for his sophomore season after a fairly lackluster conference performance during the past few weeks.
Up Next: at West Virginia (Sat), vs. Villanova (Tues)
11. Seton Hall: 7-8, 16-10 (LWR: 11)
They are still not dead… yet. Winnable games at home against Marquette, at Rutgers, and at Providence could give the Hall a winning Big East record and a chance of dancing. However, the Pirates are 1-6 on the road in conference play so don’t get your hopes up.
Up Next: vs. Marquette (Sun), at Rutgers (Thur)
12. South Florida: 6-9, 16-11 (LWR: 12)
Well, it was fun while it lasted. A trip to the NIT is still good for a usual door mat in the conference. Now the Bulls just have to hope Dominique Jones doesn’t declare for the NBA this summer.
Up Next: vs. Providence (Sat), at DePaul (Wed)
13. St. John’s: 5-10, 15-12 (LWR: 13)
Norm Roberts has to get fired, right? I mean he has to. Like DePaul, this program needs to make a “big splash” hire.
Up Next: vs. Pitt (Sat), at Syracuse (Tues)
14. Providence: 4-11, 12-15 (LWR: 14)
If this team understood fundamental defensive principles, maybe they would be better. But they don’t, so they’re not.
Up Next: at South Florida (Sat), at Pitt (Thur)
15. Rutgers: 4-11, 14-14 (LWR: 15)
Since I have nothing constructive to say about Rutgers… aren’t we all better off now that the Jersey Shore phase is over?
Up Next: vs. DePaul (Sat), vs. Seton Hall (Thur)
16. DePaul: 1-14, 8-19 (LWR: 16)
Even if I was offered the head coaching job at DePaul, I wouldn’t take it. Okay, that’s a lie, but I can’t see a big name taking over for the Blue Demons this summer. Mac Koshwal is totally turning pro this summer by the way.
Up Next: at Rutgers (Sat), vs. South Florida (Tues)