By: David Kay
1. Syracuse: 15-2, 28-2 (LWR: 1)
In whipping Villanova, Syracuse not only clinched the Big East title and earned the #1 ranking, but established themselves as the team to beat in the NCAA Tournament. Seriously, first thing you do when you fill out your bracket is put the ‘Cuse in the Final Four. Before that, a big revenge game at Louisville who beat the Orange earlier this season.
Up Next: at Louisville (Sat)
2. West Virginia: 12-5, 23-6 (LWR: 3)
I am not going to lie, it got a little dusty in my place when I watched Da’Sean Butler leave the game on Senior Night Monday to standing ovation. This team’s post-season success will depend on which Devin Ebanks shows up. They move up to #2 because they are playing better than ‘Nova right now.
Up Next: at Villanova (Sat)
3. Villanova: 13-4, 24-5 (LWR: 2)
I apologize for sounding like a broken record the past couple weeks, but this team is very beatable. They are not playing good basketball down the stretch and in my opinion, might be in danger of not getting past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Up Next: vs. West Virginia (Sat)
4. Pitt: 12-5, 23-7 (LWR: 4)
Ashton Gibbs… ONIONS! Huge three at the buzzer against Providence clinched the Panthers the fourth spot in the Big East Tournament. Would I be afraid of them in the tournament? Absolutely not.
Up Next: vs. Rutgers (Sat)
5. Marquette: 11-6, 20-9 (LWR: 5)
Three straight overtime road wins followed up by an absolute beat down of Louisville clinched an NCAA Tournament birth for Marquette. For a team that was picked to finish 12th in the pre-season predictions, Buzz Williams has done as good a coaching job as anyone in the country and deserves the Big East Coach of the Year award.
Up Next: vs. Notre Dame (Sat)
6. Georgetown: 9-8, 19-9 (LWR: 5)
Greg Monroe is the best player on the Hoyas, but Austin Freeman is their MVP. G-Town has lost four of their last five (partially because Freeman has not been at 100% the past week) and need to get back on track quickly if they are going to do anything in March.
Up Next: vs. Cincinnati (Sat)
7. Louisville: 10-7, 19-11 (LWR: 6)
Won a huge battle of bubble teams at UConn on Sunday only to lay an absolute egg against Marquette. The Cards still need one more win to secure a spot in the tourney and that might be a tough task with Syracuse coming to town this weekend.
Up Next: vs. Syracuse (Sat)
8. Notre Dame: 9-8, 20-10 (LWR: 9)
Seemingly left for dead with Luke Harangody sidelined, the Irish are staying alive thanks to three straight wins. Patrick Ewing theory with the Leprechaun Fu#$er? They still have work to do and a win at Marquette might be enough to send them dancing.
Up Next: at Marquette (Sat)
9. UConn: 7-10, 17-13 (LWR: 8 )
Last week I called them a very, very dangerous team. This week they proved how hot and cold they are by losing a pair of must-win games. I don’t know, regardless of how high your strength of schedule is, if you finish below five-hundred in your conference you shouldn’t be dancing.
Up Next: at South Florida (Sat)
10. Seton Hall: 8-9, 17-11 (LWR: 11)
Cue up the same thing I wrote last week, “They are still not dead… yet.” However, the Hall will have to win Saturday and then at least make a run to the quarterfinals to have any chance of earning an at-large bid.
Up Next: at Providence (Sat)
11. South Florida: 8-9, 18-11 (LWR: 12)
Like Seton Hall, USF’s chances are still very, very slim. But let’s be honest, the Big East is not going to get more than 8, maybe 9 teams in the dance and the Bulls are on the wrong side of that bubble.
Up Next: vs. UConn (Sat)
12. Cincinnati: 7-10, 16-13 (LWR: 9)
The Bearcats have dropped five of their last seven and officially had their bubble burst. It has to be disappointing for a team that definitely looked like a tourney team after beating Vanderbilt and Maryland, and losing by two to Gonzaga early in the season at the Maui Invite.
Up Next: at Georgetown (Sat)
13. St. John’s: 5-12, 15-14 (LWR: 13)
If the Johnnies lose Saturday at DePaul, Norm Roberts has to get fired, right?
Up Next: at DePaul (Sat)
14. Rutgers: 5-12, 15-15 (LWR: 15)
Hey, they’ve won five of their last nine after starting conference play 0-8. Who says I don’t think “glass half-full?”
Up Next: at Pitt (Sat)
15. Providence: 4-13, 12-17 (LWR: 14)
Nine straight losses. I predicted it was going to be a rough season for the Friars, but not this rough.
Up Next: vs. Seton Hall (Sat)
16. DePaul: 1-16, 8-21 (LWR: 16)
Seriously, that one win against Marquette is painful to look at. If MU didn’t crap the bed in the second half, the Blue Demons would be on the verge of capping off a second straight winless Big East season.
Up Next: vs. St. John’s (Fri)