Weekend of 2/15 and 2/16, 4 Gs (DeP-PC, X-MU, V-CU, GU-SJ).

[billyjack]

We are approaching the final bend in the Big East track. The weather forecast is calling for about 8-inches of snow, due to start falling Saturday afternoon here in the northeast. Luckily, pitchers and catchers should start arriving in the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. There are 4 games scheduled on Presidents Day weekend:

Saturday:
DePaul at Providence, 2pm.
Xavier at Marquette, 4pm, Fox (main channel).

Sunday:
#6 Villanova at #18 Creighton, 5pm, FS1.
Georgetown at St John's, at MSG, 7pm, FS1.

PC really needs to win this DePaul game. Hopefully the Friars come out loose and sharp. Two weeks ago in Chicago, this matchup was decided in the last 2 minutes. That game featured the break out party for RJ Curington.

Xavier vs Marquette will be a tight game. Marquette trying to make a final push at the end, and currently hold 4th place. Xavier has pretty much locked up an NCAA bid. Solid win at Butler earlier this week. Christon is worth the price of admission.

Villanova will be in front of a packed C-Link crowd, looking to avenge a blowout loss to Creighton. This game is so cool, it earned its own thread...! All eyes will be on the Lumberjack...

Finally, on Sunday night at 7pm, red-hot Georgetown faces white-hot St John's, in the World's Most Famous Arena**. This game has huge, huge NCAA implications. Both teams have RPI's in the mid 50's. St John's seemed out of sync at Seton Hall last night, kinda like they were playing not to lose, rather than trying to run the Pirates off the court aggressively. I'm pretty sure that both the Hoyas and Johnnies will come out with high octane... leave it all on the table... and any other cliche you can think of.

** How "famous" is Madison Square Garden...? As one small example, reportedly, near the end of WW2, Mussolini said he didn't want to be captured by the Allies and carted around Madison Square Garden like a circus performer... pretty famous arena... pretty bad ending for Mussolini... he would've been better off at MSG...! Unless I have it wrong, and Mussolini didn't want to be carted around the Greensboro Denny's...!

[marquette]

I believe Marquette-Xavier is at 4 EST.

[XUFan09]

I believe Marquette-Xavier is at 4 EST.

Correct, now on the main Fox channel instead of Fox Sports 1.

[billyjack]

I believe Marquette-Xavier is at 4 EST.

Correct, now on the main Fox channel instead of Fox Sports 1.

Thanks guys, I changed it.

[pki1998]

** How "famous" is Madison Square Garden...? As one small example, reportedly, near the end of WW2, Mussolini said he didn't want to be captured by the Allies and carted around Madison Square Garden like a circus performer... pretty famous arena... pretty bad ending for Mussolini... he would've been better off at MSG...! Unless I have it wrong, and Mussolini didn't want to be carted around the Greensboro Denny's...!

Love the Denny's comment. Other than landing his wife that comment might have been the best thing Jimmy B did!

[hoyahooligan]

I know I'm biased, but Georgetown v. St. John's almost seems like a bigger game than Nova v. Creighton even though the latter features the two ranked teams who are 1 and 2 in the conference. Am I way off base? Do any of the other 6 fan bases feel that way. Just seems like with the 2 Hotest teams in the league coming together to fight for their NCAA tournament lives in the worlds most famous arena.

[Jet915]

I know I'm biased, but Georgetown v. St. John's almost seems like a bigger game than Nova v. Creighton even though the latter features the two ranked teams who are 1 and 2 in the conference. Am I way off base? Do any of the other 6 fan bases feel that way. Just seems like with the 2 Hotest teams in the league coming together to fight for their NCAA tournament lives in the worlds most famous arena.

It's a bigger game for those teams, both are fighting to get into the NCAA tournament. Creighton and Villanova are locks so they aren't as desperate for wins as those teams are. I think the general public will watch the Creighton vs. Villanova game more because it's two ranked teams.

[HoosierPal]

Xavier better not considered themselves locked into an NCAA bid. If they stagger home 3-4, they are in bubble city. They best win two road games, or plan on beating both Creighton and Villanova at home.

@ Marquette
DePaul
@ Georgetown
@ St. Johns
Creighton
@ Seton Hall
Villanova

With only one Top 50 win to date, there is more work to do for the Muskies.

[RedStormNation]

I think Jet nailed it. Most of the nation will see 2 ranked teams in VU and CU and think "This is more relevant". But the truth is that in terms of what it means the SJ vs. G'Town game means much more. The loser will have a ton of pressure and be on the outside looking in.

The upside for SJ is that we already played 1 of the top 2 teams. And we won. Lots of other teams still have to play Nova and Creighton. I think that bodes well for us. It sucks we can't be like Nova and guarantee a bid immediately in the season so our fans can relax, but we don't have that luxury. It's a dog fight now if we want to get in. PC, Marquette, G'Town, SJ all lingering around. Being at MSG, with the historic rivalry, the same record, and tourney hopes on the line with 2 red hot teams is going to make this game intense. I looked at the tickets and it appears this game will be a near sellout or sellout. I'm scared I won't be able to get student tickets tomorrow morning.

I know I've been saying this all year but at some point we have to beat G'Town. I think they won something like the past 10 and none have even been competitive. No better time than now to change that. At some point this team has to find a way to get in the tourney more than once a decade. Hopefully the law of averages helps us.

[gosports1]

this is an interesting group of games with alot riding on a win for most of the teams
creighton and nova battle for king of the league
a PC loss most likely means they are out of the tourney
Xavier IMO has most wiggle room. a loss will hurt but not finish them
Marquette win might put them at least in the conversation (if the go on run after this)

the loser of georgetown st johns will also be hurt but not out and have tough obstacles to overcome to get in (more so for sju)