The Holy Land of Hoops

Tue-- using KP ratings
#113 Marquette 0-2 10-4 @ #33 Providence 2-0 14-1- KP PC 78-68 85%
#68 Georgetown 2-0 9-5 @ #69 Creighton 1-1 10-5- KP Creighton 80-76 65%
#35 Butler 0-2 11-3 @ #156 DePaul 0-2 6-8- KP Butler 80-75 69%
Wed-
#8 Xavier 1-1 13-1 @ #240 St John's 0-2 7-8- KP Xavier 77-62 93%
#42 Seton Hall 2-0 12-2 @ #2 Villanova 2-0 12-2- KP Nova 76-63 90%

Huge game for Butler obviously. And a chance for Seton Hall to get really comfortably in the tourney with a win. And a big one for Georgetown IMO.

As much as I'm hoping the Hall can steal this game at Nova, reality is they haven't won there since PJ Carlesimo was the coach. I'll be happy with staying competitive with Nova.

Hall2012 wrote:As much as I'm hoping the Hall can steal this game at Nova, reality is they haven't won there since PJ Carlesimo was the coach. I'll be happy with staying competitive with Nova.

Man, SHU really has the meat of their schedule coming up. Next 5 are somewhat brutal (Nova x 2, @ X, @Prov, CU). No shame in 1-4 but if you can figure out a way to get 2 wins in that meat grinder, you'll be in phenomenal shape. I think the key for Willard is to keep the young team grounded either way.

The biggest game is obviously the Georgetown game. If they aspire to make the dance, this is a must win.

Butler has a trap game. DePaul looks like they might pull their annual routine of being horrible in out of conference play and then stealing bids/hurting seeding by pulling a couple of upsets in conference. Still, if Butler is for real they should be able to handle a team that has played as poorly as DePaul has most of this year.

Providence at home. No reason to thing they struggle.

Xavier on the road, but they are much better than St. Johns. Xavier has been tested enough this season where I don't think they slip up in this game.

Nova playing on campus. I like this Seton Hall team, but they are going to have a tough time winning at the Pavilion. Seton Hall has a brutal 5 game stretch coming up. 1-4 is likely, but that wouldn't be the worst thing as they get most of their tough games over with. If they can sneak out any unexpected win to make it to 2-3 that would be a bonus.

PC usually struggles with MU...

For MU fans, can your guys keep up with Bentil/Bullock up and down the floor?

Early foul trouble for Bentil could spell trouble for PC vs. MU.

Ball just stop with your crap about DePaul being horrible OOC. DePaul's RPI right now is 144. 3 spots better than Marquette. But I don't see you slinging shit Marquette's way now do I?

The only team that could hurt the Big East if they win games is St John's. PERIOD.

Also, Seton Hall game at PC on the 16th is conflicting with a Patriots playoff game. That's pretty terrible news for the Friars as far as attendance is concerned.

Big contrast in styles between Marquette and Providence. PC is guard-oriented, fast-paced and rarely turns the ball over on offense. Marquette has their twin towers and play them side-by-side more often than not, but are marred by turnovers and despite their size are not that great on the glass (low 100's rank in both offensive and defensive rebounding).

Unless Marquette gets Bentil and/or Dunn in serious foul trouble, I think they're going to struggle against PC. Their guards will likely have a nightmare of a time against Dunn, Lomomba, Edwards and Lindsey, and I think Bullock, Bentil, etc. will do just enough to bother Fischer and Ellenson.

Now, if this were at the Bradley Center, it'd be a whole different story. PC might as well forfeit whenever they have to travel to Milwaukee.

According to UndercoverFriar, PC and Seton Hall are in contact (along with Fox), as PC is trying to change the time of that game to avoid the conflict with the Patriots game.