Next Year.

[Irishdawg]

Jays not set in stone, yet. Battling So Carolina & Frank Martin for Canadian wing AJ Lawson. His dad has some roots in South Click...and dad wants to play there. AJ is Canadian, likes uptempo/fast game. Martin's teams plod/use the clock/ physical play. I'm thinking AJ comes to the BEast-Jays. Should know this week.?

Most BE teams lost a lot. Gotta look at Marquette, Providence, and Butler as the teams with the most opportunity. Jays, X, and Nova as the 2nd tier (any order). Johnnies gonna Johnnie...and the rest.

Thinking Butler, as they have some experience as the hunted - Marq/Prov may not know how to behave/maintain poise, as the hunted. Go Dawgs...

1) Butler
2) Cr8n
3) Prov
4) Nova
5) Marq - (3-6 coinflip)
6) Xavier
7) Johnnies
8) Gtwn
9) DePaul
10) SHall

Questions:
Will Heron make a difference? No.

Can Pillsbury, er Paschal carry Nova as well as a box of Dunkin Donuts? This ain't Fordham/A10? He, Booth, & some lightly used Sophs, hmmm. Quinerly ain't Brunson and will have an up/down frosh year. Team will be overly reliant on their great frosh Class. Cremo gets a reality check in the Big Leagues. Travis who? He was the missing piece, that's who. Nova's a year away.

Marquette has horses, but questions still in the front court...won't handle the pressure as a front runner.

Can Ed get max effort/play from returnees? Can Prov handle the Pressure as a front runner also?

Butler will overachieve, as usual. In a so-called down year they should thrive.

X may surprise...got some (4) good returnees and coaching continuity. Can they get play from their patchwork recruiting class.

Krampelj, Mintz, Ballock return, with sophs who gained valuable PT last season in Epperson & Alexander. Jays p/u a good class with PG Marcus Z and Grad SG Conner C getting considerable PT. Possible Late addition: 4 star (top 40) wing A J Lawson.

...and the rest.

[gtmoBlue]

Thanks Irishdawg...I've been called much worse. I just think a little bit outside the box.

Butler has a increased probability of winning the BE. Didn't lose as much as most, have a good core returning...
I don't think I've ever said that my boy Eric couldn't play...He will have to bring much more than that next season: the Pillsbury-Booth show. (The previous Konate blocks(2) were pretty good too.)
I hope Eric has an AA year, cause in order for Nova to shine, he and Booth have to be great next season. The sophs had very limited play in spots and frosh are frosh (up and down, hit the wall, takes time to mesh into the system).

All the Best to Butler, Nova, and all of our BE brethren this coming season. May you all exceed your limitations and win the conference championship.

[adoraz]

1) Butler
2) Cr8n
3) Prov
4) Nova
5) Marq - (3-6 coinflip)
6) Xavier
7) Johnnies
8) Gtwn
9) DePaul
10) SHall

Questions:
Will Heron make a difference? No.

We all know if Heron was going to Creighton (and eligible), you would have them as #1 and going to the FF lol.

Your rankings are unique and entertaining, but in our 5 year history the rankings have never been unique/unexpected (aside from maybe year 1?). It'll be Nova at the top until proven otherwise. X deserves some credit for this year, but they were projected to be a great team pre-season. Next year doesn't have an X/SHU with high expectations pre-season.

Only 4 months left.

[gtmoBlue]

Adoraz: It'll be Nova at the top until proven otherwise. X deserves some credit for this year, but they were projected to be a great team pre-season.
Next year doesn't have an X/SHU with high expectations pre-season.

Love your logic loop...Xavier proved otherwise this past season as they won the BE regular season title, or did you forget. If I remember correctly Seton Hall,
Nova, and Xavier were all projected to be great teams last season, so Xavier met expectations by winning the conference reg season. Nova was 2nd.

This coming season has Providence, Marquette, and Butler with high expectations. They lost the least, have good classes coming in, and both Marq and Butler
are ranked in some polls. Xavier may not fall as far as folks think, as they have 4 well experienced returnees and a good class arriving. The playing field is leveled
for 2018-19, and it should make for an exciting conference race. Finally, a competitive field for this coming season.

PS: High ranking kids like Heron never consider "little Creighton". We're too small and don't have enough merit to gain their attention.

[NJRedman]

Adoraz: It'll be Nova at the top until proven otherwise. X deserves some credit for this year, but they were projected to be a great team pre-season.
Next year doesn't have an X/SHU with high expectations pre-season.

Love your logic loop...Xavier proved otherwise this past season as they won the BE regular season title, or did you forget. If I remember correctly Seton Hall,
Nova, and Xavier were all projected to be great teams last season, so Xavier met expectations by winning the conference reg season. Nova was 2nd.

This coming season has Providence, Marquette, and Butler with high expectations. They lost the least, have good classes coming in, and both Marq and Butler
are ranked in some polls. Xavier may not fall as far as folks think, as they have 4 well experienced returnees and a good class arriving. The playing field is leveled
for 2018-19, and it should make for an exciting conference race. Finally, a competitive field for this coming season.

PS: High ranking kids like Heron never consider "little Creighton". We're too small and don't have enough merit to gain their attention.

How did they prove otherwise when they didn't beat Nova? I think even X fans would say Nova is the king of the conference still.

[gtmoBlue]

Last I saw Xavier had this big ass trophy and they all were wearing these BE Champion rings...That is sufficient.



They lost 2 of 3 to Providence. By using your logic that makes Providence #2 behind Nova, right? Disproves the fallacy of having to "Beat the best to be the best.", doesn't it.

2017-18 STANDINGS BIG EAST OVERALL
W-L Pct. H A W-L Pct. H A N Streak
Xavier (3/4) 15-3 .833 8-1 7-2 27-4 .871 17-1 9-2 1-1 Won 3
Villanova (4/5) 14-4 .833 8-1 6-3 27-4 .871 14-1 9-3 4-0 Won 2
Seton Hall (rv/rv) 10-8 .556 6-3 4-5 21-10 .677 14-3 5-6 2-1 Won 1
Creighton (rv/24) 10-8 .556 7-2 3-6 21-10 .677 16-2 4-7 1-1 Lost 1
Providence 10-8 .556 6-3 4-5 19-12 .613 13-4 4-7 2-1 Won 1
Butler (rv/rv) 9-9 .500 6-3 3-6 19-12 .613 14-3 3-7 2-2 Lost 2
Marquette 9-9 .500 5-4 4-5 18-12 .600 11-6 5-5 2-1 Won 2
Georgetown 5-13 .278 2-7 3-6 15-14 .517 11-8 4-6 0-0 Lost 4
St. John’s 4-14 .222 2-7 2-7 15-16 .484 9-7 2-7 4-2 Lost 1
DePaul 4-14 .222 1-8 3-6 11-19 .367 6-10 4-7 1-2 Lost 2

MBB Minute – Xavier Wins Outright Title and No. 1
Tournament Seed
Xavier held off a late rally and won 65-62 at DePaul
Saturday afternoon to win its first outright BIG EAST
regular-season crown and earn the No. 1 seed in The
BIG EAST Tournament Presented by Jeep. The BIG EAST
tourney returns to Madison Square Garden for the 36th
consecutive year on March 7-10.
The top-seeded Musketeers, with a 15-3 record, will
open on Thursday at noon ET against the winner of No.
8 Georgetown and No. 9 St. John’s, which opens the
tournament on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.

[adoraz]

Adoraz: It'll be Nova at the top until proven otherwise. X deserves some credit for this year, but they were projected to be a great team pre-season.
Next year doesn't have an X/SHU with high expectations pre-season.

Love your logic loop...Xavier proved otherwise this past season as they won the BE regular season title, or did you forget. If I remember correctly Seton Hall,
Nova, and Xavier were all projected to be great teams last season, so Xavier met expectations by winning the conference reg season. Nova was 2nd.

This coming season has Providence, Marquette, and Butler with high expectations. They lost the least, have good classes coming in, and both Marq and Butler
are ranked in some polls. Xavier may not fall as far as folks think, as they have 4 well experienced returnees and a good class arriving. The playing field is leveled
for 2018-19, and it should make for an exciting conference race. Finally, a competitive field for this coming season.

PS: High ranking kids like Heron never consider "little Creighton". We're too small and don't have enough merit to gain their attention.

I am aware that Xavier won the regular season BE, which is why I mentioned them in my post. If you're talking purely "who won the regular season BE title", then sure Xavier won, but... who cares? That's a meaningless accomplishment relative to what Nova achieved. Nova had the better regular season (with OOC/BET included), RPI, BET, Tournament, head to head, ranking, etc. They were both 1 seeds, but Nova was still a higher ranked 1 seed. If you ask 100 college basketball fans who had the better regular year, Nova or X, all 100 would say Nova. Regardless of mind share, there just aren't any stats supporting X here, aside from the 18 game BE regular season stretch. That's only 1/3 of the year though, and it isn't the important part.

Not to diminish what Xavier accomplished because it was a great season, but come on lol. Nova won the national championship and sent 4 players to the NBA. Xavier lost in the second round and lost their coach. Everyone in the conference will have the Nova game circled on the calendar first and foremost. Nova is still king, period.

As for your other point, last year we had 3 teams safely in the pre-season rankings (Nova, X, SHU). Next year so far, we only have 1 team safely in (Nova). I like your optimism, but the general consensus is next year will be a down year.

[gtmoBlue]

X and Nova had the same overall record for OOC and Conference, with X having a better conference slate at 15-3. Nova was 14-4.

BET is post season. Nova had a better post season by far. If you ask any number of fans about last season, all they know is Nova won the
Natty over Michigan.

Obviously Nova had another great year, but winning the conference regular season title is not "meaningless", regardless of your spin,
for those of us affiliated with the Big East. It's 1 of 3 crowns we play for.

Your argument definitely attempts to diminish Xavier's accomplishment.
No one knew in early March that Nova would go on to win the Natty.
In hindsight yes, Nova had another excellent season, but Xavier also had a great BE Championship season. Give them their due respect.

Butler is #24 in the ESPN Poll. Xavier #26 in the latest NBC Poll. Marquette #24 in a lesser poll (SB Nation).

[NJRedman]

Last I saw Xavier had this big ass trophy and they all were wearing these BE Champion rings...That is sufficient.



They lost 2 of 3 to Providence. By using your logic that makes Providence #2 behind Nova, right? Disproves the fallacy of having to "Beat the best to be the best.", doesn't it.

2017-18 STANDINGS BIG EAST OVERALL
W-L Pct. H A W-L Pct. H A N Streak
Xavier (3/4) 15-3 .833 8-1 7-2 27-4 .871 17-1 9-2 1-1 Won 3
Villanova (4/5) 14-4 .833 8-1 6-3 27-4 .871 14-1 9-3 4-0 Won 2
Seton Hall (rv/rv) 10-8 .556 6-3 4-5 21-10 .677 14-3 5-6 2-1 Won 1
Creighton (rv/24) 10-8 .556 7-2 3-6 21-10 .677 16-2 4-7 1-1 Lost 1
Providence 10-8 .556 6-3 4-5 19-12 .613 13-4 4-7 2-1 Won 1
Butler (rv/rv) 9-9 .500 6-3 3-6 19-12 .613 14-3 3-7 2-2 Lost 2
Marquette 9-9 .500 5-4 4-5 18-12 .600 11-6 5-5 2-1 Won 2
Georgetown 5-13 .278 2-7 3-6 15-14 .517 11-8 4-6 0-0 Lost 4
St. John’s 4-14 .222 2-7 2-7 15-16 .484 9-7 2-7 4-2 Lost 1
DePaul 4-14 .222 1-8 3-6 11-19 .367 6-10 4-7 1-2 Lost 2

MBB Minute – Xavier Wins Outright Title and No. 1
Tournament Seed
Xavier held off a late rally and won 65-62 at DePaul
Saturday afternoon to win its first outright BIG EAST
regular-season crown and earn the No. 1 seed in The
BIG EAST Tournament Presented by Jeep. The BIG EAST
tourney returns to Madison Square Garden for the 36th
consecutive year on March 7-10.
The top-seeded Musketeers, with a 15-3 record, will
open on Thursday at noon ET against the winner of No.
8 Georgetown and No. 9 St. John’s, which opens the
tournament on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.

Nova has a trophy and t-shirts too and can claim a Big East title since it won the BET. Oh and they also won the NCAA's which still makes them the kings. Once again, ask X fans if they think they unseated Nova. I doubt they agree with you since they still can't beat Nova. In their defense not many can since they on average lose 2 conferences games a year.

[gtmoBlue]

No one is denying that Villanova had a great team and season last season. In Hindsight they may be "Kings" but Xavier won the BE Regular Season title and trophy.
However, you for some reason, still refuse to give Xavier respect for their accomplishment.

gtmoBlue

Obviously Nova had another great year, but winning the conference regular season title is not "meaningless", regardless of your spin,
for those of us affiliated with the Big East. It's 1 of 3 crowns we play for.

Your argument definitely attempts to diminish Xavier's accomplishment.
No one knew in early March that Nova would go on to win the Natty.
In hindsight yes, Nova had another excellent season, but Xavier also had a great BE Championship season. Give them their due respect.

As for the 2018-19 season...We shall see.