1st Lunardi Bracketolgy has 6 BE teams in NCAAT

[TheHall]

6 bids would be a huge statement for the league. I think that's the ideal outcome this season, and it's nice to see the media predicting it.

Not just the media, it's the dogfather of predicting NCAAT bids. First the good mojo from Pomeroy, now Lunardi. The BE is getting plenty of love from the nerd wing of the media, it's the jock wing that's still hating!

[MUBoxer]

really? Nobody has mentioned that it's an ESPN analyst who's got the 6 teams in?! You know espn that place that's supposed to hate the BE

[bman95]

SJU and providence have to get thru the season without the suspensions and such. Those 2 plus Xavier need to do show up and make us look good by getting into the tourn.

[stever20]

SJU and providence have to get thru the season without the suspensions and such. Those 2 plus Xavier need to do show up and make us look good by getting into the tourn.

If we get 2/3 of those we're fine. That'd be 6 teams in most likely(along with Nova, Georgetown, Marquette, and Creighton).

[DeltaV]

really? Nobody has mentioned that it's an ESPN analyst who's got the 6 teams in?! You know espn that place that's supposed to hate the BE

Lunardi is a Philly guy (St. Joes), and is usually a proponent of non-state school hoops.

I will be ecstatic if we still pull the top line for number of schools per conference. 60%? Has that been done since the 80s (the best the 16 team big east got was 9, right? In the 80s, the pre football BE got 7 of 9 once?)

[Bill Marsh]

SJU and providence have to get thru the season without the suspensions and such. Those 2 plus Xavier need to do show up and make us look good by getting into the tourn.

The key for Providence is Dunn. With rare exceptions, freshmen are not a factor especially early in the season. The two are obviously going through growing pains and haven't yet learned the discipline that it takes to be successful in a college system. If these kids were at Marquette, they wouldn't be playing regardless of whether they were suspended because Buzz doesn't play freshmen. Cooley is handling these kids differently, but the net effect is the same.

The projections for Providence to improve into a tournament team were not based on the recruitment of freshman impact players. It was based on the experience of 4 returning starters from a team that was 9-9 in the Big East and 9-4 once they got past injuries and got new players integrated. It was based on the additions of a couple of ACC transfers who are expected to have an immediate impact, one of them a former 5-star recruit. It was based on the fact that Dunn, himself a former 5-star recruit and ready to start his first full season, was seen as being capable of replacing stellar point guard, Victor Council. As long as Dunn is healthy, all. Of the keys to success remain in place.

As for Xabier, I have high expectations for them over the long haul, but I think they're a year away. If they surprise and do better than expected, it will be a bonus.

[Bill Marsh]

really? Nobody has mentioned that it's an ESPN analyst who's got the 6 teams in?! You know espn that place that's supposed to hate the BE

Lunardi is a Philly guy (St. Joes), and is usually a proponent of non-state school hoops.

I will be ecstatic if we still pull the top line for number of schools per conference. 60%? Has that been done since the 80s (the best the 16 team big east got was 9, right? In the 80s, the pre football BE got 7 of 9 once?)

Regardless of anyone he's a proponent for, he's also about 98% accurate typically.

The main difference between Lunardi and others like him vs the polls is that Lunardi actually analyzes each team and bases his forecast on that analysis. The polls are based on votes. Voters may base their choices on analysis or they may vote on a whim. More than likely, most of them do the latter. I trust Lunardi, or any analyst, a lot more than I trust the polls.

[PMThor]

really? Nobody has mentioned that it's an ESPN analyst who's got the 6 teams in?! You know espn that place that's supposed to hate the BE

I could have sworn ESPN put out a question asking how many BE schools would make the tourney this year....their choices were 2,3, or 4. Or maybe it was our local hack Ken Broo who is a UC shill.

[shupat08]

really? Nobody has mentioned that it's an ESPN analyst who's got the 6 teams in?! You know espn that place that's supposed to hate the BE

Lunardi is a Philly guy (St. Joes), and is usually a proponent of non-state school hoops.

I will be ecstatic if we still pull the top line for number of schools per conference. 60%? Has that been done since the 80s (the best the 16 team big east got was 9, right? In the 80s, the pre football BE got 7 of 9 once?)

The Big East got 11 of 16 team in the NCAA Tournament in 2011... But still that's only 68.75%.