Knee jerk reactions on your team

[Bluejay]

The Newbies

Prior to the season there was a fair bit of talk that the new additions, "Mid-Majors?", would have difficulty adjusting to playing with the big boys. Xavier and Butler were predicted towards the bottom of the Big East by readers of the blog, and only Creighton, with an unmistakably strong returning team, got some respect. This was despite the fact that the new teams tended to have, on average, higher RPI's and more NCAA victories over the past five years than the incumbent teams.

At this early point in the season, the Newbies are lifting the league's overall level. On Ken Pom, Creighton is (1), Xavier (3), and Butler (7) in the conference. Clearly, Marquette, G'town, and St Johns have played some more challenging opponents, but Pom's algorithms take strength of opponents into account. The holiday tournaments, and the OOC games in December, will be critically important for the whole conference in sending teams to the dance because the league balance this year may be crazy. (The Hoyas got back on track against K-State this afternoon.) It should be an interesting, unpredictable year for a strong Big East.

I'm definitely impressed with the new members thus far, but just wait a bit. Let's see how Xavier, Creighton, Butler do against legitimate top 25 teams from major conferences. Not New Mexico or something…more like Wisconsin…just a rock solid top 25 team. That will tell us a lot. I'm really liking Creighton, but it's worth mentioning that they played 1 ranked team last year in a power conference and that was Duke whom they lost to. St. Joe's gave them everything they could handle and it took a miracle shot to win it. Not trying to say St. Joe's is bad…they aren't…the Johnnies essentially had the same game against them in the 1st round of the NIT and Pointer hit a fadeaway game-winner not too far from where McDermott hit his. But my point is, let's applaud the new guys for getting the job done up until now, but let's also be cautious and wait until they play some stalwarts to judge. I don't mean to pick on Creighton either…that was just an example. Creighton has the best chance of the new guys to really go far this year and finish high in conference.

Umm..Creighton beat Wisconsin just last year.

[anXUfan]

Can't wait for the real games to start.

[XUFan09]

I picked Xavier at 5th in the conference, and they've exceeded my expectations. I'm going with 3rd now.

My one worry with Xavier is that they'll peak too early. There are some really talented pieces, though, so maybe (*knock on wood*) their ceiling is too high for that to be a concern.

If that happens to be THE one legitimate worry with this team, then I really like our chances. Chris Mack is a better coach than most around here realize. Xavier tends to get better as a season rolls along; it doesn't peak early and dive later - - and I am not including the year of the Brawl in this, as that was clearly an anomaly. Besides, they even came around then and made the S16, as did the Bearkittens.

Yup, it would be strange for a Chris Mack team to have issues with peaking too early, as that's something he's really good at preventing. They're just really good already, beating a good Tennessee team when extremely shorthanded and beating up on lesser teams beyond expectations.

[billyjack]

Actually, I think many Xavier fans were a little cautious on XU this year too, because of some not-typical losses last season. But they've been great for a long time, even in supposed "off years".

[Lavinwood]

Creighton may have beat Wisconsin last year *they were unranked when you beat them*, but my point was, let's see how they do in their first season as a major conference team…same goes for Butler and Xavier. There's going to be some growing pains but I think this is a rock solid conference. Take a team like us…some days you will beat us by 30 because we can't stop the 3 if our lives depended on it. But other days when we are playing great D with Obekpa, Sanchez, Pointer, and Sampson swatting everything and not giving open looks, we may win by 10. You guys were able to manhandle basically all but 2 teams in the MVC on a consistent basis. Now you are in a conference where anyone can beat you any given day including SHU or DePaul. I'm just curious to see how that works out. Obviously I'm hoping Creighton is one of the top teams this year because we need some recognition and production, but it would not shock me if Creighton were to be caught off-guard by some very athletic teams. Welcome to the Big East where Providence beat #1 Pitt a few years back and also #3 Cuse at one point in the past 5 years. We almost beat Marquette at their peak last year without our top scorer and a top defender. Buckle up, because as the old Big East guys will tell you, nothing is a given.

For the new guys as good as they are, it's still a transition going from some conferences with 2 or 3 stud teams to 9 other teams you can easily lose to any given day. Essentially every in conference game will be NCAA tourney worthy maybe except DePaul and SHU. That's not easy at all.

[FriarJ]

I agree, it's a really good thing that the new schools are all very good because they are going to have to bring it every night for over 2 months. Not doubting they will, but each of them is going to reach a point in their schedule where they say wtf have we gotten ourselves into. It has and continues to happen to all of us. Welcome to the Big East!

[xu1990]

my kneejerk reaction..... X and the new teams are and will be just fine.

The talk of how they will do against big time competition has been answered year in and year out. I have no problem arguing that right now, if X, Butler and Creighton played in the A-10, the A-10 would be a stronger league than the Big East, at least the top ten of each league. The Wisconsin comment was classic old school thinking. Creighton spanks Whisky last year on a neutral court. X has won 8 of 9 over Big Ten schools, including Indiana, Wisconsin and Purdueand Illinois. X has recently beaten Tennessee, Florida, LSU, Alabama, Georgia..all the SEC teams (except UK who wont play X) Actually X and Butler have done very well against all the big conferences over the last decade. Regular and post season. It's St Johns, Seton Hall, Providence and DePaul I am worried about. In the last ten years have they been comparable to VCU, UMASS, Temple, St Joes, Saint Louis and Richmond as far as tournament success? The perceived level of increased competition is just that, perceived. I think some of it is name only.

Long winded answer, love the exposure and $$$ from the Big East, just don't think the basketball is a great improvement.

[EMT]

xu1990,

I guess we will see when they play the games. You are right on PC, SJU, SHU, and DePaul. That's why there are relatively new coaches at all four schools. With the recruiting that PC and SJU have done recently, I'm really interested in what they do on the court going forward.

No one in the BE ever knocked the top teams in the A10, but bottom half of the old BE was better than the bottom half of the A10.

[mel ott]

I'm definitely impressed with the new members thus far, but just wait a bit. Let's see how Xavier, Creighton, Butler do against legitimate top 25 teams from major conferences. Not New Mexico or something…more like Wisconsin…just a rock solid top 25 team. That will tell us a lot. I'm really liking Creighton, but it's worth mentioning that they played 1 ranked team last year in a power conference and that was Duke whom they lost to.

It's probably worth mentioning that Creighton beat Wisconsin last year by double digits on a neutral court in Vegas, and both Creighton and Wisconsin were ranked at the time. It's probably also worth mentioning that Creighton beat the same St. Joe's team that St. John's beat by 2, by 30 points (admittedly at home).

Also, Creighton went 9-2 or 11-2 against the Power conferences the last two years. Yes, the two we lost were in the second round of the NCAA's against the #1 seeds- No Carolina and Duke. Seeds do make a difference. I also know Wichita State wasn't in a POWER conference but we beat them 2 out of 3 and they are a little physical as well. I do get tired of the power conference teams implying their team is better because of conference. It's the team and not the conference ( ex Nebraska- I don't even list them as a quality win even if they are in the Big Ten). The only question that is continually raised is " can they do over a grind of an entire season". Well, I guess we shall see.

[Bill Marsh]

I'm definitely impressed with the new members thus far, but just wait a bit. Let's see how Xavier, Creighton, Butler do against legitimate top 25 teams from major conferences. Not New Mexico or something…more like Wisconsin…just a rock solid top 25 team. That will tell us a lot. I'm really liking Creighton, but it's worth mentioning that they played 1 ranked team last year in a power conference and that was Duke whom they lost to.

It's probably worth mentioning that Creighton beat Wisconsin last year by double digits on a neutral court in Vegas, and both Creighton and Wisconsin were ranked at the time. It's probably also worth mentioning that Creighton beat the same St. Joe's team that St. John's beat by 2, by 30 points (admittedly at home).

Also, Creighton went 9-2 or 11-2 against the Power conferences the last two years. Yes, the two we lost were in the second round of the NCAA's against the #1 seeds- No Carolina and Duke. Seeds do make a difference. I also know Wichita State wasn't in a POWER conference but we beat them 2 out of 3 and they are a little physical as well. I do get tired of the power conference teams implying their team is better because of conference. It's the team and not the conference ( ex Nebraska- I don't even list them as a quality win even if they are in the Big Ten). The only question that is continually raised is " can they do over a grind of an entire season". Well, I guess we shall see.

Of course they will.