2/24 Lunardi Bracketology

[Hentonwood Hogan]

PC - finish 2-1 down the stretch against @ SHU, vs. Marquette, @ Creighton - definitely tougher than the prior two; I'd put their odds at less than 50%

You grossly underestimate the power and momentum of the Cooley World Order! I got news for you brotha, the Friars are going to run wild all over Madison Square Garden and into the NCAA Tourney. I know you all think that Creighton is too powerful, and Nova is just unstoppable. Well, let me remind you what happens when you doubt Hogan at MSG:


cWo 4-Life!

[hoyahooligan]

I actually like SJU in the BET.

There was no chance the conference was going to fail to utilize an asset like MSG, but it definitely gives an unfair advantage to SJU, who happens to be playing very well right now.

MSG really isn't a huge home court advantage for St. John's. They're probably not even going to have the most fans at the BET. At least the original BE teams have played so often in MSG you don't have the same lack of familiarity that you do at most home courts. Most away arenas you play in once a year at most. But every BE team plays there at least twice a year and many more than that with all the OOC tournament and 1 off games that take place there. St. John's is playing better, but I'd love another shot at them. It'd look a lot more like the first game than the second game.

[Bill Marsh]

I actually like SJU in the BET.

There was no chance the conference was going to fail to utilize an asset like MSG, but it definitely gives an unfair advantage to SJU, who happens to be playing very well right now.

MSG really isn't a huge home court advantage for St. John's. They're probably not even going to have the most fans at the BET. At least the original BE teams have played so often in MSG you don't have the same lack of familiarity that you do at most home courts. Most away arenas you play in once a year at most. But every BE team plays there at least twice a year and many more than that with all the OOC tournament and 1 off games that take place there. St. John's is playing better, but I'd love another shot at them. It'd look a lot more like the first game than the second game.

Have to disagree. BE teams do not necessarily play there twice a year:

1. St. John's still plays some of its home BE games on campus. This year it was PC & SHU.
2. In the past, the BE didn't play home & home, so they didn't necessarily get an annual regular season game in the Garden. Providence, for example, hasn't played a regular season game in MSG in 10 years.
3. St. John's has played 9 games in the Garden this year. Regardless of what games other teams have played there, that's a big advantage.
4. St. John's record in the Garden so far this year is 5-2 with the only losses coming to top ten teams, Syracuse and Villanova. I'd call that a pretty good home court advantage.
5. Unaffiliated NYers who attend the tournament because they love college basketball are more likely to root for the home team.

[dmac80]

I would be surprised if SJU doesn't draw a huge crowd for the BET if they continue playing well and look like a tourney team. And yes its an advantage. so what? They're in NYC, MSG is in NYC, MSG is where the BET is played. Lucky for them.

[TheWarriorFriar]

Agree on the Providence assessment, but I'd also say to be a true lock they'd have to win one in the BET if they only go 2-1 in the last three. There's a good chance we're going to end up playing another potential at-large bid team, so a win over them would do wonders come Selection Sunday.

[SJUREDMEN85]

St. John's is playing better, but I'd love another shot at them. It'd look a lot more like the first game than the second game.

Hahaha Not at MSG. We kicked your ass by 22pnt, ok ok maybe G-Town would play SJU closer and lose by 15pnts, is that better?

[hoyahooligan]

St. John's is playing better, but I'd love another shot at them. It'd look a lot more like the first game than the second game.

Hahaha Not at MSG. We kicked your ass by 22pnt, ok ok maybe G-Town would play SJU closer and lose by 15pnts, is that better?

Not a chance. That score does not come close to representing where the two teams are at. Hoyas by double digits if they meet in the BET. We spotted you a 15 point lead. I wasn't able to see that part thanks to FS1, but trust me that won't happen again. That game was all emotion after being continuously punked by the Hoyas for 3 straight years. St. John's couldn't pull that off again in a million years. Also the refs won't give St. John's the home court advantage during the BET. Enjoy it while it last Johnnies.

[stever20]

The thing with St John's is they're going to go from being the hunters to being the hunted. How well will hey handle being the favorite. In the past, they havent always handled that all so well...

[Hall2012]

Xavier, SJU, Providence and Georgetown are all at-risk bids for the moment. Here's what each team likely has to do in the regular season:

Xavier - go 2-2 down the stretch against @ SJU, vs. Creighton, @ SHU, vs. Nova - should probably avoid dropping the roadie vs. SHU, but not a killer, especially if offset with a win vs. Creighton/Nova

SJU - finish up 2-1 down the stretch against vs. Xavier, vs. DePaul and @ Marquette - but they can't have that one loss be vs. DePaul at home (bad loss)

PC - finish 2-1 down the stretch against @ SHU, vs. Marquette, @ Creighton - definitely tougher than the prior two; I'd put their odds at less than 50%

Georgetown - finish 2-1 down the stretch against @ Marquette, vs. Creighton and @ Nova - brutal end; MQ is near-impossible in their house and then two top-10 teams

The key for all these teams is not to lose to DePaul (duh), Seton Hall (bad RPI), or Marquette (good team but going nowhere in terms of NCAAs). Even beyond that, I think PC and St. John's both could use an extra win in the BET if they go both 2-1 down the stretch. Perhaps not PC if one of those two wins is @ Creighton.

Well, I apologize in advance to Providence and Xavier if Seton Hall messes anything up : )