Start of Conference Play (2) Games 12/19/23

[MUPanther]

Georgetown at Butler, 6:30, FS1- Jeff Levering and LaPhonso Ellis
Line: Butler -11.5/151

6 Marquette at Providence, 8:30, FS1 - John Fanta and Donny Marshall
Line: Marquette -4/144.5

[gtmoBlue]

Start of BE Conference play.

The Prelims are done...The real season begins Now.

Overture, turn the lights…This is it, the night of nights.
Well, the prelims are done…On with the Show, this is it!


https://twitter.com/gtmoBlue/status/1736869610543362434

Expected: Top half teams that are where they are expected to be. Huskies, Jays, Warrior/GEs. DePaul is being more DePaul than usual at 2-8. Typically, the Blue Demons have done well in the non-con and waited until the conference slate to fold. Not this season.

Surprises to date, in order of magnitude: #1 9-2 Butler Bulldogs- picked 10th in Big East Coaches Pre-season Poll. Currently 2nd in the standings. Thad Matta and a slew of transfers!       
Anonymous Eagle/Brewtown Andy’s summer take. https://www.anonymouseagle.com/2023/7/25/23664454/big-east-mens-basketball-team-preview-butler-bulldogs-matta-thomas-alexander-davis-telfort-screen

Big Surprise #2 – The Wildcats of Radnor! The Cats have struggled in the non-conf slate. Four (4) losses, including 1 at home, 3 of which were against Big 5 opponents. The St Joe’s loss was at the Finn (Finneran Pavilion) no less – where the Cats are unbeatable! They have beaten Maryland, Memphis, Tex Tech, UCLA, and #14 UNC Cheat. The Radnorites currently sit in a tie for 7th place, with Georgetown, after being picked 4th by the coaches preseason poll.

Big surprise #3 – Da Friars. 9-2 Providence was picked 7th in the pre-season. Team is excelling under Coach English to start the season. Currently in a 4-way tie for 2nd (5th alphabetically).

Mild surprises: The Hoyas of Georgetown are playing surprisingly well and are 7-4, in a tie for 7th with Villanova. Easy Ed…making a turnaround? 

The Redmen are holding serve. Currently 6-3 and alone in the 6th position. Da Johnnies were picked 5th in the BE coaches pre-season poll.

The Muskies of Xavier are currently 6-5, sitting alone in the 10th position. Injuries to both starting Bigs prior to the season have derailed the Muskies. I am surprised they are playing as well as they are. Good coaching. 

Git’s Expectations (1st Ten Games):

Jays go 9-1 Only loss to Xavier in the first ten BE games.
Butler 8-2 Losses @ Marquette, @ Xavier in the 1st ten games.
Providence 7-3 Losses to Butler, @ Cr8n, @ UConn
Marquette 7-3… Losses @ Providence, Creighton, @ Villanova.

UConn goes 6-4 in the First ten. Losses @ Butler, @ Xavier, Creighton in Storrs, @ Villanova. 
Villanova goes 6-4 1st ten. Losses @ Cr8n, @ Marquette, @ Johnnies, @ Butler.
***Da Muskies! I can see a scenario where the crippled Muskies go 6-4 over the 1st ten games! Win @ the Cintas and upset lil Cr8n @ the CHICO.***
Johnnies hold at 5-5 over the first 10 games. Losses @ UConn, Butler, @ Nova, @ Cr8n, @ Xavier.

Promises to be another excellent gauntlet run in the Big East…as usual. With 4 (or more) losses in the 1st ten games, UConn, Nova, and St Johns are out of contention for the BE RS title. The first half of the conference slate should definitely not lack for excitement. 
- gtmoBlue


"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." - Mahatma Gandhi
"Top tier teams rarely have true "down" years and find a way to stay relevant every year." - Adoraz

[Omaha1]

Love it. Welcome back gtmo!

[gtmoBlue]

Lunardi's Dec 19th Bracket.

Five BE teams with Butler the 2nd team out behind Mich St.

1 Seed UConn
2 Seed Marquette
3 Seed lil Cr8n
8 Seed Nova
10 Seed Providence

I'm feelinn' it... Thinking both da Dawgs of Butler AND the Johnnies make the cut for
a 7-team BE showing in the dance come March. (Only a foollish man would bet against Thad Matta!)

*** The Musketeers of Xavier??? Since X is a Jesuit University...'Let us Pray.'
C'mon Muskies!
(Ol' gitmo rooting for Xavier??. Well BE brethren, Lil Cr8n and da Muskies have history that predates our
joining the Big East. Has been a great series for over 20 years now- going back to Korver v West. Hell yes
I'm pulling for Xavier- we are Jebbie brothers and great competitors! Let's Go Muskies!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPDzm1AwQaU



Ah yes... And so it Begins!
Let's git it Big East!

[DeadHeadHoya]

Go Hoyas

[Omaha1]

Butler sure looks a lot better than they did last year.

[FDS]

Whether or not Butler ends up having a successful Big East season this year, this team has been immensely more fun to watch than the past 4 seasons.

[Omaha1]

PC controlling things so far against Marquette. Oso is having a rough day.

[EMT]

Friars defensively are elite. If they hit FTs down the stretch, it's a total blowout.

[Django]

Dunk dunk dunk
Another one bites the dunk


And the fratricide begins