Can we at least make the Big East Tourney?

[The Sheriff]

http://www.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/7891494

[Markeymark]

Doubtful, not for a couple years anyway...

[bullman3]

On a good year!   Our goal for each season will be to make the BE Tourney.  That will define a successful season.  Think about it, only the top 12 teams go to the Tourney.  What four teams will be worse then us year in and year out?  

Possibles, Rutgers, WVU, Depaul, Villanova or Providence?

[Markeymark]

DePaul is an NCAA tournament-caliber team, it will be hard to pass them by. The new Big East is easily the best conference in the country now.

[Guest HowieP1]

I think the BE basketball and football schools will eventually split up. Until then, I wouldn't hold my breath. On the other hand, we have no place else to go but up.  ;D

16-Team Big East Could Dominate

By BRETT McMURPHY bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

Published: Nov 16, 2004

 

TAMPA - When the Big East announced it was adding Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette and South Florida for the 2005-06 season, Louisville coach Rick Pitino was asked how dominant the league would be.

``Maybe the strongest conference in the history of college basketball from a depth standpoint,'' Pitino said.

The 16-team Big East has combined for 10 men's national championships, including the last two and three of the last six. Every Big East team, except for USF, has played in a Final Four.

However, Memphis coach John Calipari said there could be some consequences having all those powerhouses in one league.

``I look how this will play out for some other people on the other side,'' Calipari said. ``Someone's finishing eight, nine, 10 in that league and somebody's finishing 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.

``I know everyone doesn't think it's going to be them and they're not getting in the NCAA Tournament.''

Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese disagrees.

``I know some coaches have expressed concern that, with a 16-team league, the NCAA Basketball Committee may be reluctant to invite a large number of at-large teams from one conference,'' Tranghese said. ``As a former chair of that committee, I know it is their charge to choose the most deserving teams to the tournament.

``I'm confident that the size of our conference will not hurt our chances in any way when it comes time for NCAA Tournament selection.''

What everyone can agree on is all parties involved - with the exception of C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky - wished the moves would have been taken place for this season.

The Atlantic Coast Conference started the dominoes falling by taking Miami and Virginia Tech from the Big East. The Hurricanes and Hokies begin ACC play this season. Next year the ACC adds Boston College to get to 12 teams.

Then the Big East swooped into C-USA and took Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette and USF. C-USA also lost Charlotte and Saint Louis to the Atlantic 10 and TCU to the Mountain West.

C-USA then replaced its defectors with Marshall and UCF from the Mountain West and Rice, SMU, Tulsa and UTEP from the Western Athletic Conference.

``For us, Conference USA was a really good fit,'' Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins said. ``Saying that, naturally I'm excited going to the Big East and the quality of basketball that will be played in that league.''

DePaul coach Dave Leitao said the new Big East is ``scary.''

``You're adding the best of Conference USA [Cincinnati, Louisville, Marquette] to one of the nation's top three conferences,'' he said. ``It's the best of times, the worst of times. Be careful what you wish for because it may come true.''

The move should be especially tough for USF. While the other 15 league members have reached the Final Four, the Bulls haven't even reached a conference final four since the 1991 Sun Belt Conference Tournament.

http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGB7X04KL1E.html

[smazza]

won't everyone be surprised when usf wins the big easy

[Metro_Retro_Bull]

When will that be? Will I be a grand daddy?

[bulls96go]

bware the underdog with a chip on his shoulder

coach mac will suprise many

[dabull80]

No way.

[beastiebull]

We will NEVER finish higher than 10th in the current BE.