Every Big East team has been to a Final Four except for South Florida, though not necessarily as members of the conference. In addition, the Big East set a record by sending eight teams to the 2006 NCAA Tournament and then matched that record two years later.
Last year’s NCAA Tournament saw three out of four No. 1 seeds given to Big East teams (Louisville, Pittsburgh, Connecticut), including Louisville as the overall No. 1 seed. Connecticut and No. 3 seed Villanova made the Final Four.
While each conference has traditional powerhouses such as Kentucky in the SEC, Duke and North Carolina in the ACC, UCLA and Arizona in the Pac-10, Kansas in the Big 12, and Michigan State in the Big Ten, the Big East has the most depth and quality teams from top to bottom.
This year’s teams are no different. After a Saturday that saw No. 1 Kansas, No. 2 Kentucky, and No. 3 Purdue all lose, No. 4 Syracuse of the Big East stepped up to the challenge and beat No. 7 Villanova by 18 points.
It was the first time the top two ranked teams have lost on the same day in the regular season since Jan. 21, 2006. The reward was a No. 1 ranking for Syracuse in both the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll for the first time this year.
While Kansas has had the inside track to the overall No. 1 seed for the majority of the season, Syracuse, a team unranked in the AP Poll to start the season, has sneaked its way into consideration.
Inside Track
Syracuse essentially controls its own destiny. Last year, Louisville won the Big East regular season title and the Big East Tournament en route to an overall No. 1 seed. Syracuse has already clinched the Big East regular season title and is in line to repeat Louisville’s success in all facets.
The Big East Tournament is set to take place from March 9-13. Before 2009, only the top 12 teams were allowed to compete in the conference tournament. However, the tournament expanded last year to include all 16 teams.
Seeds 9 through 16 play on the first day while seeds 5 through 8 receive a bye until the second round. The top four teams receive two byes until the quarterfinal round. Getting through the gauntlet that is the Big East Tournament is no simple task.
Last year’s Syracuse–Connecticut quarterfinal game, quite possibly the greatest of all-time, lasted six overtimes with Syracuse never leading at any point in the five previous overtimes, but still pulling out a 127–117 win after 3 hours and 46 minutes of play.
“I’ve got no words,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said after the game. “I’ve never been prouder of any team I’ve coached.”
The next night, exhausted Syracuse beat West Virginia 74–69 in overtime to advance to the championship game against Louisville. Four nights in a row was just too much as Syracuse finally fell 76–66.
Clearly, the 2010 Big East regular season champions hope that this year holds a different fate, one that results in consecutive victories all the way through the first week of April.
As good as Syracuse is, the rest of the Big East is not far behind. ESPN’s bracketologist Joe Lunardi projects eight Big East teams in the NCAA Tournament right now—Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, and Connecticut.
Notre Dame, however, is the first one on the wait list while Seton Hall and Cincinnati are sixth and seventh. With a potential 11 teams in the NCAA Tournament, including the No. 1 overall seed for the second straight year, the Big East could have its best year yet.
Still, a lot can change between now and Selection Sunday on March 14. At this time last year, Connecticut was ranked No. 1 while Louisville was ranked No. 6. Two weeks later, Louisville became the overall No. 1 seed.
Syracuse, though, holds its fate in its own hands. Win out and they follow Louisville’s footsteps. The countdown to Selection Sunday begins.
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