Time for tournament projections and predictions... as the Big East Tournament from what I understand has been underway since Mid-February and has double-byes for the top four seeds. Thus, if you are a ticket-holder you could see 11 games involving bottom-feeders before your team actually takes the court. I dream of a world where there are only 12 teams in the Big East Tournament...although I also dream of a world where there only 12 Big East teams (goodbye Notre Dame, Marquette, DePaul and Seton Hall) and a world where George Lazenby made more than one Bond film.
Bold Pick-- #7 Notre Dame draws Seton Hall/Providence in the first round... with #2 Pitt waiting in the quarterfinals. The Fighting Irish head to MSG having won four straight... with last year's conference player of the year Luke Harangody on the shelf for all but eleven minutes. It's been well documented the last few years on this site that Harangody resembles the guy who took Brenda Walsh to her senior prom...and I'm milking Michael Cudlitz for all he's worth (Tony Miller's portrayer now stars on Southland).
Fold Pick-- #4 Villanova has lost 4 of 6... and owns just one victory over a top-half conference team since the end of January (West Virginia/Feb 8). The Wildcats play Marquette/Cincinnati in the quarterfinals- and while they won all three games against the Golden Bearcats and Eagles, those three wins came by a combined eight points. A lot will hinge on forward Antonio Pena-- the 6-8 junior posted just a pair of double-digit rebounding efforts in league play... and he's their presence inside. BET in the MSG is all about bumper-car basketball, and Nova's time will be short.
Gold Pick-- #1 Syracuse began the season in rebuilding mode-- losing Paul Harris, Johnny Flynn and Eric Devendorf to the pros. Orange fans were hoping for a 10-8 season with another bubblicious February that resulted in an at-large berth. Thank you, Wes Johnson for letting us dream of the possibilities of a #1 ranking. Thank you, Andy Rautins for helping SU to its first regular season outright title since 1991. Thank you, Jim Boeheim for an incredible coaching job that isn't over yet. Last year SU won the headlines and hearts for 3 nights before falling in the finals-- this year they may be short on thrills and chills... but there won't be any spills. (then again, they lost as a #1 seed in '91...)
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