Is the Big East the toughest conference?

[BostonBearcat]

...at least the Boston Globe thinks so! As your faithful Boston Bearcat correspondent, I am attaching an article in today in today's Globe that I really enjoyed. What makes me chuckle a bit is that the local Boston Division One entry isn't even in the conference (although there are plenty of Syracuse, UCONN, and Providence grads running around). I'm sure they are loving it.

Boston will be hosting the East Regional this year; one can dream, right? (Although my last foray with the Bearcats locally was the Temple round 2 loss in 1999). Great way to celebrate a great win; enjoy the story...

http://www.boston.com/sports/colleges/mens_basketball/articles/2009/02/07/in_big_east_nobody_said_it_was_going_to_be_easy/

[Joe_Pong]

No dount the Big East is the toughest. I don't really like the conference though. I guess it bothers me to be in a conference that conference standings mean nothing.

In my opinion, conference standings have no meaning and no value unless you play every team in the conference home and away.The only thing that has meaning is the teams at the bottom of the conference that have won almost no games. You know they are the worst. Other than that, third place or seventh place doesn't really mean a damn thing as far as distinguishing between teams. It's not balanced, so standings don't mean much.

[BeastUC]

I think it's the toughest and it would be even tougher if not for key injuries this season with a few teams.

[Pocket Hercules]

I'm not sure it's tougher than the ACC; deeper for sure, but I would venture to guess that the top five from the ACC would take 3-4 games head-to-head from the top five in the Big East.

[LongTimer]

I'm not sure it's tougher than the ACC; deeper for sure, but I would venture to guess that the top five from the ACC would take 3-4 games head-to-head from the top five in the Big East.

PH....you're going to hear a lot of crap from that statement. I happen to agree with you, but I am gonna sit back and watch the responses!!!

[CroninCrazy]

One simple word: YES!

A close second would have to be the A-10 :rolleyes:

[Pocket Hercules]

PH....you're going to hear a lot of crap from that statement. I happen to agree with you, but I am gonna sit back and watch the responses!!!

Meh, I can take the heat.

I'm probably one of the most optimistic members around, and I HATE making that statement, but every year the Big East gets a ton of entries into the NCAA's and (by percentage) doesn't seem to do a lot of damage.

If the question is whether or not an 18-game full conference schedule is toughest in the Big East, I say yes. If the question is which conference is most likely to produce a national champion, I say the ACC. I hope I am wrong, and the Big East should not be ashamed to be a very close 2nd.

[Globe Trotting Cat Fan]

PH I can see your argument about the BEast getting lots of teams in but not doing much in terms of going deep in the tournament.

For me, a large part of that has to do with the fact that the conference is so big members wise and so tough night in and night out.

Consider that on any given night NO team is safe (Marquette on Friday, Syracuse getting hammered at Nova etc) and no victory is "guaranteed".

One of the things I believe happens is that teams beat up on each other so much in the regular season and conference tourney that come "Big Dance" time a lot of teams are just dead and have nothing much left to give. That may sound like a cop out answer to some, but its what I have seen happen from my vantage point.

As far as the ACC goes, I do think that UNC, Wake and yes...even Duke would be great head to head match ups with the top of the BEast, but from top to bottom, for my money, the BEast is the toughest and best conference in the country.

All just my opinion as always.

Go Cats!

[BigDaddyCornHusker]

How did the Puke 10 beat mighty ND today? Any BEast team should dominate a west coast wanna-be.

[carolinacatfan]

It seems to be pretty unaminous that the top two are the BEAST and ACC. I really don't see a distinct difference between the top 4 on either side.

UNC-UCONN
Duke-Pitt
Wake-Marquette
Clemson-Lville

I could see these matchups in any combo going either on any given night. Once you get beyond these however I believe the ACC goes another 3 deep as far as NCAA tourney talented teams and the BEAST possibly 5.

BC, FSU, Vtech and maybe....Miami but I think there an NIT team.

Nova, Cuse, Providence, WV and UC. I'm pretty sure I'd take our next tier.

The big question becomes since there has become a distinct gap between top 9 and bottom 7 now, do we possibly get 9 in the tourney. I realize they're going to dish out some lumps to eachother in the closing weeks, but looking at the other conferences it would appear 9 is still a possibility. It'll be interesting.

[Lobot]

Maybe we should drop the SEC challenge and the ACC should drop the Big Ten challenge and we should hookup and play for title in November. heh

[Scheids21]

How did the Puke 10 beat mighty ND today? Any BEast team should dominate a west coast wanna-be.

Because UCLAs the best in the Pac 10 and ND last win was in the Bush administration ;)

[juckerrules]

I really can't say which league is tops - some of the teams in the BEast were obviously way overrated - happens every year

I think the top 6 teams in both leagues are relatively equal - with one exception

By the end of the year, I think North Carolina will smoke the tourney and win the Nat Championship by double figures

Write it down

[BearcatBball23]

I really can't say which league is tops - some of the teams in the BEast were obviously way overrated - happens every year

I think the top 6 teams in both leagues are relatively equal - with one exception

By the end of the year, I think North Carolina will smoke the tourney and win the Nat Championship by double figures

Write it down

I agree...there's just too much talent and experience there in Chapel Hill

[coach]

it's not even close. the big east is toughest by far. even the down teams would be contenders in other leagues. that's where the spread is.

[McMickenKid]

I'm not sure it's tougher than the ACC; deeper for sure, but I would venture to guess that the top five from the ACC would take 3-4 games head-to-head from the top five in the Big East.

You're not off base. It would not surprise me what so ever if zero Big East teams made the Final Four. In fact, it wouldnt surprise me if only 1 or 2 teams made deep runs period.