2008/2009 Big East Thread

[ryanm1058123]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

WVU got hosed with some horrible calls, but if Ruoff and Butler show up we win. And 95% of the time they do show up.

Devin Ebanks, Kevin Jones, and Truck Bryant. WVU future is bright. I'm just afraid Devin is playing himself into the NBA this year

[KG]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

I can see where gottlieb is coming from. When you look at the top 3, Louisville has the worst losses(nd by 30, wku, and unlv who was without their best player). If louisville were to win the BET then they would be a lock for a 1 seed but a lot depends on what other teams do, specifically OU and Duke. If Duke wins today at UNC and runs the ACC torney they will get a 1 seed.

There really is no difference between 1 & 2 Seeds though. If I were you CB i'd rather be a 2 and play close to home for the sweet 16 & elite 8 games.

[countryboy]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

I know that UofL has bad losses, but its getting old how quickly people are dismissing what we've done, which is only win the Big East regular season championship.

Yes, we have bad losses on our resume, but so does Pitt(Providence) & North Carolina(Maryland) And keep in mind, that our 3 losses in non-conference could come to NCAA tournament teams. (UNLV, Western KY, and Minnesota)

One or two honestly, I don't care, but I think that Louisville should be garnering more respect than they are getting for winning the toughest conference in college basketball history.

Who would've thought that the BE regular season champ would only suffer 2 losses before the season began? I certainly didn't, and thats what we've done.

[superjames1992]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Who cares if you're a #1 or #2 seed? It doesn't make much of a difference as the first round might as well be an off-game for you and in the second round you'll be facing a 8/9 for a #1 seed or a 7/10 for a #2 seed. There's not much of a difference.

[smurface]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Who cares if you're a #1 or #2 seed? It doesn't make much of a difference as the first round might as well be an off-game for you and in the second round you'll be facing a 8/9 for a #1 seed or a 7/10 for a #2 seed. There's not much of a difference.

<B>#1 seeds record in the 2nd round</B> - (104-18) 85.2%
<B>#1 vs. #8</B> - (49-13) 79.0%
<B>vs. #9</B> - (55-5) 91.7%


<B>#2 seeds record in the 2nd round</B> - (76-40) 65.5%
<B>#2 vs. #7</B> - (54-21) 72.0%
<B>vs. #10</B> - (22-19) 53.7%

[countryboy]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Who cares if you're a #1 or #2 seed? It doesn't make much of a difference as the first round might as well be an off-game for you and in the second round you'll be facing a 8/9 for a #1 seed or a 7/10 for a #2 seed. There's not much of a difference.

I care. Louisville has earned more respect then they are getting right now, after winning the Big East regular season title.

At the end of the day, #1 or #2, I'll be extremely happy. I just don't get how some of the analysts can discount winning the Big East regular season, and make it seem as though its not that big of an accomplishment.

[quaziemoto3]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

A 1 seed is also important because in the sweet 16 you are playing (at worst) a 4 seed. Whereas a 2 seed potentially has to play a 3 seed in the sweet 16. That is a big difference IMO. Plus a 1 seed is a psychological plus. Finally, a one seed gives your university a certain amount of noteworthy which can help in PR and recruiting.

Regarding L'Ville. I personally think that they are a great team. I also think that if Blair doesn't get in foul trouble and Pitt doesn't get ice cold, Pitt wins their game against them at L'Ville earlier in the year. But that didn't happen so that is irrelevant. I think L'Ville's biggest loss is against ND. It is not that they lost to ND, it is that they lost by 30. Number 1 seeds aren't supposed to lose game against non-tournament teams BY 30 POINTS. I think that is holding them back.

What I cannot understand is people who say UConn is a 1 seed over Pitt after Pitt punked UConn twice.

[NYJets]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Ok time for a homer moment, but I'm sick and tired of Gottlieb. In talking about whether UofL would/could be a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament, he says that he doesn't care that they "won the Big East" as if its not that big of a deal.

You know, maybe we didn't play Pitt twice or at Marquette, but we still beat those teams on our home floor and was able to beat G'Town in Washington, while UConn couldn't beat them in Storrs. Gottlieb likes UConn as a one-seed still.

I'm not trying to say that UofL is a better team than UConn or anything like that, I'm just getting sick of how UofL is getting so easily dismissed as being a #1 seed. I keep hearing everyone say that UofL "needs to win the BE tourney" to have a shot at a #1 seed in the tourney and that just completely floors me.

If I had to pick #1 seeds right now I would have Pitt, UofL, UNC, and Oklahoma.

End of homer moment.

Beating Georgetown isn't really that big of an accomplishment. That was a bad loss for UConn, but it was our only bad loss of the season. Louisville lost to Western Kentucky, UNLV, Minnesota, and got blown out against Notre Dame. And UConn blew out Louisville at Louisville.

[countryboy]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Beating Georgetown isn't really that big of an accomplishment. That was a bad loss for UConn, but it was our only bad loss of the season. Louisville lost to Western Kentucky, UNLV, Minnesota, and got blown out against Notre Dame. And UConn blew out Louisville at Louisville.

I didn't say that beating G'Town was an accomplishment, just using it as a reference.

Yes, UofL has bad non-conference losses. But UofL's non-conference SOS was 39th in the country. The fact of the matter is UofL is the outright Big East regular season champion and should be given more credit then what they are right now, when it comes to talking about potential #1 seeds. Its amazing how these analysts will say how the BE is the toughest conference from top to bottom in the history of college basketball in one breath, and in the next breath will dismiss that winning the regular season is a big accomplishment.

Whether UofL deserves a #1 seed is debateable, but to act as if winning the BE regular season crown is no big deal as some of the analyst have done, is laughable.

[ehh]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

UL also didn't have to play either Pitt or UConn twice and each game against those teams was at home.

[crques]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

I think the last thing WVU fans should be complaining about is the officiating. 21 to 14 in the foul department and the game was just as physical at one end as it was the other.

The two other officials did a decent job, but Higgins was horrible, and most of his calls or no calls were in Louisville's favor. I watched the game again today and even after I've settled down quite a bit from last night and no longer frustrated like I was, Higgins was still pure garbage. It's a shame that the referee from the other side of the court has to make calls that he can't even make standing 3 feet away.

Also, why Louisville players are allowed to mount the opposing teams and ride them from one end of the floor to the other when they are pressing is beyond me. Seriously.....it looks like their hands are sewn into the jerseys of the opposing teams and they are joined at the hips when they are pressing. No wonder they cause turnovers. Let's not even count the times that Samuels or Jennings climbed Ebanks and Jones trying to get a rebound. As I said in my previous post, the officials didn't cost WVU the game, but Higgins sure as hell didn't give them a great chance to win it either. He's horrible.

In saying that, congrats to Louisville for winning the Big East regular season. It's a hell of a conference and that's an accomplishment for sure. I still just can't see them as a #1 seed and don't think they deserve one. The WKU loss, the UNLV loss, and the 30 point blowout from ND are enough keep them out of that position, in my opinion. They are a solid #2 unless they win the Big East Tournament.

[Cusefan]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, C, Jr., 7-3, 263, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Terrence Williams, Louisville, F, Sr., 6-6, 210, Seattle, Wash.
Jerel McNeal, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-3, 200 Chicago, Ill.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, F, Jr., 6-8, 251, Schererville, Ind.
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, C, So., 6-7, 265, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sam Young, Pittsburgh, F, Sr., 6-6, 215, Clinton, Md.

ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
A.J. Price, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-2, 181, Amityville, N.Y.
Wesley Matthews, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 215, Madison, Wis.
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, G, So., 6-0, 185, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Dante Cunningham, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-8, 230, Silver Spring, Md.
Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia, F, Jr., 6-7, 225, Newark, N.J.

ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, G, Jr., 6-1, 195, Indianapolis, Ind.
Jeff Adrien, Connecticut, F, Sr., 6-7, 243, Brookline, Mass.
Earl Clark, Louisville, G/F, Jr., 6-8, 220, Rahway, N.J.
Levance Fields, Pittsburgh, G, Sr., 5-10, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, G, So., 6-5, 185, Bronx, N.Y.

BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION
Weyinmi Efejuku, Providence, G, Sr., 6-5, 210, Fresh Meadows, N.Y.
Dominique Jones, USF, G, So., 6-4, 205, Lake Wales, Fla.
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-2, 195, Herndon, Va.
Alex Ruoff, West Virginia, G, Sr., 6-6, 220, Spring Hill, Fla.

BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Yancy Gates, Cincinnati, F, Fr., 6-9, 255, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kemba Walker, Connecticut, G, Fr., 6-0, 175, Bronx, N.Y.
Greg Monroe, Georgetown, C, Fr., 6-10, 240, Gretna, La.
Samardo Samuels, Louisville, F, Fr., 6-8, 240, Trelawny, Jamaica
Mike Rosario, Rutgers, G, Fr., 6-3, 180, Jersey City, N.J.
Devin Ebanks, West Virginia, F, Fr., 6-9, 205, Long Island City, N.Y.



The Absence of Paul Harris or Arinze Onuaku is pretty amazing

[KG]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, C, Jr., 7-3, 263, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Terrence Williams, Louisville, F, Sr., 6-6, 210, Seattle, Wash.
Jerel McNeal, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-3, 200 Chicago, Ill.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, F, Jr., 6-8, 251, Schererville, Ind.
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, C, So., 6-7, 265, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sam Young, Pittsburgh, F, Sr., 6-6, 215, Clinton, Md.

ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
A.J. Price, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-2, 181, Amityville, N.Y.
Wesley Matthews, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 215, Madison, Wis.
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, G, So., 6-0, 185, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Dante Cunningham, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-8, 230, Silver Spring, Md.
Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia, F, Jr., 6-7, 225, Newark, N.J.

ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, G, Jr., 6-1, 195, Indianapolis, Ind.
Jeff Adrien, Connecticut, F, Sr., 6-7, 243, Brookline, Mass.
Earl Clark, Louisville, G/F, Jr., 6-8, 220, Rahway, N.J.
Levance Fields, Pittsburgh, G, Sr., 5-10, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, G, So., 6-5, 185, Bronx, N.Y.

BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION
Weyinmi Efejuku, Providence, G, Sr., 6-5, 210, Fresh Meadows, N.Y.
Dominique Jones, USF, G, So., 6-4, 205, Lake Wales, Fla.
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-2, 195, Herndon, Va.
Alex Ruoff, West Virginia, G, Sr., 6-6, 220, Spring Hill, Fla.

BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Yancy Gates, Cincinnati, F, Fr., 6-9, 255, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kemba Walker, Connecticut, G, Fr., 6-0, 175, Bronx, N.Y.
Greg Monroe, Georgetown, C, Fr., 6-10, 240, Gretna, La.
Samardo Samuels, Louisville, F, Fr., 6-8, 240, Trelawny, Jamaica
Mike Rosario, Rutgers, G, Fr., 6-3, 180, Jersey City, N.J.
Devin Ebanks, West Virginia, F, Fr., 6-9, 205, Long Island City, N.Y.



The Absence of Paul Harris or Arinze Onuaku is pretty amazing

Who are you going to take off on any of those teams?

I don't have an argument against any of those teams. Seems pretty legit.

[Cusefan]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Who are you going to take off on any of those teams?

I don't have an argument against any of those teams. Seems pretty legit.

Honorable mentions list...

[crques]

Re: 2008/2009 Big East Thread

Honorable mentions list...

There are just too many teams and players to have fair selections on these lists.