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Post by motorcitysam on Nov 5, 2015 19:12:02 GMT -5
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Post by motorcitysam on Nov 15, 2015 18:40:33 GMT -5
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Post by motorcitysam on Dec 28, 2015 13:55:09 GMT -5
With conference play approaching, the Big East has four teams ranked in the top 25 and the first two are not the traditional national powers that some might expect.
6. Xavier 9. Butler 12. Providence 16. Villanova
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Post by Commissioner on Dec 28, 2015 15:05:03 GMT -5
With conference play approaching, the Big East has four teams ranked in the top 25 and the first two are not the traditional national powers that some might expect. 6. Xavier 9. Butler 12. Providence 16. Villanova I often wonder where Detroit and others would be if the old MCC of twenty-five years ago had stayed together. By that time, the two weakest and geographically most incompatible members, Oklahoma City and Oral Roberts, had dropped out, and Dayton and Marquette been drawn in. That made it pretty much the conference Xavier AD Jim McCafferty had dreamed about when he started work on it in the 1970s, and his stated hope in the early 80s that it would be the midwestern "Big East." Butler Dayton Detroit Evansville Loyola Marquette St. Louis Xaiver That would be a nice league today. It would be similar schools, very geographically compact (not always a plus for getting TV contracts and recruiting, but convenient for fans and with real cost savings on travel), with a lot of good basketball. But how would those programs have developed over the last 20 plus years? Where would they be if the MCC had stayed together? Xavier's continued rise to perennial Sweet 16 power and top 10 rankings is merely a continuation of the growth they started with the formation of the MCC. I suspect it would have continued its upward climb in that conference, and Butler in fact did, even as the conference grew weaker with defections. I suspect Detroit and Loyola would be stronger programs today had the conference stayed together. I don't think any of the programs would be much worse, if worse at all. It was DePaul that really fouled the league. The Conference desperately wanted DePaul, but DePaul wouldn't join a conference with Loyola. As it kept getting harder to be an independent--a major reason for forming the conference in the first place--Dayton and then even Marquette joined, but DePaul still held out. Had DePaul joined, Bradley would likely have joined as well, and even Notre Dame might have been a possibility. But DePaul starting working for a new league, which they eventually got with the formation of the Great Midwest. They took St. Louis, Marquette, and eventually Dayton with them. (Interestingly, people forget that Marquette and Dayton were not dominant in the MCC. Marquette finished 4th and 5th in its two MCC seasons, 7-7 in conference and 11-18 overall the latter year. Dayton was 32-32 in 5 seasons of MCC conference play, and was 4-26 overall in its last season in the MCC, tying with Loyola for last in the MCC at 3-11. The loss of those teams led directly to Evansville, Butler, and Xavier looking for greener pastures (which Butler did not find at the time, despite applying for MVC membership). And strangely, with Xavier, Butler, and Marquette, the MCC now is a big part of the Big East, and will be half the conference if St. Louis and Dayton are added, as many think inevitable. Then it's DePaul in place of Loyola, and the old gang of Midwest Cities is nearly back together.
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Post by motorcitysam on Dec 31, 2015 20:01:56 GMT -5
Interesting second day of the Big East season on New Year's Eve. All four ranked teams were in action against each other. Nova made a move to restore order in the conference with a 30 point win over Xavier in Philly. Providence sent a message with an eight point win against Butler in Indianapolis.
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Post by motorcitysam on Jan 12, 2016 0:56:51 GMT -5
The Big East still has four teams in the top 25.
At this point, Nova looks to be the class of the league so far, at 4-0 in conference. Creighton is an early surprise at 3-1. Xavier and Providence look primed for NCAA tournament bids. Marquette looks young, but talented. Butler is only 1-3 in conference, but they will get back on track soon. DePaul is back to struggling again. :-(
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Post by motorcitysam on Jan 26, 2016 11:06:29 GMT -5
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Post by motorcitysam on Feb 20, 2016 14:47:30 GMT -5
Georgetown loses to Xavier today and drops to 14-14 overall, 7-8 in conference. This was not expected.
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 3, 2016 20:08:30 GMT -5
Marquette has a great basketball brand. Three straight seasons of no postseason, and they still bring in the recruits. Verbal Commits @verbalcommits 2h2 hours ago 2016 Findlay Prep (NV) G Markus Howard has committed to Marquette. @markushoward11 verbalcommits.com/players/markus-howard …
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 5, 2016 10:59:17 GMT -5
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Post by pathfinder on Apr 5, 2016 11:08:21 GMT -5
never thought the big east would be the little guy.
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 11, 2016 17:24:44 GMT -5
never thought the big east would be the little guy. ESPN and others have been writing them off since the split. Part of that, though, is ESPN sticking it to the Big East for signing their TV deal with Fox Sports instead of the four letter network.
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 18, 2016 10:13:54 GMT -5
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 18, 2016 13:32:39 GMT -5
Butler picks up a solid grad transfer. Woodson averaged just under 10 ppg and hit 43% of his three pointers.
Jeff Goodman @goodmanespn 1m1 minute ago Memphis transfer Avery Woodson told ESPn he has committed to Butler.
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Post by motorcitysam on Apr 19, 2016 21:11:29 GMT -5
Providence adds former Hoosier Emmitt Holt, who spent last season at JUCO.
Jon Rothstein @jonrothstein 4h4 hours ago Former Indiana Hoosier. Will be rotation guy RT @kevinmcnamara33: JUCO PF Emmitt Holt has committed to Providence. #pcbb
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