2007-2008 Game Previews

HOT TICKET PREVIEW: BIG EAST TOURNAMENT

Every season, the Big East Basketball Tournament in Madison Square Garden is one of the hottest tickets of the year. With the expanded Big East adding more nationally prominent teams to the mix, the Madison Square Garden Event has become a ‘must-see’ and ‘be-seen’ event for the who’s who in the Northeast. On Wednesday at high-noon, the 2008 Big East Conference Tournament kicks off and our ‘Hot Ticket’ feature previews the action below.

In an odd development, each game on Wednesday matched us teams that have already met twice previously in the regular season. So, these teams are all pretty familiar with one another and will get after it on Wednesday.

Check below for our 1st Round Previews and a quick glance at potential Quarterfinal match-ups:

Session I:

Villanova vs. Syracuse, noon.

The game that has generated the most buzz of the first day games kicks off the 2008 Big East Tournament as Syracuse takes on Villanova. Both teams finished conference play with a record of 9-9. This is the third meeting between the two teams this season as they both split earlier decisions, each winning on the other’s home court.

Making this match-up more intriguing is the NCAA Tournament implications that it carriers for both teams. Heading into the Big East Tournament, Syracuse has an RPI of 46 and a record of just 2-8 against teams with Top 50 RPI’s. Their potential saving grace is they have played the 7th toughest schedule in the country. As of today, the Orange NCAA hopes dangle by a thread and a win on Wednesday could be just enough to push them into the tournament, but it will be a sweat on Selection Sunday for the Orange and their fans.

Villanova, on the other hand, looks to be on the wrong side of the bubble talk, despite winning five of their last seven games. They own four wins over the RPI top 50, but their schedule ranks just the 56th toughest in the country, not a factor that will earn them any bonus points with the committee. They will likely have to go on a serious run this week in New York City to get back into contention.

As for Wednesday’s match-up, Syracuse brings a decided size advantage with Donte Greene, Arinze Onuaku and Kristof Ongenaet along their frontline. In their 87-73 win over Villanova back on February 2nd, the Orange used that advantage to outrebound VU and shoot a blistering 63% from the floor with Jonny Flynn and Paul Harris dominating the action on the perimeter and getting to the basket at will.

Villanova has some weapons from the perimeter to combat the Syracuse zone, mainly Scottie Reynolds and freshman Corey Stokes who has come on of late. Stokes was a non-factor in the earlier meetings, but over the last seven games he has averaged nearly 13 points per game and provided the VU guards with a scoring threat to kick the ball out to when they penetrate the SU zone.

Both teams are young, however, the Syracuse size advantage should give them an edge as they are likely to find more easy scoring chances, which is a must as both teams fight through some early jitters hitting the Madison Square Garden Court in the opener. Syracuse also usually has a very strong following in the Big Apple and the pro-Orange crowd will put the players more at ease.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Syracuse 75 Villanova 68

The winner will face the Big East Tournament’s #1 seed Georgetown Thursday afternoon at 12:00 PM in Madison Square Garden. The Hoyas beat both Syracuse and Villanova by two points at home this season, but they fell to the Orange at the Carrier Dome. Whoever they are matched up with on Thursday promises to give them a very tough game if the previous meetings are of any indication.

West Virginia vs. Providence, 2:30 PM

The second game of the Session One doubleheader is also a third meeting between West Virginia and Providence on the season. West Virginia won their meeting at home, 80-53, and on the road, 77-65, to sweep the two-game season series. Providence will hope the third time is the charm when they meet at Madison Square Garden.

Providence has been short-handed all season with leading returning scorer Sharaud Curry out with injury and they have added to the injury problems with Dwain Williams being lost for the season because of an ankle injury. However, the Friars did what they needed to do to claim the 12th and final spot in the conference tournament with a surprising OT win at Cincinnati and then swept the season series from UConn with a convincing win over the Huskies at home. The two wins over Connecticut gave the Friars the tie-breaker advantage over DePaul for the 12th spot in the Big East Tournament.

West Virginia has won four of their last five to pull themselves from the NCAA Tournament bubble into a safe spot within the Field of 65. The Mountaineers have been led by Joe Alexander lately as the 6’8 junior has poured in 93 points over the last three games, including 29 in their overtime win over St. John’s on this very Madison Square Garden floor last Saturday.

It has been a difficult season for Providence, one that is likely to come to a close on Wednesday afternoon against the Mountaineers. West Virginia has not been overly impressive away from home, but against teams from the lower-third of the conference, they get the job done. With veterans like Darris Nichols, Alexander, Da’Sean Butler and Alex Ruoff, the Mountaineers will not crack under the bright lights of Broadway. This is the Friars’ season, but it should end right here.

NBE Blogger Prediction: West Virginia 76 Providence 70

The winner of this game plays Connecticut in the back-end of Thursday’s Session III doubleheader. As mentioned previously, Providence surprisingly swept the two-game series from the Huskies this season and those wins carried them into the Big East Tournament. Connecticut hosted west Virginia on March 1st and held off a late charge by the Mountaineers to win 79-71 in their lone meeting.

Session II:

Pittsburgh vs. Cincinnati, 7 PM

The Panthers and Bearcats split their regular season series with each team holding serve on their home court. However, these teams seem to be heading in opposite directions entering the Big East Tournament.

The Bearcats were 8-5 and the talk of the Big East, however, they have fallen on hard times since escaping their February 20th home game with a 52-51 win over South Florida. Since that game, UC has lost five in a row, including a 96-51 meltdown at Connecticut on Sunday afternoon. That was the largest margin of victory in a Big East conference match-up, ever.

Pittsburgh has battled injuries all season with Mike Cook being lost for the season and Levance Fields for 12 games from injuries suffered in back-to-back games in December. Fields is now back and looking healthier and healthier in each game and Pitt has won three of their last four games to lock down a spot in the NCAA Tournament for a Big East-best current streak of seven consecutive seasons.

Earlier this season the Bearcats really seemed to buy into the philosophy of playing hard-nosed team defense and scrapping on the boards to overcome a lack of offensive firepower. They had Deonta Vaughn to go to when they needed points and as John Williamson grew into a complimentary role offensively beside Vaughn, they peaked as a team. However, their youth and inexperience seems to be catching up to them heading down the stretch, causing their swoon.

Pittsburgh is already 2-0 in Madison Square Garden, beating Duke in an OT thriller back in December (the night Mike Cook went down with an injury) behind Levance Field’s dramatic step-back three-pointer. The Panthers also demolished St. John’s, 81-57 on this court earlier this Big East season. The Panthers have also played in six of the last seven Big East Tournament Titles games, so their experience and success in Madison Square Garden should be a major advantage over the Bearcats who are all experiencing the bright lights of Madison Square Garden and the Big East Tournament for a first time.

The Bearcats will likely bring a more inspired effort after the collapse at Connecticut. The will scrap and claw, but their offensive short-comings outside of Vaughn and Williamson are likely to have them come up short against Pitt.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Pittsburgh 66 Cincinnati 55

The winner will face Louisville, the conferences #2 seed to kick-off Session IV Thursday night at 7 PM. The Cardinals won at Pittsburgh on February 24th, 75-73 and if they meet again in the Big East Tournament, it will be the third straight season they have encountered one another in Madison Square Garden with Pitt winning the first two times. Cincinnati kicked-off the Big East conference regular season on New Year’s Day with a 58-57 shocked at Freedom Hall. That was the only meeting this season between the former Conference USA rivals.

Marquette vs. Seton Hall, 9:30 PM

In quite a scheduling quirk, the Seton Hall-Marquette match-up makes all four first day games three-time meetings between the combatants. Marquette swept the two-game season series, which included a 90-64 beating at the Prudential Center a month ago.

Seton Hall has lost three in a row and eight of their last 10, including Sunday’s demoralizing home loss to rival Rutgers. The Pirates try to force the game into a frantic pace, however they do not seem to have the firepower to make that work against the better Big East teams. The Marquette guard line-up is likely to have little problem with the Seton Hall press and the lack of effective big men for the Pirates will play into the hands of the Golden Eagles.

A better strategy for an opponent of Marquette might be to slow the pace and force them to make shots from the perimeter with a zone defense. However, that does not seem to be the style Seton Hall is looking to play.

Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Mathews are likely to harass the Seton Hall guard trio of Eugene Harvey, Jamar Nutter and Jeremy Hazell. They are unlikely to get the shots they want against the MU defense. Brian Laing should be able to get his points, but this is one of the few match-ups that Marquette might be better along the frontline. The size of John Garcia will cause Marquette some issues, but his lack of athleticism might cause him to be taken out of the game if the pace speeds up to how both teams want to play it.

Lazar Hayward should also have an effective game for Marquette, who should roll into the Big East Tournament Quarterfinals.

NBE Blogger Prediction: Marquette 85 Seton Hall 71

Thursday night’s action will conclude when the winner of the Marquette/Seton Hall game meets Notre Dame Thursday night. Marquette and Notre Dame split the season series with Marquette blowing out ND 92-66 at the Bradley Center back on January 12th. The Irish got revenge with a hard-fought 86-83 win at the Joyce Center four weeks later. Notre Dame blew the doors off Seton Hall at the Prudential Center, 95-69, on February 6th. That loss seemed to send the Pirates into a tailspin.

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