(4) Big East - Opening Night Conference Games

[Cio]

It'll be a tough night. I predict a 4-4 night for the conference.

[Cio]

For a more serious post, I'm pretty worried about the Seton Hall game as a Creighton fan. The Hall rebounds really well, and that's been a weak point for the Jays. If the rebounding is close between the teams, I think the Jays cover the spread, but if the Hall pulls down a lot more rebounds, the game gets close fast.

I hope the team isn't looking ahead to Nova on Saturday, cause Seton Hall is really good.

[jfan]

I'm worried too. While we are better this year, we can't afford to overlook anyone, especially a very good team in Seton Hall. The ORU game proved that. They will give us fits on the boards.

[whiteandblue77]

For a more serious post, I'm pretty worried about the Seton Hall game as a Creighton fan. The Hall rebounds really well, and that's been a weak point for the Jays. If the rebounding is close between the teams, I think the Jays cover the spread, but if the Hall pulls down a lot more rebounds, the game gets close fast. I hope the team isn't looking ahead to Nova on Saturday, cause Seton Hall is really good.

If Creighton shoots our average we should be good. Wisconsin owns the no. 2 best rebounding margin in the country, but because we made shots it wasn't such a factor. Rebounding is most important when you miss shots, and if they are going to go bonkers trying to get their own misses, they will get burned by Creighton's transition game. If the Pirates do shut down our perimeter shooting, this Patton-Delgado matchup will truly be a thrill to watch, like old-time Big East basketball again.

[Hall2012]

DePaul @ Nova - I don't see any realistic way DePaul wins this game. I'll be surprised if they're even competitive- Nova is just too good.

Providence @ Xavier - I think X wins but the 11 point spread is far too high. I expect a close game and wouldn't be shocked if PC pulls the upset with that bad taste in their mouth's from the BC game.

Seton Hall @ Creighton - The only thing I wouldn't bet on is Creighton winning but failing to cover the spread. If the Jays' threes are falling, I fear they may run the Pirates out of the gym. If they're not falling, Seton Hall's rebounding/frontcourt advantage swings the game and they steal one on the road.

Georgetown @ Marquette - Honestly haven't seen enough of either team yet to make a good assessment, but based on records/resumes I think it's a tossup. Marquette -4 at home sounds fair, but my gut tells me Georgetown wins a close one.

[DudeAnon]

[gtmoBlue]

It'll be a tough night. I predict a 4-4 night for the conference.

What? Everyone playing dblheaders?

[Bill Marsh]

Georgetown @ Marquette - Honestly haven't seen enough of either team yet to make a good assessment, but based on records/resumes I think it's a tossup. Marquette -4 at home sounds fair, but my gut tells me Georgetown wins a close one.

I think that this is one of the most fascinating matchups of the early conference season. Both feature unheralded feshman in their starting lineups, whom no one expected to start, both feature transfers in key roles, and both coaches have been working their tails off to find combinations that will work.

After opening with a win over cupcake SC Upstate, Georgetown lost 4 of their next 5. JT III benched Isaac Copeland and Jessie Govan. Miffed, Copeland quit the team. Govan stuck with it and he's been back in the starting lineup the last 2 games. LJ Peak and Rodney Pryor, the leading scorer and a transfer from Robert Morris, have been averaging 30-35 minutes per game. But Thompson has been spreading the rest of the minutes around among 7 other players depending on who's playing well on any given night. It's worked well as the Hoyas have won 6 in a row, including a road win over Syracuse. Freshman Jagan Mosley has unexpectedly taken over the point from the graduated D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, and has started every games. Louisville transfer Akoy Agau starts most games and former JC All American Jonathan Mulmore is part of the rotation off the bench.

Georgetown hasn't gotten the attention the top 4 have gotten in the Big East, but they have as much talent as anyone, and they could very well be a big factor in the conference season. They shoot well, they defend well, and they block shots. They don't rebound particularly well and they turn the ball over too much. I think that a lot of JT III's juggling has been an attempt to find players who can mesh so they can move the ball without turning it over. Not so much Princeton offense any more, and maybe it's the transition away from it that has created the adjustment in handling the ball in a more up tempo approach.

Marquette has also gone through some adjustments. After losing to Pitt and Michigan early, they've won 7 of 8, losing only to Wisconsin while beating Georgia on the road. Two freshmen, Sam Hauser and Marcus Howard, have claimed spots in the starting lineup. Howard was a big recruit but Hauser was not. Traci Carter has transferred out and Duane Wilson has been pushed to the bench. Transfers Katin Reinhardt and Andrew Rowsey have both had the opportunity to start games and are part of the regular rotation off the bench. 4 starters each average around 25 minutes or so, leaving a lot of time for a rotation that goes 9 deep. Marquette scores more points than Georgetown and rebounds a little better, but they don't defend the 3 particularly well. That could be a problem since Georgetown shoots 3's very well, although they don't normally take a lot of them. On the other side of the ball, Marquette does shoot the 3 very well and likes to shoot a bunch, but Georgetown defends the 3 very well. This game could turn on what happens at the arc. Or if the Hoyas turn the ball over too much.

Both teams are still evolving, and I don't think we've seen yet what either can be. I think Georgetown has more talent and more possibilities. But this game is being played in Milwaukee, so Marquette figures to have the advantage. I'm guessing a 5-6 point win for the Warriors, but the Hoyas should have a shot at this one.
.

[Cio]

Lines for the games, since original post disappeared:

6:30 pm, Depaul at #1 Villanova, FS1
Villanova -26

7 pm, Providence at #17 Xavier, FSN
Xavier -11

8 pm, Seton Hall at #10 Creighton, FS2
Creighton -7.5

8:30 pm, Georgetown at Marquette, FS1
Marquette -5

[Hall2012]

It's finally here! Big East Opening Night! Good luck to everyone playing tonight...except Creighton of course.