Dear Butler and Xavier fans...

[MackNova]

Until proven otherwise, Nova is the favorite. But I agree that Xavier and Butler are right behind them. Xavier is reallly good, like Elite 8 good. Butler will make the tournament, play every game by 2 points, and probably make the 2nd weekend doing just that.

I don't want to overlook Providence, as their resume probably puts them in the mix, I just think their roster is a little too top-heavy to be as consistently good as Nova, X and Butler, but they've definitely asserted themselves. Having a lottery pick at guard doesn't hurt either.

Georgetown is a wild card. They have the talent to be with the top 3, but recent history makes them more of a wait-and-see.

I don't see any other team as tournament-quality, but the above 5 teams should definitely get themselves in. Creighton and Seton Hall both were letdowns last night, with Creighton losing to Arizona State at home. Creighton had held serve so far with their resume, but a home loss to another borderline tournament contender hurts. I didn't expect SHU to beat GW on the road, but the win would have vaulted them into tournament consideration.

Marquette is so young that they might be able to sneak in if their young players improve throughout the year. I just don't trust their guards at all, and it's hard to forget that Iowa game.

The other 2 teams, wait til next year.

[Schickrateez]

Nova is the benchmark for Xavier as far as league play goes. I think Xavier can hold their own as far as the NCAA tournament goes, but league play has been a different story. I think X has been competitive with every other program at the top of the league. They've won some, lost some but all in all have been competitive. It just seems that Nova has always had X's number so far. I'm not sure that this is the year that X gets over the hump and gets a win against Nova (I don't think X has won yet, could be wrong), but I'm hoping we can at least split with them and hold serve on our court.

[BEhomer]

I like the young core of carter, cheatham, and ellenson on Marquette. carter is a true pg with excellent handle. and ellenson is the most skilled big in the BE. not sure why carter didn't see much pt during their losses, but they are a different team when he's on the court. they can be really good come march.

[FriarJ]

Saw this morning that PC is the 3rd youngest team in the country. 4 freshmen, 5 sophomores, 2 juniors, and 1 sophomore who is redshirting this year.

[Schickrateez]

Either way, and I know this has been said before, but it is so much fun being in a conference where everyone is pulling for everyone. I know this all changes once conference games start, but even then it never seems to get too nasty. I felt like X got some support from other fan bases in the A-10, but it never felt as complete as it has in the Big East. I love college basketball, best sport in my book, and it's so much more fun having 9 teams to root for, rather than just my team. Some programs are up and some are down, and that can change quickly. So, as far as I'm concerned, a win by anyone is a win for all.

[FriarJ]

Either way, and I know this has been said before, but it is so much fun being in a conference where everyone is pulling for everyone. I know this all changes once conference games start, but even then it never seems to get too nasty. I felt like X got some support from other fan bases in the A-10, but it never felt as complete as it has in the Big East. I love college basketball, best sport in my book, and it's so much more fun having 9 teams to root for, rather than just my team. Some programs are up and some are down, and that can change quickly. So, as far as I'm concerned, a win by anyone is a win for all.

You totally nailed it. One for all and all for one. We are in this all together sink or swim. You get the sense hearing the coaches talk about opposing players and teams that they feel the same way. It is an awful lot of fun. Plus the belief by every fan base that they can be as good as any other school helps a lot. We may end all getting sick of Nova but I see that gap closing this year.

[MUBoxer]

Either way, and I know this has been said before, but it is so much fun being in a conference where everyone is pulling for everyone. I know this all changes once conference games start, but even then it never seems to get too nasty. I felt like X got some support from other fan bases in the A-10, but it never felt as complete as it has in the Big East. I love college basketball, best sport in my book, and it's so much more fun having 9 teams to root for, rather than just my team. Some programs are up and some are down, and that can change quickly. So, as far as I'm concerned, a win by anyone is a win for all.

Yeah and instead of cheering against each other at games we can all join hands and sing "kumbaya". I think it's great we all respect each others strong basketball traditions and such but man I feel like it's impossible to start up a real rivalry. I mean Marquette/ND games were a BFD, GTown/Cuse etc etc and despite all of use knowing the other team had a good tradition we hate each other. I miss that type of feeling. Heck even X has to miss playing Dayton a little bit. Here it's just another game.

[FriarJ]

There is something to that, we certainly miss playing UConn. They won't play us, at least not unless all the games are in their gym.

[Schickrateez]

[color=#8080FF]"Yeah and instead of cheering against each other at games we can all join hands and sing "kumbaya". I think it's great we all respect each others strong basketball traditions and such but man I feel like it's impossible to start up a real rivalry. I mean Marquette/ND games were a BFD, GTown/Cuse etc etc and despite all of use knowing the other team had a good tradition we hate each other. I miss that type of feeling. Heck even X has to miss playing Dayton a little bit. Here it's just another game."[/color]

I think the reason it's like that right now is how much the league has been under attack from outside sources. With ESPN and others taking every chance they could get to bash the Big East, I think it caused a "circle the wagons" mentality, and an "us against everyone" view. With 2 solid years behind us, it seems that perception is changing and even ESPN has given the Big East a couple nods lately. I'm willing to bet that once the league has re-established itself in the minds of most, than you will see more rivalries develop inside the league. So far we've been to busy fighting outsiders to fight amongst ourselves. Obviously, I am using the word "fight" very loosely here.

Also, another thing to consider, is that the past 2 years Nova has been at the top and and basically uncontested. Wait till X and Marquette (or any other 2 teams) are battling for first place, or playing in the conference championship against each other. I think that's when you will see the rivalries develop. Hard to develop them when every one is playing for 2nd place.

[Xudash]

Either way, and I know this has been said before, but it is so much fun being in a conference where everyone is pulling for everyone. I know this all changes once conference games start, but even then it never seems to get too nasty. I felt like X got some support from other fan bases in the A-10, but it never felt as complete as it has in the Big East. I love college basketball, best sport in my book, and it's so much more fun having 9 teams to root for, rather than just my team. Some programs are up and some are down, and that can change quickly. So, as far as I'm concerned, a win by anyone is a win for all.

Yeah and instead of cheering against each other at games we can all join hands and sing "kumbaya". I think it's great we all respect each others strong basketball traditions and such but man I feel like it's impossible to start up a real rivalry. I mean Marquette/ND games were a BFD, GTown/Cuse etc etc and despite all of use knowing the other team had a good tradition we hate each other. I miss that type of feeling. Heck even X has to miss playing Dayton a little bit. Here it's just another game.

You were on a roll up to the point of assuming X misses playing UD.

And that kinda is the whole point: I would rather come at all this from a position of respect and admiration to form rivalries over time than come from it from the vantage point of jealousy, envy and all that. There aren't two athletic programs outside Navy and Army that could ever accomplish what Navy and Army accomplish in the form of establishing and honoring a highly respected rivalry, but that doesn't mean intense rivalries can't form within the Big East.

Just don't let them become toxic. That is why very few, if any, Xavier fans miss playing Dayton. There are too many UD fans who don't handle being handled well, and that whole thing became toxic. Hell, one of the Xavier fans who attended the Orlando games noted that a UD fan showed up for Xavier's game with Alabama and literally blew an airhorn as one of our players attempted FT's. That guy was escorted out of the building by security. Who does that?

The only reason I'm bringing them up is to point out that "rivalries" can become too toxic. I don't see the Philadelphia Big 5 match-ups as being as toxic, respecting that there certainly is no love loss between Nova and St. Joe's, in particular. We can get to more intense or totally intense rivalries. We can get there faster with the round-robin format. But let's migrate there from a foundation of mutual respect, rather than coming at it with a bunch of baggage and real ill will.