Monday's matchup between the LSU Tigers and the UConn Huskies in Baton Rouge, La. was a chance for the Tigers not only to dethrone the Huskies, but the Big East as a whole. Alas, the Huskies' five-point victory on the road did neither, and UConn now stands atop of what is undoubtedly the nation's strongest collection of teams.
ESPN women's basketball analyst Charlie Creme predicts, as of now, eight Big East teams will be in the NCAA Tournament beginning March 22. The number ties them with the Big 12 for the most on the year, yet it is the overall strength of these Big East teams that makes the Big 12 pale in comparison. At times boasting seven schools in the AP Top 25, the Big East also has two of the four projected No. 1 overall seeds, UConn and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Not one of their eight teams is projected to be seeded lower than eighth, meaning that every single team the Big East sends is favored to win its first-round game.
By contrast, the Big 12's best team, Baylor, is seeded second, and three of its eight teams making the Big Dance are seeded ninth or lower, according to Creme.
Having the Huskies, obviously, is a huge reason why the Big East can call itself the nation's best. Geno Auriemma's team has not been beaten outside of the conference, and that certainly is not for the lack of a formidable challenger. Outside the Big East, the Huskies have beaten the North Carolina Tar Heels, Stanford Cardinal, Old Dominion Monarchs and Duke Blue Devils, four teams in the top 12 of the AP Top 25. Not one of those teams came within 11 points of the Huskies, and Old Dominion lost by 43.
It's easy to praise the Huskies and the Scarlet Knights. They're two of the best teams in the country, and they happen to play in the same conference. Yet they're not the only reason the Big East is so much stronger than any other major conference. The West Virginia Mountaineers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Syracuse Orange and Louisville Cardinals have all already posted 20-win seasons playing against the stiffest competition in the nation.
Meanwhile, the Pitt Panthers and DePaul Blue Demons, the other two teams projected to make the 65-team cut, have 19 and 18 wins, respectively. DePaul's 7-6 conference record places them among the top 32 teams in the nation, showing just how difficult a schedule these teams play. Pitt's recent overtime upset over West Virginia righted a sinking ship, as the Panthers had lost four straight and five out of their last six. With only the Georgetown Hoyas and South Florida Bulls, two of the weakest teams in the conference, left on their schedule, Pitt seems a lock to make the NCAA Tournament.
Are any of these six teams title contenders? It seems unlikely. Pittsburgh and DePaul have lost to too many mediocre teams and barely beaten too many bad ones to be considered anything more than decent tournament teams. Syracuse and Louisville are slightly stronger, but both have five conference losses, as opposed to only one from both Rutgers and UConn. Notre Dame sits at 9-4 in the conference and No. 14 in the nation, but the Irish simply do not have the spark or offensive firepower that becomes so necessary come tournament time.
If any team can pull it off, it's most likely West Virginia. Two of the Mountaineers' three losses in conference have come by two points or less, including Tuesday's two-point overtime loss to Pitt. Their stingy defense allows only 55 points per game, a stat that can never be taken lightly. All teams have tough shooting days, but defense is an area that elite teams can always control. The Mountaineers' offense is less explosive than many of their rivals, yet their senior leadership and balanced scoring are two indispensable intangibles.
It should all make for a very interesting conference tournament.
