Tuesday marks the beginning of the 16-team gauntlet better known as the Big East Tournament, and this year's field could indeed be the best the league's had to offer since expansion in 2005. Double-digit bids to the NCAA Tournament aren't to be hoped for at this point in the season they're to be expected as 10 have done enough to feel safe and the 11th (Marquette) doesn't have much to do in order to seal their fate. With the Big East approaching 30 years at Madison Square Garden the two entities have shared many great moments. On paper 2011 is more than capable of providing a few more.
Schedule
Tuesday March 8th
(16) DePaul vs (9) Connecticut Noon
(13) Rutgers vs (12) Seton Hall 2:00pm
(15) USF vs (10) Villanova 7pm
(14) Providence vs (11) Marquette 9:00pm
Wednesday March 9th
Winner 9/16 vs (8) Georgetown Noon
Winner 12/13 vs (5) St. John's 2:00pm
Winner 10/14 vs (7) Cincinnati 7:00pm
Winner 11/14 vs (6) West Virginia 9:00pm
Thursday March 10th
Winner 1/9/16 vs (1) Pittsburgh Noon
Winner 5/12/13 vs (4) Syracuse 2:00pm
Winner 7/10/14 vs (2) Notre Dame 7:00pm
Winner 6/11/14 vs (3) Louisville 9:00pm
Friday March 11th
Afternoon session winners 7:00pm
Evening session winners 9:00pm
Saturday March 12th
Semifinal winners 9:00pm
Sleeper: Connecticut Huskies
This pick has just as much to do with their possible schedule as it does the presence of First Team All-Big East performer Kemba Walker. Tuesday against DePaul, especially with the odds-on favorite for Big East Rookie of the Year (Cleveland Melvin) finished for the season, should be a cakewalk. Wednesday would bring Georgetown, who has looked nothing like the Hoyas of January since losing point guard Chris Wright to a broken hand. Get past those two games and it's Pittsburgh in the quarters, and the hope for Jim Calhoun and his staff will have to be that freshmen such as Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier and Roscoe Smith are well-adjusted to the MSG stage.
Bust: Louisville Cardinals
Given their individual talents Rick Pitino has done arguably the best coaching job in the Big East. But with Rakeem Buckles done for the season with a torn ACL their depth inside has diminished. But the bigger concern could be their possible opponent. It could either be West Virginia, who they lost to in stunning fashion on Saturday afternoon, or a Marquette team that can ill-afford to rest on what they have on their resume right now. Add to that the game Marquette led by 18 with 5:44 remaining on January 15th, only to lose at Louisville and they'll have added motivation. All this could add up to a short stay in the Big Apple for the Cards.
Players to Watch
G Corey Fisher (Villanova)
With classmate Corey Stokes still dealing with that nagging turf toe issue, Fisher may be the player best equipped to step up and offer the reeling Wildcats a needed boost. "Fisher Price" leads the Wildcats in points (15.5 ppg) and assists (4.8 apg), and yet he's failed to reach double figures in three of the last four games. If Villanova is to have any chance of winning in New York or next week in the NCAA Tournament Fisher will have to lead the resurgence.
G Ben Hansbrough (Notre Dame)
Hansbrough was the lone member of the First Team All-Big East squad to be a unanimous selection and with good reason. The senior averages 18.5 points and 4.2 assists per game, shooting 49% from the field and 45% from three. In the "burn" system that Mike Brey employs a lot of responsibility falls on Hansbrough's shoulders, and he's proven himself more than capable of handling the responsibilities.
G Dwight Hardy (St. John's)
Madison Square Garden has been the personal playground of "The Baddest Man on the Planet" (the guys at the "Hoops in the Sun summer league in Orchard Beach gave him this moniker) on multiple occasions this season, and it could be again as the Red Storm have helped revive college basketball in NYC. Hardy averages 17.9 points per game and shoots 45% from the field, and he also takes advantage of his forays to the basket by shooting 84% from the foul line.
G Kemba Walker (Connecticut)
For the junior who grew up in the Bronx it's one (likely) final shot at making some noise on the Garden floor. The Huskies rely on Walker for nearly everything, and he's obliged this season by averaging 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. The key for Walker will be his field goal percentage. He shoots 42.6% from the field on the season but has shot below 40% in 13 of the Huskies' 18 league games.