In the quarterfinals of the Big East Tourney in MSG.

 

"...will the real Saint Johnny please stand up....I repeat...will the real Saint Johnny please stand up....we're going to have a problem here..."

Small scuffle in the handshake line after the game, and then more words exchanged in the tunnels after leaving the court....Seems the Johnnies didn't like getting run on their home floor.

Seems the Johnnies didn't like getting run on their home floor.

 

They obviously didn't get up for this Big East Tournament home game today. Weird.

They obviously didn't get up for this Big East Tournament home game today. Weird.

 

I know it's not the best measuring stick, but before the game, ESPNs BPI gave St. John's a 77% chance of making the Dance with a win against Xavier. That would've put them at 17-16. I was dumbfounded when I saw that.

 

But to your point, I can't understand how they weren't ready to play. :idunno:

So Ahmed jawed with and tried to chest-up Tyrique Jones...someone needs to give Ahmed better advice. Wrong cat in white to square up with.

 

Paul Scruggs holding out his hand to shake with Ahmed as he was yelling at Tyrique over the line was really low-key funny.

Strong showing!

"Big East Tourney in MSG" just doesn't have the same power behind it anymore.

Too much depth, the Muskies wore them down. Bluett was 2 for 9 before he got rolling

"Big East Tourney in MSG" just doesn't have the same power behind it anymore.

So lazy. Go check out Rob Dauster's twitter about the difference in atmosphere today at MSG versus what he saw at the ACC Tournament across town.

 

3rd best league in the country behind Big 12 and ACC.

 

You think this version of the Big East is missing UConn, South Florida, and Pitt? Nope. UL, UC, Notre Dame, for sure, great programs, but so are Xavier, Butler, and Creighton.

 

The league is really solid, it has an outside shot at having two of the four #1 seeds, but by all means, use today to point out that league just isn't the same.

 

Silliness.

In 2001-02 The Big East was ranked the 6th best league.

 

2002-03 and 2003-04 it was 4th.

 

2007-08 it was 4th.

 

It had fits of being ELITE, for sure, but it wasn't always. In 2012-2013, the last year it had 15 teams (too many, by the way, creating schedule imbalance, but, what do I know), it was 2nd -- with UL a 1-seed and Georgetown a 2-seed. Since then, the Big East has been ranked 5th, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd. But again, what a terrible league.

 

Let's be real, no one misses South Florida and Rutgers, and Pitt has become comically bad. This year, ALL 10 Big East teams are in the KenPom's Top 100. Think about that. In 2012-13 there were also 10 Top 100 teams, and then 5 that weren't in the Top 100.

 

It was great then, often THE BEST, and sometimes really good. This current version is nothing to sneeze at.

I know MTGL says Chris Mack is a great guy. And I believe him. He also hired my favorite high school player ever Ricardo Johnson to his staff. But something about him when he interviews After a game rubs me the wrong way, I wish I knew what it was. His interview after the game today I thought was not very good. I just thought he could handle it better but maybe it’s me.

They obviously didn't get up for this Big East Tournament home game today. Weird.

 

I was thinking the exact same thing. Odd they didn’t get up for not just a conference game but a conference tournament game. I mean St. John’s ALWAYS gets up for conference games.

I was thinking the exact same thing. Odd they didn’t get up for not just a conference game but a conference tournament game. I mean St. John’s ALWAYS gets up for conference games.

 

Or, you know, they just aren't very good.

Or, you know, they just aren't very good.

 

That could be the case as well.

In 2001-02 The Big East was ranked the 6th best league.

 

2002-03 and 2003-04 it was 4th.

 

2007-08 it was 4th.

 

It had fits of being ELITE, for sure, but it wasn't always. In 2012-2013, the last year it had 15 teams (too many, by the way, creating schedule imbalance, but, what do I know), it was 2nd -- with UL a 1-seed and Georgetown a 2-seed. Since then, the Big East has been ranked 5th, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 3rd. But again, what a terrible league.

 

Let's be real, no one misses South Florida and Rutgers, and Pitt has become comically bad. This year, ALL 10 Big East teams are in the KenPom's Top 100. Think about that. In 2012-13 there were also 10 Top 100 teams, and then 5 that weren't in the Top 100.

 

It was great then, often THE BEST, and sometimes really good. This current version is nothing to sneeze at.

 

I think that the Big East may be the best conference in the country in how well matched the teams are. I like the similarities...all inner city, all private, all basketball only (or if the school does have football, it is non-scholarship - eg: Butler). Basketball is clearly the BIG DOG on every Big East campus. The schools just fit together and the league works.