All 18

[Eternal E]

Starting in 2013-14 all 18 teams will go to MSG for the conference tournament

Monday:
15 vs 18
16 vs 17
Tuesday:
1 vs 16/17
2 vs 15/18
3 vs 14
4 vs 13
Wednesday:
5 vs 12
6 vs 11
7 vs 10
8 vs 9
Thursday
1/16/17 vs 8/9
2/15/18 vs 7/10
3/14 vs 6/11
4/13 vs 5/12

thoughts? I think it is stupid.

 

[Thegreatone]

It is a recruiting tool for the new teams. You can tell everyone they will play on ESPN at MSG. Recruits talk about it all the time.

Doesnt bother me.

 

[ucdave]

It is a recruiting tool for the new teams. You can tell everyone they will play on ESPN at MSG. Recruits talk about it all the time.

Doesnt bother me.

It doesn't bother me either. But I think I heard it mention that the first day could not be played at MSG. They can only be at MSG for 5 days, not 6. Just what I read somewhere. They would have to find an arena, close by I assume, for those Monday games.

 

[Scheids21]

Stupid but doesn't bother me.

 

[ralph1950]

Starting in 2013-14 all 18 teams will go to MSG for the conference tournament

Monday:
15 vs 18
16 vs 17
Tuesday:
1 vs 16/17
2 vs 15/18
3 vs 14
4 vs 13
Wednesday:
5 vs 12
6 vs 11
7 vs 10
8 vs 9
Thursday
1/16/17 vs 8/9
2/15/18 vs 7/10
3/14 vs 6/11
4/13 vs 5/12

thoughts? I think it is stupid.

Having automatic bids to the NCAA Tourney is also stupid, the best 68 should get bids.

 

[Eternal E]

tuesday will be worse than monday imo

 

[Ryno99]

I guess it doesn't really matter to me. I think I prefer 12, but just get through it, however many teams there are in it and you'll accomplish your goals.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

Don't like that there are no byes for top teams. After the bottom four play to determine the main 16 teams, you're asking your top seeds to play four games in four days to win the title. No other conference does this and while I know UConn won five in five days and still went on to win the title a couple years ago it is not typical that teams that play that many games do well in the Big Dance. Some analysts think even three games in a row wears teams out.

 

[mplebanon]

What bothered me last year was that I really feel they should take a day off before the Big East championship game.

UC vs. Louisville was one of the most pathetic displays of college basketball I've seen in awhile simply because both teams were exhausted, had no legs to shoot, and it was painful to watch.

I do like how they've mixed in some off days for the higher ranked teams though:

Monday:
15 vs 18
16 vs 17
Tuesday:
1 vs 16/17
2 vs 15/18
3 vs 14
4 vs 13
Wednesday: 1,2,3,4 most likely off except for an upset
5 vs 12
6 vs 11
7 vs 10
8 vs 9
Thursday
1/16/17 vs 8/9
2/15/18 vs 7/10
3/14 vs 6/11
4/13 vs 5/12
Friday (most likely teams)
1 vs 2
3 vs 4

Saturday - make it an off day

Sunday - do like the Big Ten and another conference and play the game at noon or 2 pm. It's stupid to have these kids play that many games in a row. You'd think they'd want the Big East championship game to be a display of top basketball for the country to see. Giv'em fresh legs.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

I agree about a day off in there. I would probably give it before the round of four, but either way it could save for a pathetic display in the final game. I think the refs have as much to do with teams getting worn down as anything though. They let teams be very physical in the Beast tourney. Too physical in my opinion, I like letting guys play and not calling ticky-tack fouls, but players were getting hammered within 15 feet of the basket and nothing was being called. I think that's one reason we saw so many jump shots and thus bad shooting.

I didn't realize when I first looked at it that they were breaking up the "first round?" to two days. That does make up a little for having to win four games to win the title.

 

[Bearcat22]

I'll be curious if the Big East will try to renogotiate their agreement with MSG to add another day or if they will have to find another venue for the first round. Personally, I would like the field reduced to a smaller 14-16 (or less) field. It might lead to some more intriguing end of the regular season matchups with lower tier teams fighting to get into the conference tournery while the higher tier teams fight for seeding.

If anyone watches the English Premier soccer league, the bottom 3 teams at the end of the year get relegated to a lower league the next season. It creates some really exciting games among lesser teams down the stretch. Not saying that the bottom few teams in the Big East should be kicked out to the A-10 or anything like that. But making them earn their way into the tournament could create some more meaningful regular season games.