Sports Then and Now

We’ve hit midseason, and College Basketball is in full stride. So why not rank the 6 Power Conferences? Onward…

The Big Ten is the best conference in America as of now.

#6- PAC-12:

When you look at this Conference, your first impression is, “Hmm, mediocre, only three teams under .500.” Then, when you look at who they have beaten, you laugh. No team in the PAC-12 has beaten a Top-25 Team. None. Nada. I don’t know what the deal is with the scheduling, because there is absolutely no chance to grab an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament if you haven’t beaten, or played a ranked opponent. College Fans are starting to dismiss the Big East as a “Power Conference” in College Football. Can you please turn your attention to the “Power Conference” who’s best showing in the RPI is California at 37, and then Colorado at 62! Compare that to the 6 teams the Big East has in the RPI Top 25, and you get an absolutely disgraceful conference. All insults and opinions aside, the Pac-12 is looking at 1 team to make the NCAA Tournament. They have a possibility of having no at-large bids. NONE! Granted, it’s an Off-Year for USC, UCLA and Washington, but the fact that 12 schools are mediocre at best, is hard to imagine.

Regular Season Champion: California (16-5)

Anything can happen in a Conference Tournament, but the regular season title unanimously goes to Cal. They’ve gotten embarrassed by every good team they have played, but they can beat the teams they need to beat to win the regular season crown.

At-Large Bids: None

On The Fence: Stanford, Oregon

#5- SEC:

The SEC has been better than recent years, but still falls into their usual ranking. Get past Kentucky and possibly Florida or Mississippi State, and you get the same thing the Pac-12 has, mediocrity. Granted, the SEC actually has one of the best teams in the country, and Florida and Mississippi State are solid teams, but we thought LSU would be a Top 25 team. We thought Tennessee would be a quality team after the Bruce Pearl era. They both aren’t. However, watch Vanderbilt to make a move at Kentucky and the Top 25, as the Commodores beat Marquette at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Vandy just has to learn how to close out big games, as they have three losses against ranked teams in overtime. A loss to Mississippi State put them back, but that OT loss was only their 1st in SEC Play. We’re looking at 3-5 bids for the Southeastern Conference, but only if Vandy or another un-ranked team can step up late in the season. Florida, Mississippi State and Kentucky are all locked in.

Regular Season Champion: Kentucky (19-1)

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At-Large Bids: Florida, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt

On The Fence: Alabama Read the rest of this entry →

The Big East will produce at least 6 teams to the NCAA Tournament This Season.

As we near the start of the 2011-2012 College Basketball Season, we look at the unanimous best conference, the Big East:

Prime Timing Sports Preseason Big East Rankings:

*- makes NCAA Tournament

RBEC- Regular Season Big East Champion

BETC- Big East Tournament Champion

#1- Connecticut Huskies*RBEC, BETC

#2- Syracuse Orange*

#3- Pittsburgh Panthers*

#4- Louisville Cardinals*

#5- Cincinnati Bearcats*

#6- Marquette Golden Eagles*

#7- Notre Dame Fighting Irish*

#8- West Virginia Mountaineers*

#9- Villanova Wildcats

#10- St. John’s Red Storm

#11- Georgetown Hoyas

#12- Rutgers Scarlet Knights

#13- Seton Hall Pirates

#14- Providence Friars

#15- Depaul Blue Demons

#16- South Florida Bulls

Prime Timing Sports Preseason Big East All 1st Team:

Ashton Gibbs- Guard- Pitt

Jeremy Lamb- Guard- Forward- Uconn

Kevin Jones- Guard-Forward- WVU

Kris Joseph- Forward- ‘Cuse

Tim Abromaitis- Forward- Notre Dame

Prime Timing Sports 3 Things To Watch:

1. Can Villanova make the field?:

With the Big 3, Pena, Fisher and Stokes all gone, Maalik Wayns will have big shoes to fill. With Isiah Armwood transferring to George Washington, Maurice Sutton and Wayns will be to go to guys, along with Yarou. Villanova Coach Jay Wright always puts a solid team out on the floor, but it will be interesting to see how the Wildcats compete in the competitive Big East Conference. Read the rest of this entry →