Previewing The Last Day Of Big East Regular Season Play

Today is the last day of the Big East regular season and if there is one thing we can say for sure it is this: there are a lot of bunched up teams fighting for better positioning in the Big East tournament. Of course, in the Big East's fabulous (read: absolutely horrible) system, all teams make the tournament, and the regular season is merely for positioning yourself in said tournament, but a double bye can be a huge advantage over a single bye which can be an advantage over having to win 5 basketball games in 5 days in order to win the thing.

So let's see how things stand in the Big East as we head into the last day of the season.

1. Pittsburgh - 14-3 (clinched double bye)
2. Notre Dame - 13-4 (clinched double bye)
3. Louisville - 12-5 (clinched double bye)
4. Syracuse - 11-6 (clinched at least a single bye)
5. St. John's - 11-6 (clinched at least a single bye)
6. West Virginia - 10-7
7. Cincinnati - 10-7
8. Georgetown - 10-7
9. Connecticut - 9-8
10. Villanova - 9-8
11. Marquette - 9-8
12. Seton Hall - 6-11
13. Rutgers - 5-12
14. Providence - 3-14
15. South Florida - 3-14
16. DePaul - 1-16 (clinched last place)

So with all 16 Big East teams in action this Saturday, let's see what we can have to look forward to.

Louisville vs. West Virginia 12:00 (ESPN - Dave Pasch and Doris Burke)

This game will mean much more to the Mountaineers than it will Louisville. Louisville already clinched a double bye and are only playing for seeding amongst the top 4. West Virginia, on the other hand, will have a much more intriguing day. The Big East tiebreakers are extremely complicated, mind-numbing, and are not worth getting into, but just know that West Virginia cannot leap over Syracuse and St. John's to get 4th place regardless of what happens. The best they can hope for is a single bye with the 6th seed. But a loss and they could fall as far as 10th.

Worth watching? Yes

Notre Dame vs. Connecticut 2:00 (ESPN - John Saunders and Fran Fraschilla)

All top 3 Big East teams are facing teams fighting for a double bye. Louisville will be the 1st to do so and Notre Dame, who can win the Big East regular season title with a win and some help, will be the second to do so. They are playing the Fighting Kembas of Connecticut, who can either earn a single bye or play Providence on Tuesday.

Worth watching? No, but only because there is a more important game on at the same time.

Georgetown vs. Cincinnati 2:00 (Big East Network - Mike Gleason and Anthony Buford)

The only Big East game of the week to feature two teams both fighting for a single bye in the Big East. Once again, the scenarios are too mind-numbing to get into, but the results of this game will have great impact on what happens elsewhere in the Big East today.

Worth watching? You betcha.

DePaul vs. Syracuse 4:00 (Big East Network - John Sanders and Dickey Simpkins)

Syracuse is in the running for a double bye (they will get it with a win) and at the worst will have a single bye, meanwhile DePaul is the laughing stock of the Big East, currently boasting a 1-16 conference record. Putrid.

Worth watching? Avoid it, for both the lobsided game and the terrible announcing of Dickey Simpkins.

Villanova vs. Pittsburgh 4:00 (CBS - Verne Lundquist and Bill Raftery)

Pittsburgh will claim the Big East regular season title with a win. With a loss and some bad luck elsewhere, they will fall all the way to #2. Contrast that with Villanova, who could get a single bye, or fall all the way to 11. While Villanova certainly wants to win and get the single bye, should Villanova fall, they will be better off falling all the way to #11. In this scenario, Villanova will play the 14th seed (Providence/South Florida), win that and they will play the 6th seed (West Virginia/Cincinnati/Georgetown/Connecticut/Marquette), win that and they will play the 3rd seed (Louisville/Syracuse/St. John's), win that and they are in the semifinals against a team that will be the 2 seed or the team that beat the 2 seed. Again, winning is preferred (this team could use a marquee win), but if they lose, the best help Villanova can receive is the help that sends them plummeting to 11.

Worth watching? This game petrifies me.

Marquette vs. Seton Hall 6:00 (Big East Network - Justin Kutcher and Tim O'Toole)

Marquette is currently in 11th and will need lots of help to get the single bye. Seton Hall have locked themselves in a Battle Of New Jersey with Rutgers on Tuesday.

Worth watching? Nah

Providence vs. Rutgers 7:00 (espn3.com - Dave Weekley and Derek Whittenburg)

This game is largely irrelevant. Rutgers are playing Seton Hall on Tuesday regardless and Providence is bottom 3 in the conference.

Worth watching? If you are a masochist.

St. John's vs. South Florida 8:00 (Big East Network - Rich Hollenbeg and John Celestand)

St. John's can clinch a double bye with a win and a Syracuse loss to DePaul. South Florida can clinch the 14 seed with a win and a Providence loss to Rutgers.

Worth watching? Why watch this when you can hear Jim Nantz have multiple orgasms in Chapel Hill?

I will have a college basketball live blog up later today starting at noon and lasting through Duke-UNC. I hope to see you there!