Big East 2023-2024

[DC_JAY]

Statement from the Big East: https://www.bigeast.com/news/2024/3/18/mens-basketball-big-east-statement-on-ncaa-tournament-selections.aspx

"We are very proud that UConn earned the No. 1 overall seed in this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament following another tremendous season that included both the Big East regular season and tournament titles. Marquette, a No. 2 seed, and Creighton, a No. 3 seed, give the Big East three of the top 10 overall seeds in the tournament, as many as any other league. We consider each of them legitimate contenders for a Final Four berth and another Big East national crown on April 8th.

These high seeds follow our most successful Big East Tournament to date, which saw five sellouts and our usual impassioned crowds at The World's Most Famous Arena. Our four-year extension with Madison Square Garden, announced on Friday, means that the event, a New York City staple, will celebrate its 50th anniversary at MSG in 2032, a run unmatched in the college basketball world.

We have great respect for the NCAA men's basketball committee and the time and effort that goes into selecting and seeding the teams for the NCAA tournament. It is a very challenging job, and we have been advised that this year’s upsets added to the complexity and contributed to the committee's final bracket selections. Given the high level of play in our league, we are understandably very disappointed that some worthy Big East teams were not selected to participate. We will be working closely with our schools in the coming months to best position the Big East next year and to ensure that we continue to be represented in March Madness in a manner befitting our stature as one of the best conferences in college basketball."

Well crafted. Communicates disappointment without a sour grapes feel. Also communicates that the league will now look for ways to game the system like other conferences do.

[LJay]

Didn’t hear why but Devin Carter and Rich Barron are not playing for Providence tonight.

[Wizard of Westroads]

Didn’t hear why but Devin Carter and Rich Barron are not playing for Providence tonight.

Carter has an ankle sprain. I wonder if English knew he wouldn't play when he was criticizing the selections. Never a good look when you complain and then drop your first game in the NIT.

[LJay]

Wonder why 16-17 Xavier is in the NIT? The X game just had a list of 17 P6 teams (I think they were all P6) that turned down invites.

If they still played the final 4 at MSG that number would be small or zero. Who cares about playing in Vegas or Indy or wherever?

[3ontheway]

Carter has nothing to gain. Knowing how tough he is, if he really wanted to play, he would be playing. Why risk it when you are projected as middle 1st rounder?

[Durango Jay]

The Big East is getting pasted in the NIT with Butler, Xavier, and Providence all picking up the L.

[NUgradCUfan]

The Big East is getting pasted in the NIT with Butler, Xavier, and Providence all picking up the L.

Tbh, does it really matter? None were close to the cut line minus Providence who’s missing their 2 best players. I guess for optics, sure.

Butler had the game won and blew it. X on the road. They’re about where we thought they were with the competition they played.

[Wizard of Westroads]

The Big East is getting pasted in the NIT with Butler, Xavier, and Providence all picking up the L.

The commish got bullied by East Coast teams into putting out that statement, probably should have waiting until after the conference won a game in the NIT.

[Realhoops]

Tbh, I don't think the performance in NIT games is any reflection at all on whether teams deserved to be in the NCAA tourney or how they would have done in the NCAA tourney. Even teams who decide to go ahead and play in the NIT are never going to be able to get ready for those games the same way as they would for the NCAA if they felt like they belonged. Carter would have played for Providence in the NCAA. It's really comparing oranges and apricots.

[Trifecta]

Statement from the Big East: https://www.bigeast.com/news/2024/3/18/mens-basketball-big-east-statement-on-ncaa-tournament-selections.aspx

"We are very proud that UConn earned the No. 1 overall seed in this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament following another tremendous season that included both the Big East regular season and tournament titles. Marquette, a No. 2 seed, and Creighton, a No. 3 seed, give the Big East three of the top 10 overall seeds in the tournament, as many as any other league. We consider each of them legitimate contenders for a Final Four berth and another Big East national crown on April 8th.

These high seeds follow our most successful Big East Tournament to date, which saw five sellouts and our usual impassioned crowds at The World's Most Famous Arena. Our four-year extension with Madison Square Garden, announced on Friday, means that the event, a New York City staple, will celebrate its 50th anniversary at MSG in 2032, a run unmatched in the college basketball world.

We have great respect for the NCAA men's basketball committee and the time and effort that goes into selecting and seeding the teams for the NCAA tournament. It is a very challenging job, and we have been advised that this year’s upsets added to the complexity and contributed to the committee's final bracket selections. Given the high level of play in our league, we are understandably very disappointed that some worthy Big East teams were not selected to participate. We will be working closely with our schools in the coming months to best position the Big East next year and to ensure that we continue to be represented in March Madness in a manner befitting our stature as one of the best conferences in college basketball."

Well crafted. Communicates disappointment without a sour grapes feel. Also communicates that the league will now look for ways to game the system like other conferences do.

Respectfully, I could not disagree more. I found this to be a rather toothless statement. Not saying Val needs to go scorched earth but this could have used some more assertive language. Instead, we have to rely on coaches to champion the cause in the media.