March Madness: Lieberman: Big East looks to continue reign in NCAA Tournament

In the past two years, the Big East Conference has been a dominant force in the NCAA… In the past two years, the Big East Conference has been a dominant force in the NCAA Tournament.

This year could prove no different.

It will be tough to top last year’s Big East, which sported eight teams in the Tournament. Of those, three earned No. 1 seeds, five were in the Sweet Sixteen and two made it to the Final Four.

But it’s a new year with a new crop of Big East squads, with expectations of each varying from national championship contenders to just happy to be in the field of 65.

While the Panthers are vying for a national championship, here’s what the other Big East teams’ hopes are for this postseason.

Syracuse (28-4, 15-3) — National Championship Contender

The former No. 1 team in the nation, Syracuse shows all the right signs for a deep run in this year’s Tournament. It has an experienced head coach in Jim Boeheim, who knows a little something about the NCAA Tournament — he has appeared in it 25 times and won it all in 2003.

Also, the Orange have depth. The injury to center Arinze Onuaku hurts, but he should be back for the NCAA Tournament. Who knows how much his thigh injury will hinder his playing. The Orange still runs four deep at the forward position, with all of those four averaging more than 10 points per game. Leading them is Wes Johnson at 16 points per game.

Syracuse’s run will come down to how successful its zone is against tournament foes. If teams attack the Orange, and put it in a position to come back, the team will struggle. But once the Orange gets a lead, it suffocates teams with its 2-3 zone. It has the talent and experience to reach the Final Four and compete for the big prize. It will be the defense that gets Syracuse there.

West Virginia (26-6, 14-5)  — National Championship Contender

The Mountaineers won the Big East championship thanks to clutch shots from their senior leader Da’Sean Butler and rebounding. They will need both to be just as effective in the NCAA Tournament to contend for a national title.

Mountaineers Head Coach Bob Huggins wentto 14 of the last 15 NCAA Tournaments, and experience isn’t a detriment to this squad. West Virginia rarely plays anyone that didn’t play last year, with most of its starting sophomores having already been to the NCAA Tournament the previous year.

West Virginia’s rebounds come down to the play of sophomores Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones, who are both usually reliable on the glass. The team will be tested if Butler manages to fall behind his usual 17.3 points per game. But since they rebound and defend well, the Mountaineers have a good shot at playing for the title.

Georgetown (23-9, 10-8) — Final Four Caliber

Along with West Virginia, the Hoyas are playing their best basketball right now. But they just don’t have the talent that Syracuse and West Virginia have to contend for the title.

But Georgetown is solid, and it plays very efficiently on offense. The only downside to the Hoyas is their depth. Beyond its starting five and three or so reserves, Georgetown doesn’t have much to reach to on the bench if the situation calls for it. This leaves the Hoyas vulnerable if a starter fouls out, or struggles during a single-elimination tournament.

But a hot streak has to count for something, and in this case it could be a few wins in the Tournament.

Villanova (24-7, 13-5) — Elite Eight Caliber

The Wildcats are slumping, losing five of their last seven, including a Big-East-tournament loss to Marquette. Guard play, however, often dominates come Tournament time, and Villanova has the guards to do so.

Senior Scottie Reynolds and junior Corey Fisher are the team’s leaders, and the two combine for 32 points per game. Having experience at the point and shooting guard positions is a critical aspect of Villanova. They’ll need that experience, especially of last year’s Final-Four run, to be successful.

The Wildcats could hit their stride during the Tournament, but at best they’ll lose in the Elite Eight.

Marquette (22-11, 11-7) — Sweet Sixteen Hopeful

The Golden Eagles notched a key victory against Villanova in the Big East tournament, but Georgetown blew them out a game later. That’s the way this team has been all season — a Jekyll-and-Hyde squad. This makes it tough to set a clear gauge on this team’s potential.

One thing is for sure: Marquette won’t make the Final Four and will have great difficulty making the Elite Eight. The Golden Eagles have a great scoring tandem in Lazar Hayward and Jimmy Butler. Two wins in the NCAA Tournament is surely feasible, but so is an opening-round upset loss. It would surprise many if they went beyond the Sweet Sixteen.

Notre Dame (23-11, 10-9) — Sweet Sixteen Hopeful

Another one of the hottest teams in the Big East, Notre Dame enters the Tournament after beating Pitt (twice), Georgetown and Marquette during theirlast seven games. The new style of grind-it-out basketball for the Irish is paying off right at the opportune time.

Lest we forget, Notre Dame severely underachieved throughout the entire season. The Irish have a chance, as they do bring Luke Harangody, the Big East’s leading scorer, off the bench. But the question I have is this — If Notre Dame finds itself down by 10 or more points, will they panic and ditch the new style for their old style of pushing tempo?

Louisville (20-12, 11-7) — Happy to Be There

The Cardinals, unlike last year’s No. 1 seed and title contender, should just be glad they made it after a disappointing Big East tournament. Head Coach Rick Pitino’s squad never lived up to the high preseason expectations on the year.

With an experienced coach and some experienced players, Louisville could win a game or two. That’s even a stretch, as any mid-major team will be hungry for a victory against a storied program such as Louisville.