DefenseBB
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As we enter year 4 of UConn back into the Big East, let’s assess how WCBB is situated vs. when UConn rejoined: I looked at a few key items:
-2nd Round success was 1 team in 2016, 2, 3, 1 since 2021 it’s 1, 2, 2 teams last year. So 7 vs. 5
-Sweet 16 achievement occurred with 1 team each in ‘16 & ‘19, since 2021 had 1 team, 2022 had 2 teams and 2023 had 2 teams. 2 vs. 5
-The conference attendance was flat to down from 2016-19, obviously adding UConn attendance to the conference boosts the overall attendance but what about if we exclude the UConn totals and just count the 10 teams, well that is up thanks to Creighton, Villanova and Marquette. Worrisome are St. John’s who average less than 1,000 per game and then PC and Xavier who almost as abysmal.
-Conference SoS, the BE has been 6th for all the years 2017-19 and 7th in 2016 behind the AAC. The AAC was 7th from ‘17-19. And these past 3 years, the BE has continued to be 6th with inconsistent ground gained and then lost to #5 which usually has been the Big 12.
For a quick review of Conf SoS, the conference is only as strong as its weakest team members, which these past 4 years has been Xavier, Providence College, Georgetown and Butler. The first 3 finally made changes this past spring/summer and Butler made a change a year ago and that coach had a promising 1st year. Here is the snippet of how bad it was and how it looked last year
2022 had PC at 160, Georgetown at 205, Xavier at 209, Butler 322 (there are 358 teams in D1) Butler fired it’s coach.
2023 had PC at 131, Georgetown at 116, Xavier at 210, Butler at 143
so better but that needs to drastically continue.
Bottom line is we need these programs to improve for our league to gain more esteem.
Last year was a great season for the Big East to try and replicate but the task will be tall, as only UConn and Creighton look elite. Marquette should still find a way, next is Villanova who lost Maddie so can Olsen and others step up? St. John’s lost a few of their “glue players” but maybe able to stay near the top half. Seton Hall will take a step back and DePaul has some major concerns as their two best players transferred. Honestly, Doug will be 73 in November so….
This year is a pivotal year for the BE in many respects, first and foremost with the PAC 12 dissolving and the conference carousel adding and dropping members, the BE can solidify itself to be installed within the new P5 in NCAA Basketball.
- # of Bids to NCAAT
- Round 2 achievements
- Sweet 16 achievements (before UConn came back, no one had reached the Elite 8)
- Attendance growth
- Conference SoS Rating
-2nd Round success was 1 team in 2016, 2, 3, 1 since 2021 it’s 1, 2, 2 teams last year. So 7 vs. 5
-Sweet 16 achievement occurred with 1 team each in ‘16 & ‘19, since 2021 had 1 team, 2022 had 2 teams and 2023 had 2 teams. 2 vs. 5
-The conference attendance was flat to down from 2016-19, obviously adding UConn attendance to the conference boosts the overall attendance but what about if we exclude the UConn totals and just count the 10 teams, well that is up thanks to Creighton, Villanova and Marquette. Worrisome are St. John’s who average less than 1,000 per game and then PC and Xavier who almost as abysmal.
-Conference SoS, the BE has been 6th for all the years 2017-19 and 7th in 2016 behind the AAC. The AAC was 7th from ‘17-19. And these past 3 years, the BE has continued to be 6th with inconsistent ground gained and then lost to #5 which usually has been the Big 12.
For a quick review of Conf SoS, the conference is only as strong as its weakest team members, which these past 4 years has been Xavier, Providence College, Georgetown and Butler. The first 3 finally made changes this past spring/summer and Butler made a change a year ago and that coach had a promising 1st year. Here is the snippet of how bad it was and how it looked last year
2022 had PC at 160, Georgetown at 205, Xavier at 209, Butler 322 (there are 358 teams in D1) Butler fired it’s coach.
2023 had PC at 131, Georgetown at 116, Xavier at 210, Butler at 143
so better but that needs to drastically continue.Bottom line is we need these programs to improve for our league to gain more esteem.
Last year was a great season for the Big East to try and replicate but the task will be tall, as only UConn and Creighton look elite. Marquette should still find a way, next is Villanova who lost Maddie so can Olsen and others step up? St. John’s lost a few of their “glue players” but maybe able to stay near the top half. Seton Hall will take a step back and DePaul has some major concerns as their two best players transferred. Honestly, Doug will be 73 in November so….
This year is a pivotal year for the BE in many respects, first and foremost with the PAC 12 dissolving and the conference carousel adding and dropping members, the BE can solidify itself to be installed within the new P5 in NCAA Basketball.