Big East Tournament
Handicapping the Tourney
By Anthony Jaskulski

NCAA No. 1 Seeds
Connecticut
Top Players
Center Hasheem Thabeet: 13.4 PPG, 10.5 RPG Guard A.J. Price: 12.3 PPG, 4.5 APG Forward Jeff Adrien: 13.8 PPG, 10.2 RBG

Fast Fact
Thabeet's 12 double-doubles on the year is a conference best. He had three of them in a row in the first week of February over Providence, Louisville and Michigan.

Overall Analysis
Connecticut leads the Big East in scoring margin, scoring defense, field goal defense and blocked shots. If it wasn't for an early season home loss to Georgetown, they would be coasting to a regular season crown. If the Huskies can distribute the ball better, keep Thabeet out of foul trouble and continue to get production from Adrien, this team will punch a ticket to the Final Four.

Pitt
Top Players
Center DeJuan Blair: 15.8 PPG, 13 RPG. Guard Levance Fields: 10.9 PPG, 7.5 APG Forward Sam Young: 18.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG

Fast Fact
Guard Levance Field's assist/turnover ratio of 4.04 is the best in the country. The closest to Field's incredible number is Utah State's Tyler Newbold at 3.86.

Overall Analysis
Despite a late February 81-73 loss at Providence, Pitt continues to prove to be one of the deepest teams in the country, one of the most experienced and most aggressive on both ends of the floor. They have solid shooting numbers (48.1 field goal percentage, 36.5 3 point field goal percentage), but it's still their aggressive rebounding and in your face defense that makes them such a tough out. In those categories, Pitt boasts a league-best +10.6 margin on the glass, and a defense that gives up 62 points per game.

NCAA No. 2 Seed
Louisville
Top Players
Forward Earl Clark: 13.3 PPG, 8.7 RBG Forward Terrence Williams: 12.5 PPG, 8.5 RBG Guard Edgar Sosa: 7.6 PPG, 2.4 APG

Fast Fact
Rick Pitino's unforgiving 2-2-1 press has forced a league-high nine steals per game.

Overall Analysis
The Cardinals are one of the top defensive units in the league, giving up just 61 points per game. The feared front court, led by Terrence Williams, has helped Louisville outscore all but two opponents in the Big East in points in the paint. If they continue to drop such high percentage shots, and force turnovers, they could very well make runs in both the Big East and NCAA tournaments.

NCAA No. 3 Seed
Marquette
Top Players
Guard Jerel McNeal: 20 PPG, 4.7 APG Guard Wesley Matthews: 18.7 PPG, 5.3 RBG Forward Lazar Hayward: 16 PPG, 8.6 RBG

Fast Fact
Marquette's vicious back court trio of Jerel McNeal, Dominic James and Wesley Matthews has averaged double figures each in all but three conference games this year. They score 54.7 of Marquette's 80 points per game.

Overall Analysis
The Golden Eagles are often criticized for being a back court friendly basketball team. Sometimes, rebounding just isn't that much of a factor in their games, especially when they average an exceptional 8.6 steals and 16.2 assists per game. Their turnover margin is +3.89. If you find yourself in a scoring fest with Marquette, forget about it. This team is the real deal.

Villanova
Top Players
Guard Scottie Reynolds: 15.3 PPG, 3.7 APG Guard Corey Fisher: 11.2 PPG, 2.7 APG Forward Dante Cunningham: 16.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG

Fast Fact
Villanova has recorded 22 or more wins in the past five seasons.

Overall Analysis
The Wildcats have gotten a dramatic improvement from their big man Dante Cunningham. His presence alone has improved Villanova's rebounding and scoring, where they lead the Big East with 80.6 points per game. The Cats full court pressure and transition game got them to the Sweet 16 last season, and if they can apply Cunningham's patience to the back court's fast pace attack, then Villanova is becomes another serious contender in March.

NCAA, No. 6 Seed
Syracuse
Top Players
Guard Jonny Flynn: 17.3 PPG, 6.1 APG Forward Paul Harris: 12.9 PPG, 8 RBG Forward Arinze Onuaku: 10.8 PPG, 7.5 RBG

Fast Fact
Syracuse had lost 7 of their last 11 games heading into March.

Overall Analysis
Syracuse has fallen on hard times with injuries and a very short bench. Arinze Onuaku, who suffered a right kneecap injury in early February, is still recovering while playing an excessive amount of minutes due to the lack of personnel. They have an explosive offensive attack, but can get lazy on D. It is a must for Syracuse to stay out of foul and injury trouble in order to make a run in both postseason tournaments.

NCAA, No. 7 Seed
West Virginia
Top Players
Forward Da'Sean Butler: 18.1 PPG, 5.7 RBG Guard Alex Ruoff: 16.1 PPG, 3.6 APG Forward Devin Ebanks: 9.3 PPG, 6.9 RBG

Fast Fact
Butler, who dropped 43 points on Villanova on Feb. 13, has scored 20 or more points in 10 games.

Overall Analysis
West Virginia plays very solid defense. They have given up just 61.4 points per game, and boast an impressive turnover margin of +5.4. If only they would get away from taking excessive jump shots, and playing selfish, half-court offensive sets, which rarely get their big men open looks.

NCAA, No. 9 Seed
Providence
Top Players
Guard Weyinmi Ejekuku: 14.4 PPG, 4.1 RBG Wing Marshon Brooks: 12 PPG, 3.7 RBG Guard Sharaud Curry: 11.5 PPG, 4.6 APG

Fast Fact
All five starters-Weyinmi Efejuku, Sharaud Curry, Randall Hanke, Geoff McDermott and Jeff Xavier-have surpassed the 1,000 career-point milestone, the only team in the country that has as many players in that category.

Overall Analysis
Gigantic wins over Pitt on Feb. 24 and Syracuse earlier, as well as a sweep of Cincinnati, should do the trick to punch the Friars ticket for the Big Dance. A 20-win season would help their cause a lot, and a big run in New York is the objective at hand. Expect Providence to be one of the final teams joining the NCAA tournament.

The Rest:
Cincinnati (NIT)
Notre Dame (NIT)
Georgetown (NIT)
Seton Hall
South Florida
St. John's
Rutgers
DePaul