Conference #4 is the Big East. Now, I know what you're thinking here. The Big East is going to get the most bids out of any conference, how can they only be 4th? The answer is as much as the magazines are trying to sell Louisville and Syracuse as Final Four teams, I just don't see it. Syracuse will be good but they lost a lot and while I do think Louisville will be a top 10 team all year I don't believe in Peyton Siva like everybody else. In fact, I'm not picking either of them to win the conference. That accolade will be going to surprise team of the year, Notre Dame. Mike Brey brings back a ton from a tournament team last year and Jack Cooley continues his Luke Harangody impression to march right to the top the league. Following them are the previously mentioned Cardinals and Orange of Louisville and Syracuse. After those three teams there's a slight drop off to the next tier of teams. Tier two contains Marquette who has to replace DJO and Jae Crawder and Cincinnati who has to replace Yancey Gates. How well those teams do that will dictate how they finish in the Big East. Buzz Williams probably has more talent so I'll slide them into 4th and Cincinnati in a close 5th. Tier 3, which involves teams getting bids but more in the 10, 11, 12 seed spot goes to Pittsburgh and Georgetown. These two are coming from different directions. The Panthers had a horrible season but their health is back and a nice recruiting class it there to build on. Georgetown on the other hand is rebuilding but Otto Porter will be a stud. I think he carries them to a bid. The X-factor once again appears to be South Florida who snuck in last year with an excellent RPI and no offense to speak of. This year should only be slightly different as they look to pick the pace up a bit. Their defense should once again be stellar and they might backdoor a bid again. For now, they are on the outside looking in.
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