Big East, Still the best conference?

[spartansocc12]

First of all congrats to UNC. Now, I want to hear people's opinion on the Big East this year. Going into the tourny I heard many people describe it as the best conference ever. How do you see the conference as a whole after what should be described as a poor performance in the later rounds of the tourny.

[ehh]

Of course it is. Who else is even close?

5/16 Sweet 16 teams (NCAA record)
4/8 Elite 8 teams
2/4 Final Four teams

UConn was missing a guy who on any given night is their best player and Nova put up about as good of a fight as any other team UNC beat this tournament. Louisville was the only BE team that disappointed IMO. Not sure how you feel the BE performance should be "described as poor."

The ACC as a whole was horrible in the tournament (four teams lost to a lower seed) and the Big 10 had Michigan State and Purdue in the Sweet 16.

Was it the best conference ever, no not even close. The talent across the country this year was very weak. There might not be a single future NBA All-Star coming out of the Big East this year. Relatively speaking the conference was dominant, in the grand scheme of history it was so-so.

[J0nnD0ugh]

Big East was the best this year. I don't know why people continue to debate this as if its up in the air. They didn't have the best team, but they had the best teams.

I'll put it this way.........

When the Sweet 16 came, my choice for Carolina in the Elite 8 was Oklahoma over Syracuse. For the Final 4, I wanted Nova over Pitt. & the Finals, I preferred Mich St over UConn.

I felt reasonably confident in UNC's chances w/any other school in the country. But I didn't want them to play those 3 Big East teams.

That's how good the Big East was this season. I think UNC was the best team, but I'll admit to anybody that other schools did some heavy lifting for them in this tournament.

[Cebby]

Of 2008-2009? No doubt.

Ever? In terms of 64 team tournament there's the 1985 Big East (3 of 4 Final Four teams and 4 Elite Eight teams out of 9 members) and in the pre-at large bid tournies there's the 1974 ACC with NC State, UMD, and UNC all being top 5 teams and NCState dominating to the championship (those 3 teams made up 6-7 of the 15 All American spots).

[LiquidCrash]

Yes. Big East was still the best conference this season. They proved that.

UNC was the best team.

[Jason2112]

Yes, undoubtedly the Big East was superior in not only top teams, but depth of strong teams as well. Louisville disappointed me against Mich. St, and if not for Nova knowing Pitt so well, UNC would've matched up with Pitt in a game for the ages. To me, Sam Young was the best player in the nation this year. UConn just missed too many free throws and gave away their shot at UNC, but they would've matched up well because of their defensive ability in the paint. You think Ty Lawson would be driving in tossing up layups on Stanley Robinson, Thabeet, and Dyson. No way! So in a way, the Big East ruined it for themselves because the only Big East team left for UNC to go through was undersized and totally "happy to be there" Villanova.

[ehh]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jason2112

To me, Sam Young was the best player in the nation this year.

It's too bad they don't vote on all the conference POY's and awards until after the postseason is over. Young should have been the Big East POY and a unanimous first-team AA.

[Jason2112]

Yeah, Sam Young had a monster tournament. It seemed like that dude never missed a shot. His pump fake is one of the best ever. I've never seen so many defenders fly out of the gym going for it. I think Sam doesn't get as much attention because he keeps a low profile. (writing poetry maybe?) I hate Pitt, but I definitely want Sam Young on my Dallas Mavs team in the NBA. Wayne Ellington was maybe the best shooter in the tourney, but Young has a more well rounded game although I would like to see him a tad more aggressive.