Big East Opening Day

[3xhoya]

I didn't want to clog up the prediction thread by talking about the ongoing games and figured it would be good to have a central place to post about the first games of the new Big East.

I like what I am seeing so far with Xavier vs St John's. Both teams are really going at it. Also, the environment at this game is incredible, the Xavier fans are really into the game. I think one of the main things the 3 new teams bring are great fan bases that appear to be passionate. Playing at Xavier and Creighton are going to be tough road games.

[GUJook97]

I agree. One of the reasons I think Creighton, Butler and even Xavier will overachieve somewhat this year is because it will be very tough for teams to play in those environments. But, I also think that's great for the league.

[hoyaboya]

I'm in attendance at Cintas as we speak, great atmosphere. Not sure what X had going on around thanksgiving, but they look like a team to be reckoned with this season.

[CAHoya07]

Nice entrance to the conference for Xavier. Agree with everything said so far. This is going to be fun.

Xavier kind of ran away with it at the end, but I think we will see a lot of exciting, evenly matched games. We lack the firepower in the top 25 right now, but even DePaul and Seton Hall don't look that bad so far. Anybody can beat anybody on any given night, and we will have a lot of teams grouped closely together and on the NCAA Tournament bubble.

It's also great that the conference gets this in-depth focus on Fox Sports 1. We didn't get that on ESPN. Hopefully the Big East takes advantage and delivers with some great basketball.

[FrazierFanatic]

Cooley has lost a huge amount of weight, looks really good. His depleted team, on the other hand . . .

[FrazierFanatic]

Hate to sound chauvinistic - but not a big fan of the all-female announcing team.

[3xhoya]

Dec 31, 2013 15:49:17 GMT -5 FrazierFanatic said:

Cooley has lost a huge amount of weight, looks really good. His depleted team, on the other hand . . .

Agreed on both counts, but he has to give in and shave his head.

[hoyaatheart55]

Good game in Providence.

[GUJook97]

Wow, this officiating is awful. So much for the emphasis on calling fouls. Maybe the BE will be exempt from the new rules.

[sleepy]

Agree fraser these ladies make Doris Burke sound good. Really not the way to sell a game or a league. Give me a play by play and not two doing color. Very weak start. Not sure they have a real clue based upon what ive seen and heard for the last month.

[Nevada Hoya]

The announcers totally missed the goal tending call. From one of the shots you can see the ball changing direction from the tip.

[hoyaboya]

Dec 31, 2013 17:12:40 GMT -5 Nevada Hoya said:

The announcers totally missed the goal tending call. From one of the shots you can see the ball changing direction from the tip.

Announcers, referees and teams were all bad in that Providence-Seton Hall game. Glad the Pirates won given the horrible hometown calls going Providence's way.

[Nevada Hoya]

Another Sports Center moment for Aaron!!!

[CAHoya07]

Loving this Big East New Year's Eve marathon, some great moments so far, and I hope they do this every year. However, I must say that the atmosphere at Verizon paled in comparison to the three other venues that I've seen so far today (Xavier, Providence, Butler), and I imagine that Creighton will be rocking tonight vs. Marquette. For example, I know the students were on break, as they are at all the other schools. But the shots of a nearly completely empty student section behind the basket were pretty embarrassing. Maybe 10 students or so scattered through the section, with the weird sign waving people sometimes taking up the space. We've gotta have SOME local students sticking around the DC area, right?

I appreciate what the Stonewalls are doing, but we still have a long way to go. Go Hoyas, on the court and in the stands.

[CAHoya07]

By the way, this Villanova-Butler game is great, going down to the wire. Anyone who thought Butler was going to be a pushover this year was way off the mark, they look right now like they could contend for the title.

[3xhoya]

Dec 31, 2013 20:00:35 GMT -5 CAHoya07 said:

Loving this Big East New Year's Eve marathon, some great moments so far, and I hope they do this every year. However, I must say that the atmosphere at Verizon paled in comparison to the three other venues that I've seen so far today (Xavier, Providence, Butler), and I imagine that Creighton will be rocking tonight vs. Marquette. For example, I know the students were on break, as they are at all the other schools. But the shots of a nearly completely empty student section behind the basket were pretty embarrassing. Maybe 10 students or so scattered through the section, with the weird sign waving people sometimes taking up the space. We've gotta have SOME local students sticking around the DC area, right?

I appreciate what the Stonewalls are doing, but we still have a long way to go. Go Hoyas, on the court and in the stands.

It is tough for Gtown to have student representation during the break but why do we not have a local following? At all the other games the atmosphere has been fantastic. We should have given free tickets to increase the attendance numbers (something I think used to be done).

This Butler-Nova game is fantastic. This league could be great but it will take winning in the tournament/big OOC wins. The Big East definitely needs more than one ranked team to be considered by the general public (for example if Butler were ranked this game would be getting a ton of press as it is extremely competitive).

[hoyaboya]

Dec 31, 2013 21:30:38 GMT -5 3xhoya said:

Dec 31, 2013 20:00:35 GMT -5 CAHoya07 said:

Loving this Big East New Year's Eve marathon, some great moments so far, and I hope they do this every year. However, I must say that the atmosphere at Verizon paled in comparison to the three other venues that I've seen so far today (Xavier, Providence, Butler), and I imagine that Creighton will be rocking tonight vs. Marquette. For example, I know the students were on break, as they are at all the other schools. But the shots of a nearly completely empty student section behind the basket were pretty embarrassing. Maybe 10 students or so scattered through the section, with the weird sign waving people sometimes taking up the space. We've gotta have SOME local students sticking around the DC area, right?

I appreciate what the Stonewalls are doing, but we still have a long way to go. Go Hoyas, on the court and in the stands.

It is tough for Gtown to have student representation during the break but why do we not have a local following? At all the other games the atmosphere has been fantastic. We should have given free tickets to increase the attendance numbers (something I think used to be done).

This Butler-Nova game is fantastic. This league could be great but it will take winning in the tournament/big OOC wins. The Big East definitely needs more than one ranked team to be considered by the general public (for example if Butler were ranked this game would be getting a ton of press as it is extremely competitive).

To be fair it was the first Big East game ever for XU and for Butler - their crowds were bound to be excited. Also both of those arenas are on campus. Providence's crowd didn't seem appreciably better than Georgetown's. That said, it's clear that the Hoyas need a better homecourt advantage.

Overall, I'm excited about the additions of Xavier, Butler and Creighton - really like what they bring.

[dreamhoya]

Doris Burke is pretty darn good.

[EtomicB]

I hate Creighton already!!!

[seaweed]

Why are these announcers slurping McD while he is flopping like a fish out there?