After Louisville beat No. 1-ranked Pittsburgh on Saturday, one thing became clear: No one is safe in the Big East. The conference that spots eight teams in the Top 25 is the archnemesis of any team looking for a flawless record. Zero losses in this stacked conference is just not going to happen. The teams are all filled with elite talent, and it seems that anyone can fall at any given moment.
Ask the formerly unbeaten Panthers, who were riding high and feeling invincible, then abruptly were taken out by a suddenly steamrolling Louisville team. In a conference where three or four losses may be good enough to claim the championship trophy, the key for success will be simply surviving. Winning the games against lesser opponents like DePaul, Rutgers and Seton Hall is vital, as is taking care of the tougher teams at home. In the end, whoever has the best damage control will emerge from the wake as victors.
Land of the giants
In Greek mythology, the Titans were colossal beings that ruled their universe with authority. The universe of the Big East is also dominated by Titans — enormous body bangers with names like Greg Monroe, Hasheem Thabeet and Luke Harangody.
These hardwood hulks help their teams trample through foes. It seems as if every great team this year has a huge space filler down low who can score in the post and swat would-be layups into the fifth row.
Every team but Marquette. The Golden Eagles have somehow managed to defy the odds and begin conference play with a spotless 5-0 record despite not having a legitimate inside scorer. The stellar guard play of seniors Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews and Dominic James has been the major reason for Marquette's early season success.
The big problem is that Marquette has yet to face off against any of the Big East's Titans. The five top teams it has yet to face — Pittsburgh, Georgetown, Connecticut, Louisville and Notre Dame — all have a dominant big man that could cause problems for Marquette's small lineup.
Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair and Louisville's Earl Clark, as well as Georgetown's Monroe, Connecticut's Thabeet and Notre Dame's Harangody, all are averaging over 13 points a game. Marquette's only true big man, the 6-foot-8 Dwight Burke, is averaging only 2.6 ppg. The Golden Eagles' lack of interior muscle will force their athletic guards to penetrate the lane and get to the foul line. Playing smart basketball and being on target from beyond the arc will also help Marquette continue to take down the giants of the Big East.
Flynn's finish
Mike Rosario never had a chance. Before the Rutgers freshman guard could even shield his face, Jonny Flynn, Syracuse's sophomore guard, had already made a human gift shop poster out of him.
Flynn blew by his man on the left side, then rose up and delivered a one-handed rim-rattler. After the game-changing dunk, Rosario simply looked up from the ground with a helpless face and wondered if anyone got the license plate of the truck that just ran him over.
Flynn reacted as anyone would have if they had just delivered the best college dunk of the year – with a fearsome scowl and a flex that would have made Schwarzenegger rethink his protein intake. In a close conference match-up, the dunk turned the tides of the game and helped lead the Orange to an 82-66 victory over the Scarlet Knights.