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10 Villanova @ 8 Providence, 8pm, CBSSN - Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas with Jenny Dell handling reporter duties.
Line: Villanova -4/130.5

Butler @ DePaul, 9pm, FS1 -Aaron Goldsmith, Stephen Bardo
Line: DePaul -3.5/129.5

So John Fanta was saying a case could be made that is going to be the biggest Big East home game in Providence history.

Wondering what billyjack says about that?

Fanta's possibly correct, however there were HUGE games back in da day w DiGregorio/Barnes & company.
Billyjack and all of the various "friars" would know.
Regardless - it's the biggest BE game THIS SEASON...
Fanta is a young buck w a short memory. There were reams of hoops played before 2000. Just sayin'!

Initially, I was pulling for Nova. I've changed my mind and going with Prov (at the Dunk) as Nova will win
the rematch in Radnor.
Nova needs to lose 3 of their remaining, Prov needs to lose 4 of their remaining.

Friar last 5... my take.

W over Nova @Dunk
L @Hinkle (Butler)
L to X @Dunk
L to Lil Cr8n @Dunk
L @Finneran (Radnorites)

Only lose 3 and they win the RS.

BE seeding on the line tonight in Chicago...or Butler North.

Great question...

I hate to disagree with Mr Fanta, who i love, but tonight is a little different perception and importance wise... tonight is up there, but falls into a category a notch below... tonight is more like vs UConn mid 90s, or Texas with Rick Barnes returning in early 2000s...

The Big East era would be the hype leading up to Georgetown in Jan 1987... the game re-established PC as a force after 9 years in the wilderness.

Tonight is huge, but the narrative win or lose isn't as critical. I'm biased at 53... like sports are more important when youre younger so that Hoya 87 gives me a little more titillation.

Pre Big East:

1. Feb 78 vs #7 UNC, five days after the Blizzard of 78... now a cultural milestone in Rhode Island... any blizzard discussion is tied at the hip with the UNC hype-- State Police escorted Tarheels from the airport in Warwick.

2. Dec 76 vs #1 Michigan... big deal, OT win, defended the honor of northeastern hoops.

Gimme Nova and the points

Following up...

Leading up to Georgetown 87... we were 14-3 but weren't sure what we had... we were nervoys about possibly getting crushed by 40 points, which would bring us back to suckitude.

Tonight it's a different vibe. If we lose by 30 it'll suck, but there is no question that we're a great team and program.

If we win tonight, it'll be amazing of course, and we'll have Final Four possibilities running thru our heads

Think CBSSN should win the battle with FS1 tonight.

That's a good thing from time to time, though. Fox is our main partner but CBS is important as well.

billyjack wrote:Following up...

Leading up to Georgetown 87... we were 14-3 but weren't sure what we had... we were nervoys about possibly getting crushed by 40 points, which would bring us back to suckitude.

Tonight it's a different vibe. If we lose by 30 it'll suck, but there is no question that we're a great team and program.

If we win tonight, it'll be amazing of course, and we'll have Final Four possibilities running thru our heads

I feel like channeling my inner gitmo here.

billyjack, you're my guy, but does anyone up there actually think that the Friars are Final Four contenders? I am pretty underwhelmed every time I see them and I don't think they would be a one loss league team if they had to play all of their games to this point.

You are what your record says you are, so credit to PC for chalking up a huge win column.

This isn't a hill that I am willing to die on and I hope that the Friars prove me wrong, but I am just not seeing this group as a elite team.