2024 Bracketology Already?

[xusandy]

Jerry Palm has 7 BEASTs in his way, way, way too early projected field (Marquette #2 seed, UConn #2, Creighton #3, Villanova #6, St. John's #8!!, Xavier #10, and Providence #11.) Unlikely, but a pleasant reminder that we're gonna be a top league AGAIN.

[ecasadoSBU]

It's going to be a heck of a year for the league.

This league is only getting better and better as the years go by.

[GumbyDamnit!]

The reality is over the past decade (9 FF/NC's) the current BE conference members have won 4 of them. ACC=3, B12= 2. Meanwhile it's been almost 25 years since a B10 team has hoisted a banner and over 25 years since a Pac-10/12 Team has done the same.

What really needs to happen this year is one of the following:
- Someone not named UConn or Nova wins a NC
- X and/or Creighton make a FF
- We get multiple teams into the FF

Do that and we cement ourselves as one of the very best conferences in the land.

[ArmyVet]

Jerry Palm has 7 BEASTs in his way, way, way too early projected field (Marquette #2 seed, UConn #2, Creighton #3, Villanova #6, St. John's #8!!, Xavier #10, and Providence #11.) Unlikely, but a pleasant reminder that we're gonna be a top league AGAIN.

League play is going to be a blood bath. Again.

[kayako]

I guess bracketville is starting early this season!

11/5 Bracketville:

https://bracketville.wordpress.com/bracketology/

2 Marquette (6)
2 UConn (7)
3 Creighton (9)
6 Villanova (22)
11 Providence (42)
12 St. John's (46)
Xavier 2nd team out

[Omaha1]

Way too soon, but what the hell. National title betting odds:

National Championship Odds.

Duke +1100
Kansas +1100
Purdue +1100
Michigan State +1500
Creighton +2000
Marquette +2000
Tennessee +2000
Kentucky +2000
Houston +2000
UConn +2200
Arizona +2500
Alabama +2500
UNC +3000
Arkansas +3000
Gonzaga +3000

[MakScratcher3]

Way too soon, but what the hell. National title betting odds:

National Championship Odds.

Duke +1100
Kansas +1100
Purdue +1100
Michigan State +1500
Creighton +2000
Marquette +2000
Tennessee +2000
Kentucky +2000
Houston +2000
UConn +2200
Arizona +2500
Alabama +2500
UNC +3000
Arkansas +3000
Gonzaga +3000

Not trying to be a dick...but for having reached exactly one elite eight, in NCAA tournament existence, why does Creighton get such high media praise, clearly demonstrated in the odds flashed here? It is strange because, prior to last year, absolute Paper Tigers. I root for them, unless obviously playing my team (Xavier), but I don't know that I have ever seen a team get as much hype, praise, etc. than Creighton. Great program -- without any debate -- but weird how they can hold the best odds to win the NC out of our conference, especially considering another member actually won the GOT DAMNED THING LAST YEAR. This is not just a one year outlier, either. They constantly get sucked off by the media pundits for having a couple good seasons and, prior to that Elite 8 last year, perennial underachievers in the NCAA tourney that you could almost always pick for a R32 at best achievement.

Just my two cents that I am sure will not be well received. I only try to be logical. Make it make sense, someone.

[jaybydna]

Way too soon, but what the hell. National title betting odds:

National Championship Odds.

Duke +1100
Kansas +1100
Purdue +1100
Michigan State +1500
Creighton +2000
Marquette +2000
Tennessee +2000
Kentucky +2000
Houston +2000
UConn +2200
Arizona +2500
Alabama +2500
UNC +3000
Arkansas +3000
Gonzaga +3000

Not trying to be a dick...but for having reached exactly one elite eight, in NCAA tournament existence, why does Creighton get such high media praise, clearly demonstrated in the odds flashed here? It is strange because, prior to last year, absolute Paper Tigers. I root for them, unless obviously playing my team (Xavier), but I don't know that I have ever seen a team get as much hype, praise, etc. than Creighton. Great program -- without any debate -- but weird how they can hold the best odds to win the NC out of our conference, especially considering another member actually won the GOT DAMNED THING LAST YEAR. This is not just a one year outlier, either. They constantly get sucked off by the media pundits for having a couple good seasons and, prior to that Elite 8 last year, perennial underachievers in the NCAA tourney that you could almost always pick for a R32 at best achievement.

Just my two cents that I am sure will not be well received. I only try to be logical. Make it make sense, someone.

Three questions. Wasn't last year the first year that Creighton didn't exceed our preseason ranking (we were picked first)? Question 2: Why is Creighton overrated this year, i.e. not a top 10 team? Question 3: Name a year in the past 7 or 8 that we didn't lose a major player to injury before the tournament? I think that answers all your concerns.

Xavier is a great program. Creighton is building one too.

[Savannah Jay]

Way too soon, but what the hell. National title betting odds:

National Championship Odds.

Duke +1100
Kansas +1100
Purdue +1100
Michigan State +1500
Creighton +2000
Marquette +2000
Tennessee +2000
Kentucky +2000
Houston +2000
UConn +2200
Arizona +2500
Alabama +2500
UNC +3000
Arkansas +3000
Gonzaga +3000

Not trying to be a dick...but for having reached exactly one elite eight, in NCAA tournament existence, why does Creighton get such high media praise, clearly demonstrated in the odds flashed here? It is strange because, prior to last year, absolute Paper Tigers. I root for them, unless obviously playing my team (Xavier), but I don't know that I have ever seen a team get as much hype, praise, etc. than Creighton. Great program -- without any debate -- but weird how they can hold the best odds to win the NC out of our conference, especially considering another member actually won the GOT DAMNED THING LAST YEAR. This is not just a one year outlier, either. They constantly get sucked off by the media pundits for having a couple good seasons and, prior to that Elite 8 last year, perennial underachievers in the NCAA tourney that you could almost always pick for a R32 at best achievement.

Just my two cents that I am sure will not be well received. I only try to be logical. Make it make sense, someone.

You're asking for logic after a post that is devoid of logic. National championship odds have nothing to do with the media. Or past history. Absolutely nothing.

Here's an article from Forbes about betting odds:

https://www.forbes.com/betting/sports-betting/how-sports-betting-odds-work/

The words "media," "pollsters" and "hype" are no where to be found.

For this year, Marquette and Creighton are picked by the coaches to be the top two teams. Is it really that surprising to you that they have similar natty odds? We know UConn will be good but they lost 3 terrific players off that team.

We, as fans, understand and own our team's NCAA history. Nobody has been more frustrated by our NCAAT history than those of us who've been fans for 40+ years. But if you don't understand why Creighton is at those odds for this year, then you don't understand college basketball at all (which I didn't really need to state, because that's evident from your post).

[Omaha1]

My view is that Creighton was a whistle away from a F4 last year and I think would’ve been the only reasonable test for UConn. Jays return elite players at three positions and added a strong PG. I don’t think there’s many teams that return what CU does.