Good teams are going to lose. And eventually, one or more good teams finish last.
But thats the reality of Big East play this year.
All 10 league squads have built legitimate NCAA tournament rsums. Providence was perhaps the biggest long shot after a couple of damaging nonconference defeats but its NET ranking rose to No. 78 Friday morning.
Though no Big East team expects to sink to the bottom of the league standings, someone will. Thats the nature of competition.
But after two weeks of conference play, the differences are barely discernible between those whove triumphed from those who faltered. Home teams went into Friday with an 8-6 league record. Half of the games werent decided until the final four minutes.
Were sitting 0-3, and yet I think were not that far off, St. Johns coach Mike Anderson said on the leagues teleconference this week.
The Red Storm arguably picked up the best set of nonconference wins, taking down No. 17 West Virginia and No. 24 Arizona. Yet theyre at the bottom of the Big East. Theyre hosting 0-2 DePaul Saturday in what feels like an early must-win for two promising teams.
That might be the theme of the weekend, actually.
Creighton plays at Xavier on Saturday in a battle of squads with 1-2 conference records. Georgetown and Marquette are two other postseason hopefuls off to 1-2 starts. Theyll both be underdogs on the road this weekend.
Unforgiving. Thats the word Creighton coach Greg McDermott used when asked about the depth of the league after practice Friday.
Its inevitable that youre going to take some lumps during an 18-game schedule, McDermott said. How quickly youre able to respond will make the difference, he said.
Last years conference season unfolded similarly. Every team except one had at least one three-game losing streak during league play. Creighton lost four in a row twice, costing it an NCAA bid.
The Jays would like to avoid a similar slump this year. The Big East has improved, though. And Creighton has lost two in a row falling to the leagues two ranked teams in No. 6 Butler and No. 16 Villanova.
The teams that are mature enough and focused enough to get through the bumps in the road, theyre the teams that are still going to be standing in the end, McDermott said.
How Creighton handles this two-game road swing will be telling.
Then again, its opponents have identified this as a pivotal point in their seasons as well. Thats especially true for Xavier, which dropped a home game to Seton Hall on Wednesday.
Now the Musketeers are hosting Creighton. Neither team wants to be 1-3.
A sense of desperation may be evident in the way both squads carry themselves on the court Saturday but that just might be how its going to go in Big East play this year.
You better play with urgency. Because youll get embarrassed every single night if you dont, Xavier coach Travis Steele said after Wednesdays loss. We better be ready to go on Saturday. We will be ready to go.
Meet the 2019-20 Creighton men's basketball team
Ty-Shon Alexander
Height/weight:6-4, 195
Class:Junior
Position: Wing
Hometown:Charlotte, North Carolina
The preseason All-Big East honoree emerged last season as Creightons best one-on-one bucket-getter, and he hopes an added year of experience will improve his efficiency. Hell also be looking to make his mark defensively.
Mitch Ballock
Height/weight:6-5, 205
Class:Junior
Position:Wing
Hometown:Eudora, Kansas
He was one of six underclassmen in Division I basketball to make 90 or more 3-pointers and still shoot better than 40%. Ballock led CU in assists as well last year.
Christian Bishop
Height/weight:6-7, 205
Class:Sophomore
Position:Forward
Hometown:Lees Summit, Missouri
He earned a spot in the rotation midway through the season and started to settle in toward the end, averaging 8.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks during three NIT games.
Jett Canfield
Height/weight:5-10, 155
Class:Redshirt freshman
Position:Point guard
Hometown:Topeka, Kansas
He understands the offense and knows how to make the right play. The walk-on whos improved considerably during the preseason will be a tone-setter in practice.
Jacob Epperson
Height/weight:6-11, 225
Class:Sophomore
Position: Center
Hometown:Melbourne, Australia
After rehabbing this offseason from season-ending surgery, Epperson suffered another setback in preseason camp. He broke a bone in his leg. Hell be out for a while.
Damien Jefferson
Height/weight:6-5, 200
Class:Junior
Position:Wing
Hometown:East Chicago, Indiana
Jefferson was the teams second-leading scorer (11.1) and top rebounder (5.8) during nonconference play last year. Then he got hurt. Hell look to return to form this season.
Antwann Jones
Height/weight:6-6, 205
Class:Sophomore
Position:Wing
Hometown:Orlando, Florida
The Memphis transfer is a former five-star prospect who was intrigued by Creightons track record of development, so he joined the CU program. He stuffed the stat sheet in Australia.
Kelvin Jones
Height/weight:6-11, 230
Class:Senior
Position:Center
Hometown:Chihuahua, Mexico
Jones, a graduate transfer with one season of eligibility, could be an X-factor on a team that lacks interior size. He has plenty to learn, but hes embracing the challenge.
Denzel Mahoney
Height/weight:6-5, 225
Class:Junior
Position:Wing
Hometown:Oviedo, Florida
Mahoney, who temporarily left the program last spring, wont be eligible until December. Hes strong, long and assertive. Hell provide an important boost at the start of league play.
Davion Mintz
Height/weight:6-3, 185
Class:Senior
Position:Combo guard
Hometown:Charlotte, North Carolina
An ankle injury tempered Mintzs enthusiasm after a productive summer, but his athleticism offensively and his effort defensively will make him a valuable asset when he returns.
Shereef Mitchell
Height/weight:6-0, 155
Class:Freshman
Position:Point guard
Hometown:Omaha, Nebraska
The Omaha Burke grad stepped on the CU practice floor with confidence after spending a year in prep school to add strength and improve his jump shot. Hes super quick. And he defends tenaciously.
Jordan Scurry
Height/weight:6-2, 200
Class:Senior
Position:Wing
Hometown:Dedham, Massachusetts.
Scurry played in just 12 games last year, but he consistently uplifts and inspires his teammates in practice. Hes been awarded with a scholarship the last two seasons because of that.
Jalen Windham
Height/weight:6-5, 180
Class:Freshman
Position:Wing
Hometown:Indianapolis, Indiana
He averaged 17.9 points per game as a senior in the highest level of Indiana high school basketball. Hes brought that scorers mentality to Creighton. Watch out when he gets hot.
Marcus Zegarowski
Height/weight:6-2, 180
See the article here:
Big East is full of must-win games this weekend, and Creighton-Xavier matchup is no exception - Omaha World-Herald
