NEWARK — Eleven Big East teams remain alive for an NCAA bid.
That’s not to say 11 will make it. They probably won’t.
But 11 teams are currently at or near the .500 mark in the league, which generally is good enough to generate an invite to the Big Dance.
After Saturday’s wild day of action, the following teams are above or at .500, or within striking distance: Syracuse (9-1), Marquette (7-2), Georgetown (6-3), Notre Dame (5-3), USF (5-3), UConn (4-3), Louisville (5-4), Cincinnati (5-4), West Virginia (5-4), Seton Hall (4-5) and Rutgers (4-5).
After Louisville beat Seton Hall, 60-51, in a game of teams that were previously at the .500 mark, Cardinals coach Rick Pitino said it would be “awesome” if Seton Hall were to make the Big Dance for the first time since 2006.
“Their RPI is so good, all they gotta do is finish .500 and they’re going to the [NCAA] Tournament,” Pitino said of his former assistant Kevin Willard’s team, which has gone 1-4 since cracking the Top 25.
“That’s all they gotta do. Don’t have grand goals. Just get to the Tournament, I think it would be a remarkable achievement.’
Photo: Star-Ledger
