• Boston University was not rebounding well in the early portion of their seven-game winning streak. But in the last two games, the Terriers have dominated the glass, and keeping that up will only help. Granted, it came against two of the worst teams in the conference, but one of them (UMBC) is normally a decent team on the glass. Part of that has come from an emphasis on rebounding of late, but not just at the defensive end.“The last two games, we’ve done a much better job on the glass,” said head coach Joe Jones. “We’re just trying to make a concerted effort to be a better offensive rebounding team as well.”
• One of the keys to Marquette‘s play has been the play of transfer Jamil Wilson. The Oregon transfer isn’t putting up big numbers, but he had 16 points on Saturday night at Providence to go with three blocked shots. Three nights later, he blocked three more shots to help the Golden Eagles shut down USF, and he is filling the stat sheet more and more.”I think he’s become incredibly, incredibly important to what we’re doing,” said head coach Buzz Williams. “I think with each passing day, regardless of game day or practice day, I think his confidence continues to grow. I think he helps us hide some of our deficiencies because of his intelligence, particularly on the defensive end.”
• Northeastern somehow pulled out a win on Wednesday night over Delaware that may make a difference for them. The Huskies had lost two straight after a good start, but came home for a win that may get them going again. Joel Smith hit his second game-winning basket in less than a month, having made a buzzer-beater at Vermont on December 30, and looks to be playing much better although he struggled in the two recent road losses. The big key, he said, is being engaged at both ends of the floor, and head coach Bill Coen noted that they have only lost once when Smith has six or more rebounds.”I’m trying to be more involved, especially rebounding and defense,” said Smith. “Once you do the little things, the game just flows and it comes to you.”
• St. John’s showed on Wednesday night that although they are young, they will be able to beat a top team or two before the season is out. They beat West Virginia convincingly, and all along they have looked like a scrappy team that will not go down easily.
• Staying in the Big East, Notre Dame‘s win at Seton Hall is another solid win for the Fighting Irish. If they keep this up, Mike Brey should be in the mix for Big East Coach of the Year. Meanwhile, Seton Hall has come back to earth a bit of late as they are now 4-4 in Big East play.
• St. Mary’s picked up a big road win on Thursday night as they went to Los Angeles and came away with a 71-64 win over Loyola Marymount. There are more road tests ahead for this team, but getting a win in LA is a good way to keep up the winning.
• Five teams are tied atop the Atlantic 10 with 4-2 records, but Xavier and Temple are not among them. Instead, it’s Dayton, La Salle, UMass, Saint Louis and St. Bonaventure. Temple and Xavier are right behind them, but chances are few figured a five-way tie would not include those two.
• Iona heads to Fairfield on Friday night in a game that may have lost a bit of luster from before MAAC play began in earnest. The Stags are 5-3, and they could make things a little more interesting with a win as Iona is 7-2 and being talked about as a team that should be in one of the better BracketBusters matchups.

Saturday:

• Kentucky at Indiana
• Ohio State at Kansas
• Long Beach State at North Carolina
• Washington vs. Duke at Madison Square Garden
• Cincinnati at Xavier
• Oklahoma State vs. Pittsburgh at Madison Square Garden
• UNLV at Wisconsin
• Creighton at Saint Joseph’s
• Michigan State at Gonzaga
• Akron at Cleveland State
• Milwaukee at Northern Iowa
• Clemson at Arizona
• Villanova at Temple
• Miami at West Virginia

Sunday:

• Murray State at Memphis
• Iona at Marshall
• Norfolk State at Virginia Tech

We go coast to coast with other news from the college basketball nation

• Before we even get to the games today, there’s intrigue building in Cincinnati with the Bearcats’ Sean Kilpatrick calling out Xavier’s Tu Holloway, writes Myron Medcalf for ESPN’s “College Basketball Nation” blog. Kipatrck told a radio host that Holloway isn’t good enough to start for the Bearcats, which seems laughable considering Holloway is averaging 17.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg and 4.7 apg for one of the top teams in the country. But there you have it. That should make the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout extra spicy today.
• Northern Arizona is in the market for a new coach already after Mike Adras resigned unexpectedly Dec. 9, according to the Associated Press. The Lumberjacks are off to a rough start at 2-7, with no Division I wins yet. However, in his previous nine seasons as Northern Arizona’s coach, Adras had only two losing seasons for a 133-131 record at the school.
• Marquette will play without one of its biggest defensive presences after center Chris Otule injured his left ACL in the Golden Eagles’ win against Washington Dec. 8, according to Fox Sports’ Andrew Wagner. Otule has been averaging 5.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 1.6 blocks in just less than 18 minutes per game.
• Arizona State won’t get its top recruit this season after the NCAA Eligibility Center ruled Jahii Carson academically ineligible for 2011-12, according to an Associated Press report.
• You also won’t see Washington’s Scott Suggs this season. The senior guard broke his foot in October and had hoped to be ready to go by late December, but coach Lorenzo Romar announced that Suggs will redshirt this season, according to the Associated Press.
• Staying in the Pac-12, UCLA has dismissed embattled junior forward Reeves Nelson, according to the Associated Press. Coach Ben Howland had already suspended Nelson twice this season for conduct detrimental to the team before making the decisions to kick him off the team.
• The last thing we want to report is more molestation charges, but here we go again. ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” reported that two former basketball players are accusing Amateur Athletic Union president Robert “Bobby” Dodd of molesting them more than 20 years ago. The AAU gets plenty of criticism already, but nothing of this caliber. The AAU said that Dodd has colon cancer and will not be returning to his post, according to a CBS Sports report.

Missouri 81, Villanova 71

Marquette 79, Washington 77

1. Missouri is good. Very good. The entered the game with a 126 offensive efficiency. Against Villanova, the Tigers put up a very impressive 117. Defensively they allowed a 103 efficiency to Villanova but did force the wildcats into a 22% turnover percentage rate. Frank Haith does not employ a full court pressing defense with this Missouri team. Rather, he’s decided to use a tough man-to-man defense that disrupts offenses an creates turnovers in a half court setting. Offensively he has a solid sharpshooter in Marcus Denmon, a game-high 28 point scorer on 6 of 10 three point shooting. Kim English is a capable guard and scoring threat. At the point Phil Pressey handed out 12 assists while committing just three turnovers in 24 minutes. Inside there is one key player. Ricardo Ratliffe is solid and the 6-8 forward made his presence known against Villanova with a 17 point 11 rebound outing. “Missouri is a tough team,” Villanova coach Jay Wright said. “They are so quick to the ball and rebound very well. They are the type team that can play four guards and be very successful at it.”

2. Villanova will be good. Right now the Wildcats need work and realize it. “A game like this will help us grow,” said junior forward Dominic Cheek. “We will watch tape on this and get back to practice sand get better.” A case in point was the opening of the second half. “We gave Denmon a wide-open three that he hit,” Wright said.”And we let him get loose on a backdoor. Think of that. Two possessions for five points. Down the stretch we still were right there.”

Mouphraou Yarou is solid inside. The junior forward scored 11 points, adding eight rebounds. He needs help in the paint, however. JayVaughn Pinkston, a redshirt freshman, added 10 points and seven rebounds. Pinkston showed some flashes of competence inside but is still a work in progress. “Last year he (Pinkston) was suspended,” Wright said. “He not only lost competition but training because he was working nine hours a day. He’s still rusty.”

Maalik Wayns hit a few threes during the second half Villanova run. Cheek runs the floor and is effective in transition . A freshman guard, Darrun Hilliard, has a nice outside touch and is a player to watch.

The Wildcats, in Wright’s estimation, are on the right track. “It’s almost embarrassing to say after losing by ten but we are getting better,” Wright noted. “We have confidence. We do have room for improvement in a lot of spots but I really like our team. We have a chance to be very good.”

3. Marquette-Washington entertained us. It all came down to the final possession. A last-second Washington shot was off the mark and Marquette held on for a nice intersectional triumph. It was a game with nine ties and 19, yes 19, lead changes. Just moments before the final Husky miss, Jae Crowder of Marquette buried a three for the game winner. It was Crowder’s (18 points) only made trey on the evening.

It was one of those rare games where the Huskies ‘won’ in the efficiency 109-107 but lost the game. Washington had 71 possessions, while Marquette checked in at 74. Terrence Ross (19 points), C.J. Wilcox (15) and Tony Wroten (13) effectively manned the backcourt. The Huskies did not have a solid finisher up front, though the presence of 7-footer Aziz N’Diaye, with his 13 boards and two rejections, was significant.

Marquette lost 7-foot Chris Otule to a knee injury just two minutes into the contest. Coach Buzz Williams felt Otule’s presence would be significant in defending ball screens. Darius Johnson-Odom penetrated well, got out in transition and led all scorers with 23 points. Williams is a tempo free aficionado preaches the value of caring for the ball to his team. Little surprise, Marquette had only 10 turnovers, a sterling 14% TO rate. Washington in contrast checked in with a 23% TO rate. Very significant in a one possession game.

4. Pressure. The window is closing. The Pac 12 may not, probably not, provide Washington with the chance for many signature wins that are needed come Selection Sunday. The Huskies, with this loss fell to 4-3. With Duke coming up at the Garden on Saturday, is there pressure to win that matchup? After Duke, only three home dates, UC Santa Barbara, South Dakota St and Cal State Northridge, remain prior to Pac 12 play. “There is pressure each and every game to be our best,” said Washington coach Lorenzo Romar. “Tonight I thought we played a pretty good game but each game and each practice we put the pressure on ourselves to get better.” Saturday Duke will provide its share as well.

Records: Marquette and Missouri exited MSG with perfect 8-0 slates. Villanova is now 5-3.

Kentucky probably has the most talent of any team in the country, but the Wildcats’ youth hasn’t been hard to see. Their freshmen have had their share of growing pains, from Marquis Teague’s early struggles taking care of the ball to Anthony Davis learning how physical the college game can be. It’s for exactly that reason that senior Darius Miller has never been more valuable than much of the early going this time around.

North Carolina is right up there with the Wildcats, but this is an older and more mature team. Whereas the Wildcats start three freshmen, the Tar Heels only played two freshmen yesterday and both came off the bench. But they start a senior, two juniors and two sophomores, and on the whole this is a team quite a ways from its ceiling just like Kentucky.

In the first half, North Carolina led by as many as nine and was the better team. They were hot from long range, going 6-9 from behind the arc in the opening frame. But Kentucky scored seven in a row at the end of the first and start of the second half, momentarily grabbing the lead and then staying right with the Tar Heels until they took the lead for good on a Davis jumper with less than eight minutes to play.

The Tar Heels had one more chance after Teague missed the front end of a one-and-one with 21 seconds left. They got the ball to John Henson, known more for his shot-blocking than scoring, and in a length-versus-length matchup, Davis got a hand on his short jumper and the Wildcats were able to run out the final seconds for a 73-72 victory.

It’s a game that many would love to see a rematch of, and considering that both teams are a ways from their respective ceilings, no one would be surprised if it materialized in the month of March.

While that was the best matchup of the day, there were a few other teams, conferences and player of note.

Marquette

Winning at the Kohl Center is hard for visiting teams to do, but Marquette pulled it off on Saturday and did so without their starting point guard. Before the game, the Golden Eagles announced that Junior Cadougan was suspended for the game due to a violation of team rules. Wisconsin has lost two straight, but neither is a bad loss as they lost to North Carolina earlier in the week. The Golden Eagles, meanwhile, are 7-0 with a blowout win over Ole Miss and Saturday’s win at Wisconsin.

Xavier

Xavier is becoming quite the second-half team. On Monday, they trailed by ten in the second half before rallying to beat Vanderbilt in overtime in Nashville. But yesterday they did themselves one better, as they trailed Purdue by 11 at the half and 19 in the second half before coming back to edge the Boilermakers 66-63. In the last 10:44, Xavier outscored Purdue 30-8.

Illinois

It seems like Bruce Weber has been on the hot seat forever in Champaign, but let’s acknowledge not only the job he has done thus far but especially what he is doing this season. After an 82-75 win over Gonzaga on Saturday, the Illini are 8-0 with wins over Richmond and at Maryland as well. Neither of those two is a big NCAA Tournament resume win, but they are worth noting because the Illini haven’t beaten up on a slew of terrible teams and could be 12-0 when they take on Missouri on Dec. 22, though they will have to get by UNLV at home before then. Saturday was the first time all season Gonzaga did not have at least four players score in double figures.

Brigham Young

No Jimmer, no problem for Brigham Young. After Saturday’s 79-65 win over Oregon in Salt Lake City, BYU is 6-2 with a win over Nevada included and the only losses being at Utah State and against Wisconsin. Granted, this isn’t the Oregon team we all thought we would see before the season with the departures of Jabari Brown and Bruce Barron, but the Ducks aren’t pushovers.

Head-scratching in the CAA

A number of conferences have their opening games this weekend before teams resume non-conference play for a little while longer. Perhaps none has had results that might leave one scratching their head as much as the Colonial Athletic Association, where three teams won on the road and preseason favorite Drexel lost to Delaware by 11 (albeit on the road). The Dragons have had a rough go of it thus far, but Chris Fouch is back so they’re closer to having their full team together. Still, Fouch was 0-9 yesterday and the Blue Hens won the battle on the glass by a 40-32 margin over a Drexel team that routinely beats up opponents on the boards.

The one other score that jumps out is Georgia State thumping William & Mary 66-34 in Atlanta. The Tribe didn’t look to be far from being a good team last season, but they’re struggling mightily out of the gates and Saturday may be the low point thus far.

We go coast to coast with other news from the college basketball nation

• Ohio State didn’t miss a beat despite Jared Sullinger being out with back spasms.
• College of Charleston lost a wealth of talent and experience from last season’s team, but the Cougars are 7-1 overall and are one of four teams that went 2-0 in early Southern Conference games this weekend. Chattanooga, who the Cougars beat last night and was picked to win the North Division, is 0-2.
• Connecticut got a big lift from Ryan Boatright with 23 points and six assists in his home debut.
• UCLA is now 2-5 after a home loss to Texas that saw them blow an 11-point lead.

Some of Sunday’s Key Matchups

Sunday is a day full of interesting matchups of teams that we’re trying to find out something about. None of these are like North Carolina-Kentucky, but they will be worth keeping an eye on.

• Baylor at Northwestern
• UNLV at Wichita State
• California at San Diego State
• Dayton at Murray State
• North Carolina State at Stanford
• Notre Dame at Maryland
• VCU vs. George Washington (BB&T Classic at the Verizon Center)
• Kansas State at Virginia Tech

When Duke takes on Michigan State in the Champions Classic in New York City, coach Mike Krzyzewski will have an opportunity to pass his mentor, Bob Knight, for the most Division I wins in NCAA history. The Blue Devils beat Presbyterian Saturday to give Coach K win No. 902. A third consecutive victory to open the season would be the record-setter.

In a press conference Monday, Coach K said that “somebody asked me this morning about where would this be in a list of things that you feel really good about, and I said, ‘It’s behind every championship. And not just national championships but league championships.’”

That doesn’t mean it’s not a big deal. Krzyzewski, who turns 65 in February, has been one of the top coaches in the game for several decades after a slow start to his career in Durham. His perseverance and determination are a model of leadership that extends far beyond a basketball arena. In a sport filled with unsavory characters and frequent recruiting violations, Coach K keeps Duke on the up and up. He takes pride in his players’ high graduation rate, and he cares more about the accomplishments of specific Blue Devil teams than his own accolades.

“You want to win a championship with the team that you coach that year, and those are the things that you remember are championship moments — whether they be league championship moments, regular season, ACC,” Krzyzewski said. “Obviously the biggest thing that you can remember easily is national championships. But championships are things that I look back on because that’s a real accomplishment.”

Another coaching legend, Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, won’t make it easy for Coach K to celebrate his record-breaking victory. But whenever Krzyzewski gets No. 903, it will be one of the major highlights of the entire 2011-12 season.

We go coast to coast with other news from the college basketball nation.

• Louisville junior guard Mike Marra will miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL against Lamar Sunday, according to an Associated Press report. Marra’s loss is significant as he was an important member of coach Rick Pitino’s backcourt rotation, averaging 6.4 points per game last season.
• The good news for Louisville is that freshman guard Kevin Ware has his academics in order now and will be eligible to play for the Cardinals starting in mid-December, after the university’s fall semesters concludes, according to a Lexington Herald-Leader report.
• Arizona had to dig deep to rally past Ball State, which held a nine-point halftime lead against the Wildcats Sunday. With junior swingman Kevin Parrom back in the lineup just seven weeks after being shot in the leg and hand while visiting family in New York City and four weeks after his mother died, according to the Associated Press, the Wildcats found the will to lock down the Cardinals in the second half for a 73-63 win. Parrom contributed six points and four rebounds in 18 minutes to help get the Wildcats the victory.
• Instant replay might slow down the game in the NFL, but at least the officials get the calls right more often than not. Vermont probably wishes more stadiums had replay capabilities after falling victim to a lack of technology in a 61-59 loss to South Florida played at Division II University of Tampa. After calling a timeout, the clock ran for an extra second or two, but the referees couldn’t review the time on the clock because there were no available video feeds, writes ESPN.com’s Eamonn Brennan. The Catamounts hit a would-be game-tying tip-in on their final possession — just after the buzzer.
• Texas A&M will be without one of the best players in the Big 12, Khris Middleton, while the junior forward recovers from a knee injury suffered during the Aggies’ 81-59 win against Liberty, according to an Associated Press report.
• According to a CBS Sports.com wire report, Marquette will play its first three games without freshman Juan Anderson for a rules violation. The oftense? Accepting a free ticket to see the Milwaukee Brewers in the Major League Baseball playoffs.

Last Year:

22-15 overall, 9-9 Big East (T-9th)

Coach:

Buzz Williams (4th season, 69-36)

Projected starting five:

G: Junior Cadougan, Sr.
G: Darius Johnson-Odom, Sr.
F: Vander Blue, So.
F: Jae Crowder, Sr.
C: Chris Otule, Jr.

Important departures:

Jimmy Butler 15.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.3 apg
Dwight Buycks 8.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 3.4 apg

Inside the numbers:

62 percent scoring returning
66 percent rebounding returning

Additions:

F: Juan Anderson 6’6”, 200 – Rivals #61
G: Derrick Wilson, 6’0”, 205 – ESPNU Pos. #32
G: Todd Mayo, 6’3”, 190

Schedule:

Toughest nonconference game(s): 12/3 at (14) Wisconsin, 12/29 vs. (7) Vanderbilt
Toughest in-conference stretch: 1/7 – 1/16 at (5) Syracuse, vs. St. John’s, vs. (11) Pittsburgh, vs. (8) Louisville

Prediction:

6th in BE; 20+ wins; Second round of NCAA Tournament

What to expect:

Marquette, coming off a roller-coaster season that ended with a loss to UNC in the Sweet 16, should have a solid core returning that could make the Golden Eagles a threat to make a little run in the NCAA Tournament again this year.

Despite losing Jimmy Butler and Dwight Buycks, Marquette has guys like Darius Johnson-Odom, Jae Crowder and Junior Cadougan who can fill the void. DJO and Crowder will be the primary scorers for Marquette as Cadougan will be pegged as mainly a facilitator.

Look for DJO and Crowder to flourish as Buzz Williams mixes in Vander Blue, Oregon transfer Jamil Wilson and Derrick Wilson, giving the Golden Eagles plenty of options to have a solid year in the BE and possibly make some noise in the NCAA.

Next: Notre Dame

Back to Big East preview

Kentucky 76, North Carolina 69

Possessions:

Kentucky 69

North Carolina 71

Offensive efficiency:

Kentucky 110

North Carolina 97

The Kentucky defense was a big story here. The Wildcats held North Carolina, as noted above, to an average defensive showing in the efficiency department. The tempo was more in line to the Tar Heels’ liking. Part of the reason was due to Kentucky getting out and running their own fast break to establish an early lead. John Calipari’s club did a great job limiting the Tar Heel finishes on the break, as Carolina scored only 12 points on fast break opportunities.

DeAndre Liggins drew a starting assignment for the Wildcats. The senior guard’s main task was containing UNC lead guard Kendall Marshall, especially in not allowing him to ignite the Tar Heel transition. Liggins did the job and on his own behalf hit a huge three that increased UK’s lead to four with just under a minute remaining. The Kentucky defense was also reflected in their holding the opposition to a 46 percent eFG percentage.

John Henson of North Carolina was limited to a 4-point, 9-rebound performance before fouling out. Henson played only 23 minutes. Coach Roy Williams missed Henson’s presence to grab offensive boards and block shots. A further point can be made that Henson’s absence allowed Kentucky to pay a little more attention to Tyler Zeller, who did lead UNC with 21 points, down low.

The semifinals:

North Carolina 81, Marquette 63

Possessions:

Marquette 73

North Carolina 69

Offensive efficiency:

Marquette 86

North Carolina 117

The first half was a “Murphy’s law” twenty minutes for Buzz Williams & Co. Marquette had an efficiency of .44. Worse, they had twice as many turnovers (12) as field goals (6) and no assists. The TO rate was an astounding 35 percent. A 19-0 Tar Heel run during the opening twenty minutes was instrumental in building a 40-15 lead at the break.

The second half saw the Big east representatives settle down. Their offense improved (52% ercent shooting) as did a defense that limited the Tar Heels to a 38 percent field goal percentage after intermission.

Tyler Zeller (27 points) and John Henson (14 points) did the damage inside for Carolina. Harrison Barnes with 20 was effective inside and out. Defensively, Dexter Strickland frustrated Marquette’s Darius Odom-Johnson 97 points) into a tough 2-of-9 shooting night.

Kentucky 62, Ohio State 60

Possessions:

Kentucky 59

Offensive efficiency:

Kentucky 105

Ohio State 100

The pace was right in line for both clubs. Kentucky was hurt on the boards as the Buckeyes had a 39-26 percent advantage in offensive rebounding percentage. That was offset by a defense that limited Ohio State to a 38 percent eFG mark. Known for forcing turnovers on defense, Ohio State could only disrupt the Wildcats into a 19 percent TO rate. That figure is better than the 20 percent cutoff and showed UK’s ability to care for the ball. Jared Sullinger led Ohio State with 21 points 16 rebounds 98 offensive). The freshman phenom was forced to work for everything by Josh Harrellson, a 17-point, 10-rebound performer in his own behalf.

It all came down once again to Brandon Knight. The UK freshman struggled (nine points on 3-of-10 shooting) but came up big late as he did in round one against Princeton. Knight hit a crucial three-pointer late in the game and nailed the eventual game-deciding shot with nine seconds to play.

The last game of the day proved to be the best one at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. West Virginia rode some hot shooting in the first half to a lead, as the Mountaineers were 7-11 from long range. They shot over 58 percent from the field in the half. Then Marquette turned it around in the second half, holding the Mountaineers to 22.2 percent shooting, including just 3-11 from long range.

“(Darius Johnson-Odom’s) shots were big, but the reason we won the game was because we guarded in the second half,” said head coach Buzz Williams.

Added West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins: “Shoot 22 percent the second half, you’re not going to win. You’re not going to win in this league doing that.”

The Golden Eagles got good games from their backcourt, although not in the sense that they dominated the game. They had decent numbers, but they really came through in the clutch. Johnson-Odom’s three-pointers that broke a 55-55 tie will get a lot of attention, but Junior Cadougan made plays that were very big in the grand scheme of things as well and Jimmy Butler didn’t have big numbers but made his share of plays.

Cadougan scored 13 of his team-high 15 points in the second half. Included in that was a layup that pushed the lead back to six and two free throws that helped seal the game in the final minute. Earlier, he went on a personal 7-0 run to start a rally when the Golden Eagles were down 44-35 in the second half.

“We put this game on Junior,” said Johnson-Odom. “He carried us and controlled the game and did a great job doing it.”

Marquette’s RPI is a little shaky, as it was 68 at the beginning of the week. But the Golden Eagles now have six wins against the RPI top 25 among their 20 on the season, and the worst loss is probably the one at Seton Hall to end the regular season, which is hardly a resume killer. Their RPI should go up from two more wins thus far, especially another top 25 win. It all adds up to what should be a pretty good case to be in the NCAA Tournament, but Williams understandably won’t take anything for granted.

“I went out early again tonight and I was looking for someone on the selection committee,” Williams said. “I didn’t see anybody. I thought they would be the best dressed here. I saw guys from Wall Street but I didn’t see anybody from the selection committee.”

Williams didn’t just have fun with the question about being in the NCAA Tournament, though. He did have a serious response.

“I think the best thing is to continue to win because the teams that are continuing to play this late in March are typically going to play next week,” the Marquette mentor added. “Our guys are smart enough to deduct all of that.”

Marquette should feel pretty good about their case now. Another win or two might get them a pretty good seed since it would mean more top 25 wins, but right now they look to be in good shape. The only question will be their seed.

Syracuse Orange (Overall: 28-4, Big East: 15-3)

No. 1 seed, West Region

The Orange enter the NCAA Tournament as a favorite to contend for the national championship. But they will need to overcome some adversity to work their way through the West Region, even though they are a No. 1 seed. Syracuse will play at least the first weekend without senior Arinze Onuaku, who injured a quad in the Orange’s Big East Tournament loss to Georgetown. The Orange primarily use a seven-man rotation, so the loss of Onuaku makes them dangerously thin against No. 16 Vermont and either No. 8 Gonzaga or No. 9 Florida State.

Despite Onuaku’s loss, Syracuse should be able to get through the first weekend of action, though likely with more difficulty than originally anticipated. Syracuse’s offense will continue to roll along as one of the most efficient offenses in the country, according to Ken Pomeroy’s statistics. Guards Wes Johnson and Andy Rautins fuel the No. 9 offense in the country. Both are tall guards — at 6-7, Johnson is more of a swingman — and present match up problems for opponents. They each shoot better than 39 percent from three-point range and combine to average 27.7 points per game.

However, Syracuse is not unbeatable, as Louisville proved twice this season. The Orange give up a lot of offensive rebounds because they play the 2-3 zone nearly exclusively. That scheme makes it more difficult to box out opponents. And offensively, Syracuse has a bad habit of turning the ball over.

Syracuse won’t meet a team until at least the Sweet 16 that can take advantage of those weaknesses. And that team is No. 13-seed Murray State, which would be overmatched offensively. However, if Onuaku remains out and the Racers find a way to get past No. 4-seed Vanderbilt and Butler/UTEP, Murray State has an excellent chance to shock the Orange.

Most likely, Syracuse will reach the Elite Eight, where the Orange’s run through the tournament will come to an abrupt halt. Three likely opponents — No. 2-seed Kansas State, No. 3-seed Pittsburgh and No. 7-seed BYU — all have the type of profile that would give the Orange fits.

Kansas State can rebound well and plays a fast-paced, intense game that would prevent Syracuse from stalling the Wildcats’ offense. Pittsburgh already has one win against the Orange this season. And BYU shoots 43 percent from three-point range and plays at one of the fastest paces in the country. The Cougars will try to beat Syracuse’s defense down the floor to prevent the Orange from setting up the 2-3 zone. And if they have to play in the half court, the Cougars can shoot over the zone.

West Virginia Mountaineers (Overall: 27-6, Big East 13-5)

No. 2 seed, East Region

The Mountaineers are one of the trendy picks to reach the Final Four as a No. 2 seed. And why not? West Virginia has five wins against teams seeded No. 1-3. The Mountaineers already have proven that they can beat anybody.

The key to West Virginia’s success is methodical offense, stout defense and better effort than their opponents’. A trio of players averages at least 11 points and six rebounds per game, led by senior Da’Sean Butler’s 17.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Butler proved in the Big East Tournament that he is a clutch player who can hit game-winning shots when needed. And West Virginia might need those services once or twice if West Virginia wants to reach the Final Four.

West Virginia’s weakness is flat-out ugly shooting. The Mountaineers shoot 48.8 percent from inside the arc, 33.6 percent from three-point range, and 69.6 percent from the free throw line. And West Virginia’s defense allows opponents to put up nearly identical numbers. The difference is that West Virginia is second-best in the country at collecting offensive rebounds, and the Mountaineers are among the top third in grabbing defensive rebounds. All of West Virginia’s starters are at least 6-7, except point guard Darryl “Truck” Bryant.

West Virginia should have no troubles against its first two opponents. In the Sweet 16, No. 3-seed New Mexico could present problems. The Lobos are No. 5 in the country at gathering defensive rebounds, and they shoot well from three-point range. New Mexico also doesn’t commit turnovers. If West Virginia faces New Mexico, they’ll lose. But the Mountaineers look like they might catch a break thanks to a tough second-round draw for the Lobos, and West Virginia should make it to the Elite Eight.

In the Elite Eight, West Virginia will either step up its offensive game or lose to No. 4-seed Wisconsin, which has the talent and offensive skills to get past tough defenses like Temple and Kentucky. The Badgers play as slow as West Virginia does and are more efficient on offense. That spells trouble for a team that doesn’t shoot well. Because Wisconsin isn’t concerned about setting up fast breaks, the entire team crashes the boards, which would neutralize West Virginia’s strength. Somewhat counterintuitively, the Mountaineers want the top seed, Kentucky, to reach the Elite Eight because that would present a much easier match up. But it’s not going to happen.

Villanova Wildcats (Overall: 24-7, Big East: 13-5)

No. 2 seed, South Region

Villanova is in trouble. The No. 2 seed in the South Region started the season 20-1 before losing six of its final 10 games. Three of the four wins came against teams that aren’t playing in the NCAA Tournament. Opponents started to figure out that the Wildcats’ defense is vulnerable to attacking offenses. Villanova is one of the most foul-prone teams in the tournament.

Villanova’s defensive liability will likely rear its head sooner rather than later because No. 7-seed Richmond and No. 10-seed Saint Mary’s will have match up advantages that will lead to an upset. The Wildcats have one of the most efficient offenses in the country, which will keep them in the game. And senior Scottie Reynolds is one of the most clutch players in the country, shooting better than 54 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range. But Richmond and Saint Mary’s have the height to frustrate Villanova’s outside shooters. And both teams shoot free throws well, which will likely be the deciding factor in a major second-round upset.

Pittsburgh Panthers (Overall: 24-8, Big East: 13-5)

No. 3 seed, West Region

For the Panthers, the West Region’s No. 3 seed, success will come slowly — literally. The Panthers average only 62 possessions per game, one of the slowest tempos in the country. After bleeding some of the clock, the Panthers are usually efficient on offense, even though they don’t shoot particularly well inside or outside the arc.

The team’s most critical player is sophomore Ashton Gibbs, who leads the team with 15.8 points per game. He is the team’s lone three-point threat, and he makes 40.2 percent of his three-point attempts. Joining Gibbs in the backcourt, Jermaine Dixon and Brad Wannamaker are a pair of seasoned guards who can help Pitt control the pace.

To beat Pittsburgh, an opponent needs to put pressure on a sometimes stagnant offense, force a faster tempo, deny second-chance points by grabbing rebounds, and play solid interior defense. That’s a lot to ask of an opponent, but the Panthers might face a few teams that meet that profile, starting with No. 6-seed Xavier in the second round. The Panthers find a way past the Musketeers before falling to No. 2-seed Kansas State or No. 7-seed BYU in the Sweet 16.

Georgetown Hoyas (Overall: 23-10, Big East: 10-8)

No. 3 seed, Midwest Region

The Hoyas are one of the more dangerous teams in the tournament, as they proved at Madison Square Garden when they beat Syracuse and Marquette before losing to West Virginia in the Big East championship game. But Georgetown is the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Region. Although the Hoyas have the offense to hang with top-seeded Kansas, they don’t have a good enough defense. And Georgetown turns the ball a little too often to seriously threaten Kansas. Of course, that would assume the Hoyas can get past No. 2-seed Wisconsin.

Georgetown excels at finding good shots, thanks to sophomore center Greg Monroe. The big man looks like a surefire top five lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft, and Hoya fans hope he can help deliver a deep NCAA Tournament run before moving to the pros. With Monroe as the centerpiece of the offense, Georgetown shoots 54.6 percent inside the arc. Led by newly diagnosed diabetic Austin Freeman, Georgetown’s perimeter players shoot 38.8 percent from three-point range.

Despite the presence of Monroe on defense, the Hoyas aren’t great at stopping opponents. That likely won’t be a problem until Georgetown reaches Ohio State in the Sweet 16. Led by Evan Turner, the Buckeyes have the offensive efficiency needed to hang with Georgetown. And because Ohio State forces a significant number of turnovers, Georgetown’s tournament run will unravel in St. Louis.

Marquette Golden Eagles (Overall: 22-11, Big East 11-7)

No. 6 seed, East Region

It’s hard to tell whether Marquette will win more than a game or two — or any — in the tournament. But it is almost certain that the No. 6 seed in the East Region will be involved in some great finishes.

In four out of five of Marquette’s final regular-season games, the Golden Eagles had to work overtime, winning three of them. The Golden Eagles played 16 games in which the final margin was five points or less. That’s nearly half the team’s games. However, Marquette won only half those tight games.

For the most part, Marquette doesn’t beat itself, committing the fifth-fewest turnovers in the country. With a guard-oriented lineup, the Golden Eagles rely heavily on three-point shooting. But they’re good at it, hitting 40.6 percent from three-point range. As often happens to guard-heavy teams, Marquette struggles to get rebounds.

That could pose an immediate problem against No. 11-seed Washington. The Huskies are hot as winners of seven consecutive games. And they are good at rebounding. Washington crashes the offensive glass, often successfully. In addition, the Huskies don’t commit many turnovers. Washington has a more balanced offensive and defensive attack than Marquette, and if the Huskies can control the pace, they’ll upset Marquette.

Despite a strong season, Marquette will fall to a Washington team that has an experienced starting cast that will dictate the pace.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Overall: 23-11, Big East: 10-8)

No. 6 seed, South Region

Notre Dame stormed through the final weeks of the regular season, much of that without Luke Harangody, to earn an NCAA Tournament bid. Their run impressed the selection committee, which rewarded the Fighting Irish with a No. 6 seed in the South Region. Frankly, that’s too good of a seed for this team, despite victories against Pittsburgh (twice), Georgetown and Marquette in the past three weeks.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s first-round opponent, No. 11-seed Old Dominion, is probably better than that seeding. This match up could easily be a No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed, which would be considered a toss up. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that Old Dominion has an excellent shot to beat the heavily imbalanced Irish. Notre Dame has the No. 4 offense in efficiency but the No. 140 defense. That defensive ranking has improved since Harangody’s injury and subsequent reduced role. But the team’s offense has also leveled off a little, too.

For its part, Old Dominion has the No. 16 defense and No. 72 offense. That’s not great balance, but it’s better than Notre Dame. Plus Old Dominion has a tall lineup anchored by senior center Gerald Lee, who should cause fits for the Fighting Irish. Old Dominion leads Division I in offensive rebounding, which should continue against Notre Dame. The Irish like to mix a health dose of zone coverage into their defensive sets.

These teams might not combine for 100 points, but look for the Monarchs to end Notre Dame’s impressive late-season surge.

Louisville Cardinals (Overall: 20-12, Big East: 11-7)

No. 9 seed, South Region

Louisville is a more balanced version of its first-round opponent, No. 9-seed California. The Cardinals, who are the No. 8 seed in the South Region, have a fairly efficient offense and a middle-of-the-road defense. In comparison, Cal’s offense is No. 4 in efficiency, but its defense is No. 81. For Louisville to get past California and cause problems for top-seeded Duke, the Cardinals need to channel the energy they played with against Syracuse, which Louisville beat twice this season.

For the Cardinals to take care of California, sophomore Samardo Samuels needs to use his superior size to create a mismatch. Samuels averages 15.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for the Cardinals. WIth his size, he can force California to collapse its defense, opening opportunities for Edgar Sosa and Louisville’s outside shooters. That formula delivered huge wins against Syracuse.

The Cardinals will use that game plan to success against Cal, but it won’t be enough against Duke. Although Louisville might frustrate Duke at times, the Blue Devils have too much talent to fall to an inconsistent Louisville team.

Buzz Williams is up front about his team’s identity.  He admits his team is “just okay” talent-wise, and that’s true.  The Golden Eagles aren’t full of McDonald’s All-Americans, instead possessing a team of solid, underrated players that don’t stop competing.  They’re not as talented or experienced as last season, when they had a core group of seniors who won a lot of games together.  It’s a roster the vast majority of teams in Division I would love to have, but compared to some of their Big East brethren it’s nothing to write home about solely from a talent standpoint.

“We’re just okay, but we’ll fight you tooth and nail for every inch,” Williams said.

Marquette lost three games, including their first two in Big East play, by less than five points before they finally pulled out such a game – their third game in Big East play, a 62-59 win over Georgetown.  Sure enough, the next time out, they were in another game like it, a 78-76 loss to a Villanova team that just a week earlier beat them by two.  Later, they lost by one at DePaul and five at Syracuse.

That’s five losses in Big East play by a combined 11 points.  They were a few plays away from having a few more wins, and a play or two away from having another loss.  But now the tide may be turning.  With an 82-79 win at Providence on Saturday, the Golden Eagles have now won four straight, two of them by three points or less as they pulled out a 70-68 win at Connecticut just a week earlier.

Williams isn’t quick to say that they are better from experience, but he doesn’t discount that it might be a key contributor, either.

“I definitely think over the last four games that we’ve made more plays down the stretch,” said the second-year head coach.  “I don’t know if that’s because we have grown from the previous five losses by a combined 11 points, four against top-eight opponents.  I don’t think that hurts – the results hurt – but I think that it grows you if you’re trying to learn and trying to be better.”

Marquette certainly did well to be in the games that they lost along the way.  Williams notes that all of the Big East losses except the one at DePaul came against a highly-ranked opponent, so just being in the game said something about the team.  Naturally, they want to win, and he doesn’t leave that out in noting that “it’s just not the result that we wanted.”

Ironically, although they pulled out Saturday’s game, they almost gave it away.  A three-pointer by Jimmy Butler put them up 78-70 with 2:06 left, before they traded a three for two free throws to have an 80-73 lead with 1:19 left.  Vincent Council missed the second free throw, but Providence turned that into a four-point trip as Sharaud Curry buried a three-pointer from right in front of his bench.  Council then stole a bad inbound pass and found a streaking Jamine Peterson for two more, and all of a sudden it was a one-point game with 55 seconds left.

After a timeout, Lazar Hayward, who had a big second half, grabbed a big offensive rebound and made two free throws to give them some breathing room.  But they still had to defend the Friars one more time, and managed to keep the Friars from getting it to their primary options, which forced Council to take the potential game-tying three-pointer that was no good.

“Obviously, that’s not good basketball, and you don’t want to finish the game or start the game like that,” Williams said of the final couple of minutes.

With their near-implosion in the final minutes, it’s almost easy to forget that the Golden Eagles had to rally just to be in that position.  Providence led by as many as 10 in the first half and took a 40-36 lead into the locker room.  A few minutes into the second half, they led by eight.  Last year, the Golden Eagles came from behind to win at Providence, but that was different as that team had a core group that was not only very talented but also knew how to win.  You had a feeling that team was going to rally and then put the game away, which they did.  It’s not quite the same with this year’s team.  But this year’s team has gained quite a bit of experience, especially in close games, and by now that undoubtedly makes a difference.

“They don’t get rattled when you make a run and a comeback,” said Providence head coach Keno Davis.  “The more experienced team you have, the more it helps.”

The Golden Eagles aren’t loaded with experience, but they have gained quite a bit.  That, along with their identity, goes a long way.  After all, they are just all right, but sometimes that’s enough when combined with an intangible or two, because some teams won’t do enough to earn every ounce of a victory.