Big East the toughest from top to bottom 
September, 10, 2008
09/10/08
10:12
AM ET
The discussion of which conference will be the best in 2009 is not a long one. The Big East will be the best league top to bottom in college basketball and arguably the most competitive league in the world. The NCAA selection committee likes to put forth the idea that the 34 best teams (after the automatic qualifiers are considered) will be selected and put into the field without regard to conference affiliation. It is a good idea in theory, but not always in practice. In 2009, the Big East will test the committee's theory. The Big East could be the first conference to put 10 teams in the NCAA tournament field. It is that strong and that good.
1. Big East
UConn, Louisville, Pitt, Notre Dame, Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, Syracuse and West Virginia likely will be NCAA tournament teams. Cincinnati, Seton Hall and Providence could be near the line at the end. No team will back into a win in this league. In the Big East in 2009, you can play well yet lose anyway.
UConn, Louisville, Pitt, Notre Dame, Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, Syracuse and West Virginia likely will be NCAA tournament teams. Cincinnati, Seton Hall and Providence could be near the line at the end. No team will back into a win in this league. In the Big East in 2009, you can play well yet lose anyway.
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Jay Bilas
Jay Bilas provides expert color commentary from courtside on college basketball games and serves as a studio analyst and as the co-host of ESPN's popular studio shows "College GameDay" and "College Gamenight." He also writes for ESPN.com and contributes numerous reports for "SportsCenter." Since 2003, Bilas has provided in-depth player scouting and analysis for ESPN's coverage of the NBA draft.
