2008 Big East Basketball Predictions
Written October 21, 2008 by Jack Jones
The Big East is going to be the best basketball conference in the nation in 2008-09. It would be impossible for us to cover all of the teams in just one article, and that is why we break our previews out by team. Take a look below as we give out our predicted order of finish, the college basketball odds on each team winning the conference title, and a link to the full writeup we have on each school. Remember to check back every night of the season for the best NCAA basketball picks in the business offered by our staff of expert handicappers. All odds are offered by BetUS. To see why we like this book check out our BetUS review for more details.
1. UConn (+200) – The Huskies are national title contenders and one of the top teams in the land, so we see them edging out the Cardinals for the crown. For more read our Connecticut basketball predictions article.
2. Louisville (+200) – Rick Pitino has another loaded team that he will take places, maybe even the Final Four but we have to give the edge to the Huskies. Our Louisville basketball predictions provide more details.
3. Notre Dame (+300) – Luke Harangody is coming off a year in which he was named the league’s best player. If this conference wasn’t so stacked then he could lead the Irish to the Big East title. Read more about the Irish in our Notre Dame basketball predictions.
4. Pittsburgh (+500) – There is a nice nucleus of players herewith Levance Fields, Sam Young and DeJuan Blair, but they just aren’t quite as talented as some of the other squads here in the conference. Find out more in our Pittsburgh basketball predictions.
5. Marquette (+450) – Tom Crean left a lot of talent on the roster for Buzz Williams, but getting deep into the tournament is still kind of a reach. Our Marquette basketball predictions detail more about the team.
6. Georgetown (+800) – For the John Thompson III and his Hoyas there isn’t a rebuilding year, they just reload as we see them rolling along again with a core group of young players. We have more details in our Georgetown basketball predictions.
7. Syracuse (+750) – With Donte Greene bolting for the NBA one might think the Orange drop off, but with Devendorf and Rautins back from injury this team will get a big boost. Find out more in our Syracuse basketball predictions article.
8. Villanova (+900) – This team barely made the tournament last year but with a solid perimeter should breathe a little easier come Selection Sunday. Our Villanova basketball predictions have more info.
9. West Virginia (+900)- Bob Huggins took this team pretty far in his first season as head coach, and with the recruiting class he brought in could surprise some people this year as well. Read more of our West Virginia basketball predictions.
10. Providence (+1500) – The cupboard sure isn’t bare for head coach Keno Davis, but can he take Providence to the tournament like he did the Drake Bulldogs last year? Find out in our Providence basketball predictions.
11. Cincinnati (+2000) – Deonta Vaughn is good enough to keep the Bearcats in a lot of games. Read our Cincinnati basketball predictions for more.
12. DePaul (+1500) – There is a lot of talent on this team, but they are young and inexperienced. Read more in our DePaul basketball predictions.
13. Seton Hall (+2000) – There are a lot of question marks for the Pirates, not the least of which is can head coach Bobby Gonzalez keep it under control? Find out more in our Seton Hall basketball predictions.
14. Rutgers (+3000) – I’d say this group is at least a year away from making the ove up the ranks, but they should do better than their three win totals of the last two seasons. See what else we think in the Rutgers basketball predictions writeup.
15. South Florida (+5000) – So many fresh faces for the Bulls that it’s tough to see them doing much better than last season. Find out more in our South Florida basketball predictions article.
16. St. John’s (+5000) – This team is young and has trouble scoring, which won’t equate to many wins in the Big East. Read more in our St. John’s basksetball predictions.
If you liked this article, you may also be interested in:
- March Madness Bubble Teams: Big East
- 2009 Big East Men’s Basketball Tournament Predictions
- College Basketball Betting: ACC vs Big East Debate
- 2009 America East Men’s Basketball Tournament Predictions
- St. John’s vs Georgetown: Big East Tournament Preview
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