Big East Overrated in College Hoops

Corey Rudd Saturday, January 01, 2011 College BB

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 27: Travon Woodall of the Pittsburgh Panthers and Kemba Walker of the Connecticut Huskies have a laugh at Petersen Events Center on December 27, 2010 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh defeated Connecticut 78-64. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Is the Big East really that good? Their record against the AP
Top 25 suggests otherwise.

As the calendar turns to 2011 and conference play begins, there is one thing that seems to be blatantly obvious about the state of college basketball. All the pundits claim that the Big East is the supreme conference in college basketball.

Sure the Big East currently has 5 teams in the top 10 in the country and two others in the AP Top 25 to join them. Sure the conference only has two teams with losing records and the likes of Syracuse and Connecticut ranked in the top 5 in the country.

But the Big East isn't really that good and they haven't really been tested. I say this and point to one glaring statistic.

The Big East is just 10-12 versus the rest of the AP Top 25, hardly a record that resembles easily the best conference in basketball.

Battlefield Bad Company 2 Vietnam Available NOW at EA Store!

Yes, the Big East is stacked from top to bottom with quality teams.

Yes the Big East probably has the most NBA prospects.

Yes the Big East plays a physical brand of basketball.

But their record against the rest of the nation's elite teams suggests that they aren't head and shoulders better than everyone else. 10-12 is just mediocre.

I am in the opinion that the Big East is the best conference in basketball, but I also think that the Big 12 and Big 10 are right behind them.

Teams like Kansas, Ohio State, Missouri, Kansas State, and Purdue can bang with the powers in the Big East on any night.

The Big East's 10-12 record against the Top 25 proves it.