Big East/SEC Challenge Wish List

The SEC and Big East announced today a two-year agreement to play one another in an annual challenge.  This follows on the heels of back-to-back seasons in which a mini-version of this challenge existed, in which four teams from each conference competed for the challenge bragging rights.  There was enough momentum from this subsample for the conferences to agree on including all members in the SEC (12 teams) against twelve (out of 16) teams from the Big East.  The twelve teams from the Big East will be chosen at a later date.

The fact that we still don’t know which Big East teams will compete makes for a great opportunity to blog.  As with any challenge it’s all about the matchups.  You have to select matchups that will ultimately be competitive but also have as much marketability as possible in order to draw the highest ratings.  I put pen to pad tonight and did my best to break down the matchups I would want to see and some logic behind the choice.  Below is my personal wish list.  The conferences are free to use this in their decision making.

Kentucky vs Syracuse

Hype factors:  Both are perennial power basketball schools; the teams met in the 1996 Championship game; they almost never meet adding to the sexy matchup factor; perhaps most importantly they are #1 or #2 in annual home attendance every year, something the announcers can hype up until you vomit; the famed Syracuse 2-3 zone defense against the Dribble Drive Motion Offense of Kentucky.

Tennessee vs Connecticut

Hype factors: I went with this matchup mainly because Tennessee has already played Pittsburgh and Villanova this year, so I feel like there’s some process of elimination here.  Next year’s matchup should have new blood.  Now that UConn has rebounded from last year’s disappointing campaign this matchup oozes excitement.  Tennessee continues to be a giant-killer with wins over several Top 10 teams in recent years.  Lets throw the Vols another chance to add a feather to the hat.

Florida vs Louisville

Hype factors:  Lock this up.  Done deal.  Ricky P vs Billy D.  Mentor vs Pupil.  Championship winning coaches.  This is long overdue.  Marketing dream.

Vanderbilt vs West Virginia

Hype factors: This is a coaching decision for me.  I appreciate what Stallings and Huggins get out of their players.  The Mountaineers stifling defense pitted against Vanderbilt’s persistent offense.  I really think this could be the best matchup of the entire challenge.  Both coaches are gracious competitors and I think they would provide a great scene for college basketball fans.

Preview: Duke vs Villanova

Teams: 2 Duke (30-6) vs 3 Villanova (28-7)

How they got here:
Duke defeated Binghamton 86-62 and Texas 74-69
Villanova defeated American 80-67 and UCLA 89-69

Who I like: Villanova

Why I like Villanova: Villanova’s guards make them tick. I love Scottie Reynolds. He makes good decisions, he can shoot, he can handle pressure. And don’t forget about Corey Stokes and Corey Fisher. These guys will penetrate against Duke’s pressure defense allowing them to score, kick it out for the three, or set up Dante Cunningham who’s been solid all year. Defensively, I just have a feeling that the Wildcats can completely take Duke’s guards out of their game.

How Duke can win: Duke probably has the best offensive spacing in college basketball. This allows for easier dribble penetration which lets Duke’s players hit open threes. Duke will not win this game on the inside. Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith and Greg Paulus must handle Villanova’s pressure defense. Gerald Henderson and Kyle Singler have got to knock down their shots. One thing that I like about the Blue Devils is their unselfish play. They play such great team basketball on both sides of the floor. If Duke can frustrate Villanova’s offense, they have a solid chance to advance to the Elite 8.