As the basketball season came down to the NCAA Tournament Selection Show, all we heard was Big East this, and Big East that. The Big East should get 4 teams in the Final 4. An all Big-Beast Final 4 in Detroit. Whatever.
Now I am not saying it's not the best basketball conference in the land for the regular season. It was, but it goes in cycles. What about the NCAA Tournament? Yes, they can still get 4 teams to the Final 4. That would be impressive. As the Tournament has proceeded however, the Big 12 has not embarrassed themselves. In fact I argue the Big 12 may have over-acheived after the first 2 rounds.
Consider. 5 Big East teams remain of the 7 invited, 3 Big 12 teams still alive from the 6 that started the tournament. But which conference has been the most impressive? The Big East came in with 3 number 1 seeds, none for the Big 12. The Big East teams had an easier chance to advance, considering those higher seeds. Not only that, another Big East team, Villanova got to play in its home town despite getting a #3 seed. Go figure.
Yet OU, the highest seed from the Big 12, remains alive, as do the #3 seeds Kansas and Missouri. OSU took #1 seed Pittsburgh to the brink, and Texas should have beaten ACC powerhouse Duke.
The records. Big east 11-2 going into the Sweet 16. The Big 12 is 9-3, with 3 teams still in the running.
Yes, the Big East is probably the tougher of the 2 conferences, but the Big 12 has nothing to be ashamed of, despite the bad publicity it suffered during the regular season.
The records of the power conferences.
Big East with 7 teams 11-2,
Big 12 with 6 teams 9-3
Big Ten with 7 teams 6-5
Pac 10 with 6 teams 6-5
ACC with 7 teams 5-5
SEC with 3 teams 1-3