A Look Around the Big East Conference

This may not be your mother and father's Big East Conference, but more than a week into the season, the conference is a combined 24-1 against non-conference competition.  No other conference in all of college basketball can boast such a statistic.

While some (most) of the wins were against inferior competition, the only loss came at the hands of the #20 Ohio State Buckeyes, who toppled Marquette.

Those with three wins: Creighton, St. John's, Providence, Villanova, Xavier.

Those with two wins: Butler, DePaul, Georgetown, Seton Hall

Which leaves the Marquette Golden Eagles at an even 1-1.

Pundits will be quick to point out the lack of quality wins amongst the group. While that may be true, the group boasts a brilliant comeback victory from the Creighton Blue Jays over the #18 Oklahoma Sooners who led by as many as 18 points at one point.

The strength of schedule may come into play for some of these teams down the stretch, but for schools like Xavier and Providence, who have blown the doors off their competition in each of their three games, they'll look to continue this momentum into the next few weeks where the talent level they'll be facing will be ratcheted up.

There also clubs such as Creighton and Seton Hall who will have a few weeks to continue pounding their opposition mercilessly before the real games begin.

The Red Storm does not have this luxury.  Later this week they'll be participating in the NIT Season Tip-Off, before a date with the Syracuse Orange looms at the beginning of December.

When the entire conference is playing well from top to bottom, it does bolsters the reputation nationally - boosting the strength of league wins down the line.  When it comes time for Big East play in nearly a month and a half, the free-for-all we've all been waiting for may just be upon us.