TicketsOn the eve of the 09-10 season, I am taking a look back at the final Big East standings from last year and I want to bring something to your attention:
1. Connecticut 16-0
2. Louisville 14-2
3. Pittsburgh 12-4
4. Notre Dame 10-6
4. DePaul 10-6
4. Villanova 10-6
7. Rutgers 9-7
8. USF 8-8
9. Georgetown 7-9
9. Marquette 7-9
[6 wins here]
11. West Virginia 5-11
11. Syracuse 5-11
13. St. John's 4-12
13. Seton Hall 4-12
13. Providence 4-12
16. Cincinnati 3-13
If the Bearcats can double their conference win total from 08-09, theoretically based on how the league shook out last year, they could jump five teams to finish in 11th place! Here is where they would have finished with six wins in the preceding three seasons:
07-08: 11th place
06-07: The Bearcats collected six wins, and finished in 11th place
05-06: The Bearcats had seven wins, and finished in 11th place
So, historically speaking, we can see that in a 16-team conference six wins has a way of trending out to an 11th place finish. If they can beat the other teams at the bottom of the league, this is a very reachable goal.
11th place would be a tremendous result for head coach Jamelle Elliott and her team to hang their hats on in the first year of a potentially major women's basketball revolution at the University of Cincinnati. Every turnaround has to start somewhere, and if they can get six wins this year, then they can try for eight next year, and on from their to nine or ten, and in a few years we're talking about UC in the mix for the conference title! Cool, huh?
Check out my UC women's hoops Twitter page at http://twitter.com/uc_womens_hoops