Despite all the discussion of the conference being turned upside down, like a cold lava lamp, the Big East has settled to where it was supposed to be before the season.

Sure, Pittsburgh shook everyone up and Rutgers finished higher than anticipated, but as expected, Connecticut, Miami and Notre Dame, as well as the Panthers, have locked up NCAA berths. Meanwhile, the traditional contenders follow right behind.

Here’s a look at the usual suspects —with one exception — contending for NCAA berths.

St. John’s (19-10, 9-7)

What they have to do: Beat Seton Hall in the first round

Yes, we know Coach Jarvis, we know. St. John’s shouldn’t be anywhere near this list. But we don’t think you’re in just yet.

Despite a higher RPI (36) than Notre Dame (38), who we listed as a sure thing, the Red Storm has yet to reach the NCAA committee’s magic number of 20 wins. Yes, coach, we understand that you tried to play the best competition you could find, including ACC powers Wake Forest and Duke as well as the SEC’s Tennessee. But Tennessee struggled to a sub-.500 record regular season, and we don’t want to bring up the debacle at Duke.

Remember? Your team’s chance to show the country what you were all about against a top 5 program? On national television? Yeah, that one. The game you lost, 97-55 — the worst St. John’s loss since a 66-5 thrashing by Army in 1922.

Forgive us if we’re not quite convinced. The Red Storm needs one win to ensure a bid. If they can’t win this afternoon on their home court against lowly Seton Hall, the Johnnies don’t deserve it.

Syracuse (20-10, 9-7)

What they have to do: Beat Villanova in the first round and play Connecticut close in the second round

Someone give the Orangemen the Heimlich. They’re gagging worse than a pampered prep schooler on dining-hall meatloaf. After a 16-2 start and wins over Michigan State and Wake Forest, Syracuse has hit a wall.

Maybe teams have looked into a crystal ball and discovered some mystical method of guarding a two-dimensional offense — although it really shouldn’t have been that hard. Whatever the case, the Orangemen are 4-8 over their past 12. Their RPI, currently 55, is on a sleigh-ride downhill and injuries have taken the luster off Kueth Duany and Preston Shumpert.

Does the NCAA committee want a three-point-shooting team that can’t shoot? If its name is Syracuse — probably. Coach Jim Boeheim has reached the 20-win plateau and brings instant recognition. However, with the committee placing importance on how a team finishes the season, Syracuse needs to prove it hasn’t rolled over and crawled under newly-named Jim Boeheim Court.

Georgetown (18-10, 9-7)

What they have to do: Outperform Syracuse

Either Syracuse or Georgetown looks like the sixth team from the Big East. Like the Orangemen, the Hoyas bring name recognition, history and a superstar in Mike Sweetney. Unlike Syracuse, they haven’t beaten anyone of relevance outside the conference. Georgetown coach Craig Esherick loaded his early schedule with electrifying opponents like Bethune-Cookman, Towson and Grambling. When the team had chances to make statements with games against UCLA and Virginia, it played well but lost.

Still, over the past two weeks it has done everything differently than Syracuse. The Hoyas have won three in a row. And they’ve won on the road. Unlike Syracuse, the Hoyas haven’t rolled over with losses, losing two games by a point and one in quadruple overtime. If they both win today, the second round will probably determine who travels on Spring Break and who gets a home game for the NIT. If both lose we give the spot to Georgetown for beating SU head to head.

Boston College (19-10, 8-8 )

What they have to do: Beat Rutgers and Pittsburgh

The committee would love an excuse to find Troy Bell and preseason-favorite BC a prime time date during the tourney. Boston College must be tantalizing officials with its talent on paper. Injuries to Bell, Ryan Sidney and Uka Agbai have made Boston College’s relaxing cruise through the season into a demolition derby.

Like Georgetown, the defending Big East champions beat Syracuse at the end of the season. The Eagles looked competent against Duke and have more wins against ranked teams than either the Hoyas or Orangemen. Still, losses to Providence and Virginia Tech probably mean Boston College will have to beat Rutgers and then Pittsburgh in the second round.

Rutgers ( 18-11, 8-8)

What they have to do: Win it all

A few weeks ago, Rutgers was ahead of Georgetown and Boston College. Now coach Gary Waters’ team is taking on water, losing horrifically against Virginia Tech and then falling to Georgetown. The Scarlet Knights have struggled to a 3-7 record on the road but have two wins over Top 25 teams. Still, the fact that Rutgers hasn’t beaten anyone better than LaSalle or Princeton out of conference means it will have to win the tournament.

Villanova (16-11, 7-9 )

What they have to do: Win three games to reach the final

The biggest knock on the Wildcats is a conference record under .500, but like the rest of the final competitors, they’ve beaten SU in the past two weeks. They should be able to do it again. With Brooks Sales and Ricky Wright, they outnumber Syracuse two to none on the interior. They’ve played in the tougher of the two divisions and beat then-No. 18 UCLA.

With 16 wins, maybe ‘Nova should have taken the Georgetown route and found a couple nobodys to inflate its record.

Are you kidding me?

Someone better tell the media they can only put five players on the floor at a time. The so-called experts managed to put seven players on the All-Big East team. Due to ties, Bell, Caron Butler, Brandin Knight, Sweetney, Ryan Humphrey, Preston Shumpert and Marcus Hatten all made the first team. Cut Shumpert and Hatten, and you have our choices.

How bad are things for Seton Hall? Administrative Assistant George Jackson fought junior guard Desmond Herod during a film session on Sunday. Herod was suspended for one game, while Jackson has been missing from the Pirate bench for two games. Popcorn anyone?

Numbers never lie

70

The number of blocks Connecticut’s Emeka Okafor has in Big East contests this year, an average of better than four per game. His total is one less than Alonzo Mourning’s freshman record and impressed ESPN so much that the station aired a segment during which Okafor taught the audience the proper way to block a shot.

3

Rutgers guard Ricky Shields won Big East Rookie of the Week three times during the season, second only to Chris Thomas, who earned the distinction five times. Still, Shields failed to earn a spot on the All-Big East Rookie team.

Yup, he said it

Villanova coach Jay Wright, in a recent teleconference, after a member of the Connecticut media commented on how competitive the Wildcats have been this season: ‘That’s what I like about you Connecticut guys. If you go into triple overtime down there, they say you’re competitive. In Philly, they say you can’t coach.’

Published on March 5, 2002 at 12:00 pm