Spring Break
Big 12, Big East battle for conference supremacy
Mike Northup
Issue date: 3/27/09 Section: Sports
It's hard to ignore the influence of the Big East and Big 12 in this year's NCAA Tournament. After all, the two power conferences make up half of this year's Sweet 16, with four teams each left in the tournament - the most of any conference.
For the Big East, it's No. 7 Rutgers, No. 4 Pittsburgh, No. 3 Louisville and No. 1 UConn. Representing the Big 12 is No. 4 Iowa State, No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 2 Baylor and No. 1 Oklahoma.
For the most part, the teams from the two conferences have blown away the competition to get to the Sweet 16. Among the teams left in the Sweet 16 between the two conferences, the Big East teams have won by an average of 20.6 points, while the Big 12 teams have won by an average of 21. UConn has won by 33.5 points per game, while Texas A&M has won by an average of 33.
Rutgers was part of the slew of upsets during the tournament's first two weekends, blowing out No. 2 seed Auburn 80-52 with a spectacular game by Epiphanny Prince (27 points, six assists).
Baylor has had the roughest time making it to the regional semifinals between the teams left from the Big 12 and Big East. The Bears, the Big 12's tournament champions, needed overtime to avoid becoming the first No. 2 seed to lose in the first round against No. 15 Texas-San Antonio and then edged No. 7 seed South Dakota State 60-58 on a last-second layup.
Baylor will be one of two Big 12 teams matching up against Big East opponents in the Sweet 16 when they take on Angel McCoughtry and No. 3 seed Louisville Saturday at noon in Raleigh, N.C. In the Oklahoma City Regional, Pitt will try to topple top seed Oklahoma.
For the Big East, it's No. 7 Rutgers, No. 4 Pittsburgh, No. 3 Louisville and No. 1 UConn. Representing the Big 12 is No. 4 Iowa State, No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 2 Baylor and No. 1 Oklahoma.
For the most part, the teams from the two conferences have blown away the competition to get to the Sweet 16. Among the teams left in the Sweet 16 between the two conferences, the Big East teams have won by an average of 20.6 points, while the Big 12 teams have won by an average of 21. UConn has won by 33.5 points per game, while Texas A&M has won by an average of 33.
Rutgers was part of the slew of upsets during the tournament's first two weekends, blowing out No. 2 seed Auburn 80-52 with a spectacular game by Epiphanny Prince (27 points, six assists).
Baylor has had the roughest time making it to the regional semifinals between the teams left from the Big 12 and Big East. The Bears, the Big 12's tournament champions, needed overtime to avoid becoming the first No. 2 seed to lose in the first round against No. 15 Texas-San Antonio and then edged No. 7 seed South Dakota State 60-58 on a last-second layup.
Baylor will be one of two Big 12 teams matching up against Big East opponents in the Sweet 16 when they take on Angel McCoughtry and No. 3 seed Louisville Saturday at noon in Raleigh, N.C. In the Oklahoma City Regional, Pitt will try to topple top seed Oklahoma.
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