Krause: Is it the Big East or the Big Easy?

BOSTON – Three Big East teams in the Final Eight ? two more on deck today.Connecticut warded off a growing controversy over its recruiting policies and beat Purdue, 72-60, in a West Regional semifinal. Then, Pittsburgh asserted itself when it mattered most, barely escaping Xavier, 60-55 ? but escaping nonetheless. And the coup de grace came afterward, when Villanova shredded Duke, 77-54.Today, Louisville gets to test its meddle n and possibly become the fourth team from the league n when it goes up against upstart Arizona in the Midwest regional. And Syracuse tries to make it five when the Orange tangle with Oklahoma in the South. Both are early games, so we can only hope that CBS switches back and forth liberally.There cannot be any doubt that the Big East was THE league this season. Seven teams made the tournament, and only two (West Virginia and Marquette) have fallen by the wayside. And Marquette went tooth and nail before losing to Missouri n which defeated Memphis last night in another West regional semifinal.How dominating is the league? Syracuse, which had to have exhausted itself in a six-overtime win over Connecticut in the league tournament, is still alive. So, for that matter, are the Huskies.Don?t think for a second that this isn?t a source of pride among the league?s coaches. It certainly rates high on Villanova coach Jay Wright?s list of cool things.?I think everybody in the Big East likes this, us being in the East and having two Big East teams playing (for the regional championship),” Wright said. ” I know the Big East takes a lot of pride in the conference, we all do. You know what, if we’re not going to win the final 8 and not go to the Final Four, I’ll be glad it’s Pitt, but I hope it’s us (laughter).”First Dave Gavett, and then Mike Tranghese, have shepherded the Big East from its infancy in the 1980s through today. They both have to be smiling today.?I?m sure (Mike) loves it,” Wright said. “Any time there?s Big East teams advancing, Mike loves it. He always likes it when our guys are successful.”The Big East has claimed five national champions since the league was formed in the early 1980s: Georgetown, Villanova, Syracuse and Connecticut (twice). It has not only survived the departure of charter members Virginia Tech and Boston College (as well as Miami), it has thrived. It took on Louisville, Marquette and Cincinnati, DePaul and South Florida, and could, quite possibly, be even better than it was in the old days n and it was pretty good then.Not only does the league have some of the best teams in the country, it definitely has the most esteemed collection of iconic coaches ? Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Rick Pitino, John Thompson Jr., Bob Huggins. And regardless of what happens between now and April 6, when the national championship game is played in Detroit, Jamie Dixon (Pitt) and Wright could be joining that list.Last night, Pitt cleared a huge hurdle. The word out of Pittsburgh and beyond was that the Panthers had a nice program, but they couldn?t win the big one. Well, they won it last night. They took the game away from Xavier in the last minute when it looked as if the Musketeers were going to scratch out an upset. Levance Fields, easily the smallest guy on the court, played huge, draining a clutch three-pointer with just under a minute to go that gave Pitt the lead n and then putting in a layup off a steal that helped cement the win.?We?re playing with a lot of confidence,” said Field. “The games aren?t easy, but if we have to keep winning like this, I?ll take it.”As for Villanova, suffice it to say this wasn?t a “down year” for Duke. The Blue Devils won the ACC championship and spent some times as the No. 1 team earlier in the year. And ?Nova made them look like a Division 2 school/?Villanova outplayed us,” said Duke coach Mike Mike Krzyzewski. “I love Villanova’s team and what Jay has done with his team. They’ve got a chance to do something special, because they can really handle the ball and they