I’ve had a little time to digest the schedule and have some more thoughts on it (big shock). Before I get to it, a little round-up to some of the reactions of BE teams.

The Big East Basketball Blog is promising a ranking of the schedules for tomorrow.

Marquette Hoops doesn’t actually have an opinion yet. I’m sure they will soon. Marquette is a lot like Pitt this coming year, with some key losses from their team from last year, but lots of good incoming talent. They seem to have a fair and balanced conference schedule.

You know your team’s been down, and you aren’t feeling good about them when you write, “Highlights: no UConn or WVU, Louisville and Nova at home, and home-and-homes with Seton, St. John’s and South Fla.”

Blue-Gray Sky concedes that ND got a decent to light schedule. Their road games are much more difficult than the home meetings. The Big East seems to have made an effort to give them the Catholic connections for at least for the 1st year with home-and-homes with Marquette, DePaul and Providence.

As for Pitt. This is a fair schedule, especially given the turnover of the team. Not absurdly difficult, and not a cakewalk. My first reaction is to think that Pitt could easily be in the 10-6 to 6-10 record in the Big East in 2005-06, based on the schedule and it being only July.

Pitt will always have a home-and-home with WVU as they are Pitt’s natural rival. Marquette is a lot like Pitt this year, with some key losses from their team from last year, but lots of good incoming talent. I’m really surprised Providence was matched-up with Pitt for the home-and-home. That strikes me, more as just one of the only exchanges they had left. Not a natural fit or good storyline (Cinci and Huggins vs. his alma mater, WVU).