(Say thanks to Card Chronicle for their handy Big East tournament bracket, which is now final.)

Try as a I did, folks, I was unable to see the last three Notre Dame basketball games beyond highlights.  I've read plenty of commentary on the games and have looked over the box scores far too often in an attempt to glean some significance, but it just ends up that I'm very happy pulling out two road victories previous Irish teams would have surely squandered and extended the home winning streak.  Of course, the end of game runs put on by the Blue Demons and Bulls are worrisome, but everything is somewhat more acceptable after a win.  They are all the more palatable after watching a slew of college games over the last week-plus where lead after lead was blown in traumatic, bubble-bursting fashion.  

Potential problems from the last trio?  The Irish were outrebounded all three games, sometimes by small margins, but that's still something you don't want to see as March turns from lion to lamb.  It's also nice to win all three games without a huge effort from either of the point guards, although I hope there was no lasting trauma from the Louisville press that will be noticeable on Thursday evening.  The bench, beyond Ayers, still isn't giving anything consistent, although Ty Nash got a whopping one minute against South Florida.  I feel like this is the 2006 football season where we somehow didn't get any extended playing time for Sharpley, Jones or Frazer and were left with the mess going into 2007.  Of course, we're only replacing one starter instead of twelve, so that helps.  (Sorry, that'll be the last football reference.  Happy thoughts, kittens, baby pandas, Rachel Bilson...)  

Despite the end game struggles, the Irish have survived and earned their way into a three-seed, meaning they'll probably be taking on Marquette with an outside chance of another game with Seton Hall Thursday night at 9:00 (well, more like 9:30ish realistically).    After Connecticut's fall to Providence that put us in position for third in the conference, it looked like the Mountaineers would be the likely quarterfinal opponents, but Syracuse's Madness-prolonging win over Marquette has bumped the Golden Eagles into the position to earn a rubber match after the season split.  

The beauty of conference tournaments for teams that have already clinched an invitation to the big dance is that either win or lose, you can spin it beautifully.  You win your conference tournament, you get to brag about how your team improved their seed, gained confidence and got on a roll going into the field of 65.  If a team loses in the conference tournament, then you can say your rooting interest got more time to rest and had any pressure of an extended win streak removed from the equation.  Of course, winning is probably better, considering Russell Carter's three-pointer that was an inch off from slaying Georgetown in the Big East semifinals last year tumbled the Irish down to a 6 seed and matched them up against a seasoned Winthrop team.  This year, the Irish are looking like a four seed, and events around them (losses by Xavier, Indiana, Stanford, Michigan State and Vanderbilt - other teams in the 3-5 range - over the last few days) are conspiring to aid their hold on that position.

As far as potential Big East tournament implications go, where does the league stand?  

*    I don't see any way Georgetown runs itself to a number one seed even with a title, although a run by Louisville, Notre Dame or UConn to move them up to a cozy three seed.  The Cardinals might have a shot at a two seed if a couple teams fall early and they can add victories over Pitt, ND and Georgetown to their resumes.

*    While it appears West Virginia locked up a bid by rolling Pitt and surviving the Red Storm, they best take care of a hot-shooting Providence team just to be sure.  If Providence wins, it sets up another northeast clash between the Friars and Huskies, two teams with some bad blood between them after Providence unexpectedly swept UConn this season.

*    Your 8-9 game between Syracuse and Villanova is a bubble eliminator, although the winner will probably have to knock off Georgetown.  Both teams have already done that this seas...oh, I'm sorry, the refs just called a foul on me for breathing too hard on Jonathan Wallace.  Scratch that, only the Orange have defeated the Hoyas, although both teams are certainly capable.

*    Pitt is also safely in after stealing a win at Syracuse and pounding DePaul, so unless West Virginia really screws up, the winner of the 8-9 game makes a run or Providence, Seton Hall or Cincinnati makes it to Saturday, not a lot of bubble intrigue to be had like other tournaments.  

So all in all, there's the potential for some really great games in the best venue in the land.  I would love for the Irish to get another shot at Georgetown, but if they fall short, I won't be too heartbroken.  The push for the biggest prize begins a week from Thursday, and anything achieved this weekend is just delicious, bragging rights-claiming gravy.