Big East Tournament 2012: Previewing Every Second-Round Game

The opening round of the 2012 Big East Tournament separated the men from the boys, but there's no rest for the victors as second-round action ensues this afternoon.

The Connecticut Huskies and West Virginia Mountaineers clash in a game loaded with talented players. The Georgetown Hoyas get in on the party as they play a desperate Pittsburgh Panthers squad.

Can South Florida prove they're for real? Will Seton Hall continue to fire on all cylinders?

Let's break it all down with a preview of each second-round game.

No. 9 Connecticut vs. No. 8 West Virginia (Noon, ESPN)

Jim Calhoun's Connecticut Huskies looked great against DePaul in the first round.

But remember, it was DePaul.

UConn needs to be sharper to get past Kevin Jones and the West Virginia Mountaineers.

The Huskies shot well from the field Tuesday and were extremely efficient from long range (62 percent), but that's partly due to DePaul's miserable defense.

The battle in the paint will feature Mountaineer bulldozers Deniz Kilicli and Kevin Jones against Connecticut's Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi.

UConn's advantage on the perimeter is the X-factor.

Prediction: Connecticut 71, West Virginia 63

No. 5 Georgetown vs. No. 13 Pittsburgh (2 p.m., ESPN)

Georgetown fell to Pittsburgh in late January, and if the Hoyas aren't careful, it could happen again.

Ashton Gibbs and Nasir Robinson carried the Panthers past St. John's Tuesday, but they'll need more than two people to contribute against the Hoyas.

Last time these teams met, Pittsburgh was the aggressor and controlled the game. But if Georgetown is more assertive this time and improves on the boards, they'll have a better chance to avoid another upset.

Prediction: Georgetown 62, Pittsburgh 57

No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 10 Seton Hall (7 p.m., ESPN)

After obliterating Providence in the opening round, Jordan Theodore and the Seton Hall Pirates will collide with the Louisville Cardinals.

When these squads met in January, Seton Hall struggled to establish an offensive rhythm and was dominated on the glass by the Cardinals.

I expect the Pirates to handle Rick Pitino's defense better this time around, but I also expect Louisville to play a much cleaner game offensively.

 Louisville has more weapons to work with, so they'll advance to the quarterfinals.

Prediction: Louisville 66, Seton Hall 60

No. 6 South Florida vs. No. 14 Villanova (9 p.m., ESPN)

Maalik Wayns was too quick for Rutgers Tuesday, but Villanova's dynamic guard will encounter a much better defense tonight when he meets the South Florida Bulls.

In their mid-February meeting, the Wildcats were without Wayns, so tonight's game will have a different complexion with him in the lineup.

If it's an uptempo contest, 'Nova has the edge.

Otherwise, I like the Bulls' chances in a game that's played in the 50s or 60s. USF will hang on and avoid the upset.

Prediction: South Florida 63, Villanova 60