With the schedule the Big East assigned the University of South Florida men’s basketball team, the Bulls might not finish among the top 12 teams again this year. The good news is: it won’t matter since every team – and not just the top 12 – advance to the Big East Tournament.

To put it bluntly: the Bulls’ Big East schedule is a bear. Of USF’s three league home-and-home opponents, two are ranked in ESPN.com’s preseason Top 25 – No. 5 Louisville and No. 20 West Virginia. The other is DePaul.

Of the seven teams ranked in ESPN.com’s preseason Top 25 for next year, the Bulls play four at home (No. 5 Louisville, No. 14 Marquette, No. 18 Villanova and No. 20 West Virginia) and five on the road (No. 2 Pittsburgh, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 5 Louisville, No. 15 UConn and No. 20 West Virginia).

Here is a statement from USF coach Stan Heath about Mission Impossible. “Our schedule makers have an impossible job,” Heath said. “We’ve got a tough draw but we won’t back away from the challenge. We have a tough slate in front of us but knowing the schedule we have will make us work harder.”

Here is USF’s 2008-09 Big East schedule. Dates and times will be announced later in the coming months.

Home
DePaul
Louisville
West Virginia
Cincinnati
DePaul
Georgetown
Louisville
Marquette
Providence
Syracuse
Villanova
West Virginia

Away
Connecticut
DePaul
Louisville
Notre Dame
Pittsburgh
Rutgers
St. John’s
Seton Hall
West Virginia

All along the Watchtower: DE George Selvie and LB Tyrone McKenzie were named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list. The Bednarik Award signifies the top defensive player in the nation.

Also QB Matt Grothe was named to Maxwell Award watch list. The Maxwell Award is awarded to college football’s top offensive player.