I’m going to run another Big East Tournament pool this year.  Like last year, the scoring system will have a twist because otherwise the format of the tournament doesn’t encourage risk taking (ie, you already know for sure one team playing in each 3rd round game).  As a result, here is the modified scoring system:

 1. Round 1: you will receive points equal to 50% of the winning team's seed if you get it correct. For example, if you choose South Florida (and they win), you will get 7.5 points.

 2. Rounds 2-3: each time you get a game correct, you will receive points equal to that team's seed. For example, if you choose Depaul to win their 2nd and 3rd games (and they do), you get 32 total points for these two rounds (in addition to 8 points from round 1).

 3. Semifinals:  For each semifinal game you choose correctly, you will get the greater of (i) the team's seed or (ii) 8 points.

 4. Final:  If you choose the winner correctly, you will receive 16 points.

The winner gets to write 1,000 words on any Big East or NCAA Tournament-related topic that they choose with an auto-bump to the front page.

 To submit your picks, respond below in chronological order using the Big East Tournament bracket here.  For example, if you were going to default to choosing the highest seeds, your submission would look like this:

1. Connecticut
2. Seton Hall
3. Villanova
4. Marquette
5. Georgetown
6. St. John's
7. Cincinnati
8. West Virginia
9. Pittsburgh
10. Syracuse
11. Notre Dame
12. Louisville
13. Pittsburgh
14. Notre Dame
15. Pittsburgh

VERY IMPORTANT:  It will help me tremendously if everyone uses the same format for the team names to submit their picks (eg, not putting " 'Eers" if you choose West Virginia to win).  Please use the following proper names when submitting your picks (ie, "Syracuse" instead of "Cuse" and "Villanova" instead of "Nova."  The only questionable ones are Connecticut (instead of UConn), South Florida (instead of USF) and St. John's (with apostrophe).  Thanks in advance -- doing this will save me a ton of time. 

GOOD LUCK!

EDITOR'S NOTE: I'm throwing in a Preston/George Senior Day poster as an additional prize to the winner. You'll also have the option of me autographing or not autographing the back. The only catch is if you opt out of the autograph, you also don't get the poster.