Photo by micheal starghill.

This is it. The day that all the bracketologists have spent so much time preparing for. The day when we all start frantically printing out our copies of the pairings with pencils at the ready (and pen, for the more daring among us), frantically thinking about what #12 seed will pull the upset this year, which Cinderellas will emerge and whether we stick with our alma maters in the face of all logic. The day where we start seriously planting the seeds for excuses to get out of the office on Thursday at noon. The day when all the speculation ends, and we can truly start analyzing the best competition in sports. It’s a good day.

In that light, let’s take a look at the local teams who have qualified for the tournament — and those who will be sweating out Selection Sunday.

The Hi:
>> Georgetown. Expectations could not have been much lower for the Hoyas coming in to the Big East Tournament. The Hoyas had lost four of their last six regular season games, including a humbling loss at Rutgers. Some of their previously hallmark wins over teams like UConn soured a bit as the season progressed. One of their best players, Austin Freeman, had missed a key game and was later diagnosed with diabetes. Georgetown did manage to beat Cincinnati in their last regular-season game, securing a first-round conference tournament bye. But with Syracuse looming on Thursday, most fans were hoping for one win and a decent showing against the hated Orange. Instead, Georgetown wildly surpassed expectations: beating Syracuse, winning three straight and only missing out on their eighth Big East tournament title by two points, as Chris Wright’s driving layup couldn’t hit the rim as time expired last night.

The Hoyas were probably looking at a #5 seed at this time last week, but now may have moved as high as a #2, according to Joe Lunardi and others. Georgetown’s Big Three has been expanded to the Big Four, with Jason Clark chipping in significant minutes and points in the tournament; with Freeman back to full strength, the Hoyas are back to looking like that team that dismantled Duke and Villanova — and at the best possible time. Can “Gentle” Greg Monroe take the Hoyas to heights not seen since they days of Patrick Ewing, Allen Iverson, or, at least, Roy Hibbert?