Over the course of this week, we will spend a few minutes catching you up on how some of the best conferences in the country currently look. With conference play starting up, its time to get into the basketball spirit.
There is a reason that the Orange are currently sitting at the top of both national polls right now. Heading into Big East play, this group is still undefeated and has as deep of a roster as we have seen in Upstate NY in a long time. Their back court is absolutely lethal with Dion Waiters coming off the bench behind Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche. Their front court is loaded with size and versatility. If this team can stay focused with everything surrounding the allegations against Bernie Fine, Jim Boeheim has a group capable of winning a national title.
Over the next month and a half, we will be rolling out all of our 2011-2012 Season Preview posts. You can find a full schedule of all the preview posts here. If you want to browse through the rest of the conference previews, click here.
AWARDS
Player of the Year: Ashton Gibbs, Sr., Pitt
Gibbs deserves all the love he is going to get this preseason, as he is quite possibly the best all-around shooter in the country. What makes him so dangerous is his incredible ability to get open by using screens off-the-ball. He's Pitt's go-to player and really the only guy on the team that can create their own shot, but he does it in such a unique way. There are few guards in the country that are better at reading a defender and using a screen to get space for himself. Gibbs is the model of efficiency, but there is room for improvement in his game. As defenses continue to key on his jump shot, developing his mid-range game and his ability to attack a close-out will help. Regardless, Gibbs is a big time shot-maker that is a huge reason Pitt will once again be a top ten team and compete for the Big East title.
And a close second goes to...: Darius Johnson-Odom, Sr., Marquette
Admittedly, I'm a little biased on this pick, as DJO is one of my favorite players in the country to watch. A 6'2" lefty, DJO is an explosive athlete and one of the best perimeter scorers in the conference. He's at his best when he is slashing to the basket, where he is a crafty finisher with the ability to throw down monster dunks upon occasion. He's good at drawing fouls and doesn't turn the ball over. The most interesting aspect of DJO's game is how much his jump shot fell off last season. He went from being a 47.4% three-point shooter as a sophomore to a 36.3% shooter as a junior, while also struggling in the mid-range. Despite that, he still managed to up his scoring from 13.0 ppg to 15.8 ppg. He's the clear-cut go-to guy on the offensive end for a Marquette that is expected to finish in the top six in the Big East this season.
Breakout Star: Maalik Wayns and Mouphtaou Yarou, Jrs, Villanova
The obvious pick here is Jeremy Lamb of UConn. The trendy pick is Sean Kilpatrick of Cincinnati. So in order to buck that trend, I'll go with Villanova's two elder statesmen. The Wildcats have almost no hype heading into this season. Having flamed out in the postseason the past two years and losing four key pieces from that team, you wouldn't be wrong to ignore Villanova heading into the year. But I like the makeup of this team. I think they have similar pieces at the two, three and four to the group that made the Final Four run in 2009, but I also think that with the opportunity to take over the role of the star, both Wayns and Yarou will shine. Both players are impressive talents that were forced to play third and fourth fiddle to the two Coreys last season. If Wayns has gotten his jumper more consistent and Yarou has become a better low-post scorer, I think those two will carry a Villanova team that will rely more heavily on the defensive end of the floor than we are used to.
- G: Peyton Siva, Jr., Louisville - G: Jason Clark, Sr., Georgetown - F: Kris Joseph, Sr., Syraucse - F: Kevin Jones, Sr., West Virginia - C: Alex Oriakhi, Jr., UConn
Newcomer of the Year: Andre Drummond, UConn
There shouldn't be much argument when I say that Drummond is the most talented freshman in the Big East, because its quite possible that he is the most talented freshman in the country. Drummond is, simply put, a physical specimen. He's 6'11" and 270 lb with the ability to score in the post and while facing up, he's got the mobility and the handle to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, he's a high IQ player, a terrific passer and has a 41" vertical. The issue with Drummond in high school was getting him to display his ability every time he stepped onto the court. Against the competition in the Big East, if he doesn't have the desire to give 100% effort, Jim Calhoun won't be playing him.
All-Freshmen Team:
- G: Myles Mack, Rutgers - G: Jabarie Hinds, West Virginia - F: Sir'Dominic Pointer, St. John's - F: Moe Harkless, St. John's - C: Andre Drummond, UConn
Five summer storylines
- Conference realignment: The tragedy and instability of conference realignment began as an issue that the Big 12 had to deal with, but with the decision of two members schools to hop to the ACC, the Big East became the league sitting squarely on the chopping block. Pitt and Syracuse, two of the best programs in the Big East when it comes to both football and basketball, accepted offers from the ACC to become members. Making matters worse was UConn all but begging the ACC to allow them to join along with, well, any other team the ACC wanted. That seems unlikely, however, as Boston College, who is still pissed about UConn's comments when they left for the ACC six years ago, is prepared to squash any attempt the Huskies make at switching leagues.
The most recent move was the Big 12's decision to add TCU, which not only made their league much sturdier, it kicked out one of the legs the Big East was standing on. Once Pitt and Syracuse leave, the Big East will be left with just six football teams, which is not enough to earn an automatic BCS bid.
- Andre Drummond heads to UConn: Andre Drummond did a terrific job of keeping his intentions out of earshot of the media. After officially graduating high school and putting himself in a position to enter the collegiate ranks back in May, Drummond -- who had been a member of the Class of 2012 -- kept the recruiting world at bay throughout the summer as he consider his intentions for next season. Eventually, he announced that he would be attending Wilbraham & Monson along with his good friend Kris Dunn, the top point guard in the Class of 2012. But after Dunn announced he was committing to Providence and returning to New London High School, Drummond shocked everyone at 7:30 pm on a Friday night when he suddenly announced his decision to become a Husky, immediately making UConn a favorite to win the national title.
- Fab Melo's run-ins with the law: Melo was the most disappointing freshman in the country in 2010-2011. The seven-footer was out of shape, didn't give consistent effort throughout the year and was extremely uncoachable. It all amounted to an embarrassing season in which Melo would start only to be pulled from the game two minutes in, never to return to the court again. He was also suspended during the year, which became an issue after Melo was arrested over the summer as the result of an ugly altercation with his girlfriend. This apparently wasn't the first time something like this happened, as there were reports over the summer that a similar incident was the reason for Melo's midseason suspension.
- The Georgetown Brawl: During a trip to China to play a series of exhibitions, the Hoyas found themselves in an incredibly scary situation. Late in the second half of a physical contest, Jason Clark of Georgetown gets jumped by four Chinese players, setting off one of the most insane in-game brawls I've ever seen. Punches are thrown, chair are swung and bottles come flying at the Hoyas from the crowd. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident. I'd even go so far as to argue that the fight was a good thing for Georgetown. There has been a disconnect somewhere within this program the past three or four years. Part of it was a lack of cohesion within the team. This is a new, younger group. What better way to bring this team together than to have them go through a potentially dangerous situation like this?
- Steve Lavin has prostate cancer: The St. John's head coach was diagnosed over the summer. He had surgery earlier this month, and while it may cost him some exhibition games, the surgery was deemed a success.
Five storylines to follow this season
- Even more realignment talk: While the Big 12 was able to add TCU to replace Texas A&M, they are still in danger of losing Missouri to the SEC, a move that looks more and more likely by the day. If they do, most people expect the Big 12 to look east, bringing in Louisville, West Virginia or both, a move that could essentially kill the Big East as we know it. In an effort to replace the teams that they lost, the Big East will be reeling in powerhouses like SMU, Houston and Central Florida. That's less than ideal for the basketball side of things.
So is this the last Big East Tournament? There's a very good chance that this season will end up being the last Big East Tournament as we know it and love it. Syracuse and Pitt cannot leave the conference until 2014 unless the Big East opts to allow them out. If they are allowed out early and the Big East adds who they have been rumored to be courting, this conference could end up with as many as 18 teams in it, fewer than half of which probably should be playing in the Big East. Everything changes in college sports with team. The Big East Tournament, as amazing as it was and still is, is a requirement for every college hoops fan.
- Can UConn repeat?: There is no question that the Huskies have the talent to do so. With stars-in-the-making like Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier in the back court and a front court with some absurd size and athleticism, it would be disingenuous to say this group doesn't have the tools to win the whole thing. The question is will they have the opportunity. The NCAA is trying to push a rule into existence that would make UConn ineligible for the 2012 postseason tournament based on their atrocious APR scores.
- Will Syracuse and Pitt handle playing the role of the villain?: Regardless of who you root for in the Big East, the villain this season will be Syracuse and Pitt. Why? Because they are the programs that set the fate of the Big East in motion. Not that their move wasn't understandable -- if they didn't take the offer, someone else would have given the relative stability of the ACC -- but it was a preemptive strike. Both the Orange and the Panthers have a number of veterans on their roster, especially in the back court, and should be impervious to the taunts of rival fan bases. Its nothing they haven't heard before.
- Louisville-first: That's the motto of Rick Pitino's program this season, and its the team's biggest ex-factor heading into the year. You see, the Cardinals legitimately have 16 players on their roster capable of playing in any rotation in the Big East; 16 guys that could make a case to start this season at Louisville. The team unity is so impressive that two of the club's starters opted to take redshirts heading into the season -- Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith -- while a third -- Elisha Justice -- didn't exactly have a decision to make. Will that level of unselfishness carry throughout the year, or will some of the players that aren't getting minutes or touches create chemistry issues?
- How many teams make the tournament this season?: Last year, the Big East sent 11, which seems virtually impossible to repeat this season. Why? Because there are six Big East teams that are currently in -- or still in? -- full-blown rebuilding mode. The top ten, however, all have a very real chance at earning an at-large bid. I'll set the over-under at eight. Whaddya you got?
Power Rankings
1. UConn: Everyone in the country knows the story about UConn last season. Predicted to finish 10th in the Big East in the preseason, the Huskies were carried by Kemba Walker throughout the regular season, finishing an up and down year right about were they were predicted -- 9th in the league standings. But something clicked in March, as UConn went on a sensational five-day run through the Big East Tournament before carrying that momentum into the NCAA Tournament. When it was all said and done, Kemba was the most popular person in the state of Connecticut and Jim Calhoun had his third title in the past 12 years.
Believe it or not, the reigning national champs will actually be a better team next season, as they will be significantly more balanced than last year. All those freshmen that developed into consistent contributors during March? They will be starters and, potentially, stars this year. We'll start with the back court, where sophomores Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb will start. The lanky, 6'6" Lamb is going to be a guy that shows up on a lot of breakout players lists. He really came on in March, playing the sidekick that made it impossible for teams to double Kemba. Lamb, whose at his best when he's a slasher that scores in the mid-range, should become a star this year. Napier didn't start as a freshman, but he played starters minutes, running the team while allowing Kemba to work off-the-ball as a scorer. He's a solid creator with three-point range that can get out in transition, but he's a bit too aggressive at times and has a tendency to make some bad decisions. Freshman Ryan Boatright will push for minutes at the point as well. If UConn does have a weaknes this season, its their perimeter depth and their outside shooting. The Huskies don't really have a sniper, and Lamb is essentially their only shooting guard.
UConn's front court will look like the Huskies of old. They are big, they are long and they are athletic. It starts with Alex Oriakhi, who is the anchor of the Husky interior. A burly, 6'9" power forward, Oriakhi blocks a lot of shots and is a terror to try and box out. His back-to-the-basket game was improved last year and he should be to the point that he can be a threat on the block. He'll be joined by freshman phenom Andre Drummond, who is biding his time in Storrs before he heads off to the NBA Draft's lottery. Drummond has the total package -- he's a 6'11", 270 lb post with a face-up game, the ability to handle the ball on the perimeter and a 41" vertical. The question with Drummond is simply how good does he want to be? Roscoe Smith, an athletic combo-forward, and Tyler Olander, a Storrs-native that plays a blue-collar style, will provide depth. The small forward spot will be handled by DeAndre Daniels and Niels Giffey. I'd expect Daniels, a talented-but-enigmatic freshman who had a wild recruitment, to start, but Giffey is an athlete and a defender that can hit threes. UConn was a top ten team before Drummond committed. With him in the fold, the Huskies will be a favorite to win the Big East and make a run to the Final Four.
2. Syracuse: The 2010-2011 season was a bit of a disappointment for Syracuse fans. After winning their first 18 games of the season and climbing as high as No. 3 in the rankings, the Orange lost four straight and six of eight, ending the year tied for third in the league standings. And while that is far from what you would consider a bad season, considering the amount of talent of the Syracuse roster, a second round exit in the NCAA Tournament is not what the die hards of upstate New York were hoping for. The good news, however, is that Syracuse returns the majority of their roster, giving Jim Boeheim what is arguably his most talented team since the group that won the 2003 national title.
Much will be expected out of this Syracuse team, who will likely be the Big East favorites along with UConn. What they lack in star power, the Orange make up for in depth and balance. Their back court will be as experienced as any in the country. Scoop Jardine will be a popular pick for first team all-conference. Jardine is a big-time playmaker that finished second in the conference in assists last season. The knock on Jardine is consistency and decision-making, but when he plays well he is one of the best point guards in the country. He'll be joined by junior Brandon Triche, who can be a steadying influence in the back court. Triche is more of a natural point guard than an off-guard, giving Boeheim two playmakers in his back court. Kris Joseph will once again start at the small forward spot. An ultra-athletic, 6'7" wing, much was expected out of Joseph last season, to the point that his junior season -- 14.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 spg -- was a bit of a disappointment. The bench may actually be more talented than the Cuse starters. Sophomore Dion Waiters was thought to be destined to transfer this season, but he opted to return to school and should provide a big-time scoring boost off the bench. Freshmen Michael Carter-Williams is another talented scorer coming off the bench. He became more of a playmaker throughout his high school career. Trevor Cooney will also see minutes as a sharp-shooter off the bench.
Up front, the key for Syracuse will be finding a way to replace the toughness, the rebounding and the shot-blocking of Rick Jackson. The guy that everyone will have their eye on is Fab Melo. Melo was one of the premiere recruits nationally last season, but he struggled with his focus and his conditioning. While he started a majority of the time, far too often he would head to the bench and never make it back into the game. Melo will be pushed for the starting center spot by Rakeem Christmas, another lauded freshman that is known for his ability to block shots and rebound the ball. The x-factor up front will be CJ Fair. Fair was the least touted of the Syracuse freshmen last season, but he had the biggest impact. He came on strong late in the season, and the athletic combo-forward will push for the starting power forward spot this year. James Southerland, who had a couple of big games in the middle of the year, is a perfect fit for Boeheim's system given his size, length and ability to shoot the ball. All the pieces are in place for the Orange to have a big year in 2011-2012. They'll have a very real shot at not only winning the Big East title, but making a run to the Final Four as well.
3. Louisville: There might not be a program in the country that is more team-oriented than Louisville. The Cardinals barely have a star on their roster, unless you consider Peyton Siva a star. Two of their senior starters -- Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith -- are walk-ons by choice. Rick Pitino's team is one of the few in the nation that can legitimately claim that every single player in the program is talented enough to be a rotation player. The key lies in the recruiting for Pitino -- he brings in players that he knows will fit his system. That system? Defensively, they run pressuring, aggressive 2-3 zone designed to force turnovers. Louisville loves to push the ball in transition, spreading the floor and looking to locate a mismatch on the perimeter, allowing the ability of the team's perimeter players to shine through. It worked last season, as Louisville surprised everyone and finished third in the Big East standings.
We'll start in the back court with Louisville, where Pitino won't even feel the loss of the ineligible Kevin Ware. Peyton Siva will get to start at the point. Siva is one of the most explosive players in the country, a lightening bolt from end-to-end that can finish well-above the rim despite being 5'11". He's by far the best shot-creator on the Cardinals and was a huge reason for their surprise finish last year. He's joined by Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith in the back court. Kuric is the better shooter while Smith is better creating off the dribble, but as a duo they compliment Siva very well on the perimeter. It will be important for one of them to step up and become the kind of on-ball defender Preston Knowles was last season. Talented freshman Wayne Blackshear will be an x-factor for this group, as he can really fill it up when he's healthy. Russ Smith and Elisha Justice will provide depth at the point, while Mike Marra, Mark Jackson Jr. and Angel Nunez will fill out the rotation on the perimeter.
Terrence Jennings decision to leave school early will leave Louisville with a lack of experience up front, but the Cardinals will certainly be loaded with talent. Gorgui Dieng is a guy to keep an eye on at the center position. The 6'11" native of Senegal is an excellent shot-blocker that had some impressive performances as a freshman. At the power forward spot, both Jared Swopshire and Rakeem Buckles are coming off of seasons where they were banged up. Swopshire battled through a potentially career-ending injury where the groin muscle pulled away from his bone while Buckles dealt with a severely broken finger and a torn acl. Both should be healthy this year. Sophomore Stephen Van Treese started 10 games last season, but his minutes may be cut into by talented freshmen Zach Price and Chane Behanan. Louisville is the deepest team in the Big East, and they needed that depth last season as they fought through a rash of injuries. The biggest key for Pitino this season will be managing egos. Will a guy like Wayne Blackshear have a problem with being the third guard off the bench?
4. Pitt: The Panthers are the Big East's standard-bearer when it comes to running a successful basketball program. Because under Jamie Dixon they are, quite literally, a program. Every year that Dixon has been the head coach of the Panthers, they have won 20 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. In eight seasons he was won three Big East titles (two regular season, one conference tournament) and the only time his team has finished worse than second in the Big East the past five years, they won the Big East Tournament. And Dixon has accomplished all of that without ending a player to the first round of the NBA Draft. Its incredible the job he has done with the Panthers. Pitt will once again head into the year with the target on their backs, not only because they are the reigning Big East champs, but because they made the decision to jump to the ACC alongside Syracuse. The Panthers should be equipped to handle it, however.
It starts with Ashton Gibbs, one of the favorites to win the Big East player of the year award. Gibbs is quite possibly the best all-around shooter in the country. He's sensational coming off of screens, to the point that Pitt uses him as their go-to guy through off-the-ball screening. Gibbs is the best in the country at what he does. He'll be joined in the back court by Travon Woodall, a talented playmaker that was second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio last season. Woodall will be taking over full-time for Brad Wanamaker, and while he's not as big or as good of an all-around player, he should be able to provide more defensive pressure and a more dangerous penetrator. Beyond Woodall and Gibbs, however, Pitt is going to have an inexperienced back court. Three freshmen -- Cameron Wright, Isaiah Epps, and John Johnson -- will provide the depth. It will be interesting to see who ends up replacing Gilbert Brown and starting at the small forward spot for Pitt as there are a number of candidates. The most likely seems to be Lamar Patterson, a versatile, 6'5" sophomore that can play any position, shooting guard to power forward. He's the best defender of the group, although he's not nearly the athlete or the shooter that Brown was. Freshman Durand Johnson, a 6'6" native of Baltimore, is, but he's also a freshman, which makes it seems unlikely that he'll start immediately. JJ Moore, another sophomore small forward, will also see time at that position.
Up front, Pitt is once again going to be loaded. Other than Gibbs, the only other starter that returns is Nasir Robinson, an undersized power forward that does all the little things for the Panthers. He'll be out early in the season as he deals with a minor knee surgery, opening the door for the rest of the Panther bigs to earn some playing time. I expect Dante Taylor to start at center, filling in admirably for the graduated Gary McGhee. Taylor was a top 20 recruit when he left high school and should finally begin to live up to that hype this season. In Robinson's absence, expect sophomore Talib Zanna to get minutes as a starter. Zanna started when Robinson was injured last season and did an excellent job. Freshman Khem Birch, who is one of the top ten recruits in the country, and Malcolm Gilbert will also see quite a bit of time. For Pitt, their front court is less about the name on the back of the jersey as it is about the fact that there are four or five 6'10" players capable of attacking the glass and blocking shots. The performance as a unit is the reason the Panthers are consistently in the top five in offensive rebounding percentage.
5. Cincinnati: Its safe to say that Mick Cronin has finally gotten the Cincinnati program to return to national relevancy after leading this group to a six seed in the NCAA Tournament last season, their first trip since 2005, and taking them to the second round. It took a while for the masses to be convinced, however. The Bearcats played one of the weakest non-conference schedules in the country, and while they did manage to head into Big East play undefeated, the only win that had more sustenance than Fluffernutter was a 20 point shellacking of Crosstown Shootout rival Xavier. There were many doubters, and those doubters remained pretty much up until Cincinnati won five of their last six games, which included wins over Louisville, Marquette and Georgetown twice.
The biggest catalyst for change on Cincinnati's team was Yancy Gates, who responded well to a mid-season benching. After being kept home from a trip to Pittsburgh stemming from a verbal altercation with a coach in practice, Gates completely changed his attitude and his effort level. He averaged 15.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 1.3 bpg over the final 10 games of the season, and that renewed effort he showed late in the year has continued into the offseason. He's lost 20 pounds, he's taken conditioning and weightlifting workouts seriously, and by all accounts Gates finally appears to have matured enough mentally to be able to reach his full potential as a player. With his size, strength, athleticism and skill set, Gates is the most influential player in the Big East this season. If he lives up to his potential, Cincinnati is going to be a top six team in the Big East. Part of the reason Gates is so important is that the rest of the Bearcat front line is young and unproven. JuCo transfer Cheikh Mbodj is expected to start along side Gates. Sophomore Justin Jackson, a blue-collar energy guy that will rebound and defend, will likely be the first guy off the bench while freshmen Kelvin Gaines and Octavius Ellis will provide depth.
The perimeter will be strong for Cronin next season. Cashmere Wright, a junior point guard, has proven to be a capable playmaker and a solid facilitator. Dion Dixon will join Wright in the back court. Dixon is a do-it-all senior, a guy that can get you 15-20 points when you need it but is also the team's best defender. The x-factor will be sophomore Sean Kilpatrick, a guy most people are predicting to have a big season. Playing the role of sparkplug off the bench, Kilpatrick was the team's third-leading scorer, a high-volume/high-efficiency guard that was able to put up points in a hurry. He shoots the ball well from deep, he doesn't turn it over and he can get to the foul line, all the qualities that will make a player adored by the stat-heads. It will be interesting to see how he handles becoming a go-to guy this year. Cronin will be counting on junior JaQuan Parker to regain his confidence. After a solid freshman year, Parker shot a dreadful 18.4% from the floor and losing his spot in the rotation by the time Big East play rolled around. Freshmen Jeremiah Davis, Ge'Lawn Guyn and Jermaine Sanders round out the rotation. The Bearcats have some question marks and players assuming new roles this year, but if Gates and Kilpatrick both develop the way folks are predicting they will, Cincinnati has a chance at competing for the top four in the Big East.
6. Marquette: The Big East sent 11 teams to the NCAA Tournament in 2011, but only two made it past the first weekend. One was UConn, who went on to win the national title. The other? Marquette. And while the Golden Eagles saw their season end in demoralizing fashion when North Carolina obliterated them in the Sweet 16, the tournament success masked what was a very up-and-down season. Marquette lost a number of close games throughout the year -- most notably, when they blew an 18-point lead to Louisville in the final 6:15 -- and needed two wins in the Big East Tournament just to get themselves an at-large bid despite the bubble being as weak as it has been in recent memory.
The biggest victory of the year for the Golden Eagles didn't come until after their season had ended, when Marquette was able to convince their head coach Buzz Williams to resign with their program instead of jumping to one of the Big 12 jobs that opened up during the spring. And Williams will, once again, have a roster that is capable of winning a couple games in the NCAA Tournament. It starts with Darius Johnson-Odom, an athletic left-handed scoring guard that will likely end up as a first team all-Big East performer. DJO is a very capable perimeter shooter, but he is at his best when he uses his ability to slash to the basket to set up that jumper. He'll be joined in the back court by Junior Cadougan, a talented playmaker at the point. He's not as good of a shooter as Dwight Buycks, who graduated, but he protects the ball better. Sophomore Vander Blue should be able to contribute on the perimeter, especially if his offensive game comes around this season. He'll be competing for a starting spot with Oregon transfer Jamil Wilson. Expect freshman Derrick Wilson to back-up Cadougan at the point and Todd Mayo (OJ's little brother) to contribute on the perimeter as well.
What's interesting about this Marquette team is that they actually have some solid threats in their front court. Jae Crowder, who is one of the most underrated players in the country, is the next in the line of talented combo-forwards for the Golden Eagles. Crowder should, theoretically, be able to thrive next season simply because he does some many things well. He defends, he attacks the glass, he'll knock down a three if you give him space, he'll put the ball on the floor if you crowd him and he doesn't turn the ball over. Juan Anderson and Jamail Jones will also see minutes at forward. Marquette also has a couple of legitimate low-post threats this year. Chris Otule started last season and appears to finally be healthy heading into his junior year. Otule, who was born with one eye, has trouble catching quick, dump-off passes, but that's really the only issue he has with his vision. He's a bid-body inside that takes up space and will block a couple of shots. Davante Garnder will end up being an x-factor for Marquette. The 6'9" sophomore has some terrific moves around the rim, which is why he was so productive last season in the limited minutes that he played. It appears he has bought into the idea of getting into shape -- he was pushing 300 lb last year -- and being a 20 mpg player, which should finally give Buzz Williams a low-post threat. The Golden Eagles should have their most balanced attack to date. Expect them to compete for a top four finish in the league.
7. Villanova: Villanova is slowly becoming synonymous with late-season collapses, and 2010-2011 was no different. After starting out the year 18-1 and 4-0 in the Big East, the Wildcats lost 11 of their last 16 games, including their final six. If it wasn't for a three point win over South Florida and an overtime win over DePaul, Nova would have lost their final 10 games. They were knocked out in the first round of the Big East Tournament by USF and lost to George Mason in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Making matters worse (or better, depending on your view of the leadership provided by the two Coreys) is that Villanova will lose three of their starters from last season's team. With Isaiah Armwood making the decision to transfer to George Washington, the Wildcats will be left with exactly half of their rotation from a year ago.
This Villanova team will be young and, hopefully, intact for two full seasons as there isn't a scholarship senior anywhere on the roster. Maalik Wayns will likely be the guy that carries the torch as the standout in the Villanova back court. A talented penetrator and creator, Wayns made strides with his ability as a passer last season, but there is still room for him to cut down on his turnovers. Villanova will need a go-to scorer this year, and Wayns should be primed to take over that role. His effectiveness will end up being determined by how well he improved his shooting; he can finish in the lane well for someone his size, but defense don't exactly make it a priority to take away his jump shot. Joining Wayns on the perimeter this year will be Dominic Cheek, an athletic wing who will finally have a chance to start after two years of coming off the bench. Cheek was a highly-touted kid coming out of high school, but he has yet to find any consistency at the college level. Beyond that, there are plenty of minutes available on the perimeter. Sophomore James Bell will probably get first crack at the shooting guard spot, but freshmen Tyrone Johnson, Achraf Yacoubou and Darrun Hilliard will all make a push for playing time.
The front court will be anchored by Mouphtaou Yarou, a physical center that has already made a mark as a rebounder and a defender in the lane. It will be interesting to see if Yarou can develop as a scorer on the block. He has had a fairly significant amount of hype heading into this, his junior, year and it will be interesting to see if he can live up to it. Maurice Sutton, a 6'11" center, will have a shot to play significant minutes this year, but he'll need to prove that he is deserving of those minutes. Freshman JayVaughn Pinkston, who sat out last season due to legal issues, should be able to make an impact as a combo-forward. He's a burly, 6'6" kid that has an impressive face-up game. Another freshman, Markus Kennedy, should see time as well. This Villanova team is intriguing. What made the 2009 Wildcats, their Final Four team, so good is the versatility they had defensively with players like Shane Clark, Dwayne Anderson and Reggie Redding. Can Pinkston, Bell and Cheek embrace those roles? If so, having them bookended with talents like Wayns and Yarou could make the Wildcats a sleeper in the Big East.
8. Notre Dame: The Fighting surprised a lot of people last season. After losing Luke Harangody to graduation, Notre Dame got better. Ben Hansbrough turned into a certified star, Carleton Scott and Scott Martin became dangerous weapons at the forward spot, and the Irish won 10 of their last 11 conference games to finished 14-4 in league play, which put them all alone in second place in the conference. But the Irish are going to have quite a bit to replace this year. They lose three starters from a team that only went seven deep last season, and that includes the graduation of Hansbrough, who won the Big East player of the year award over Kemba Walker last season.
The good news for the Irish is that they return Big East player of the year candidate Tim Abromaitis. Abro is a lights-out shooter who, at 6'8", is able to play multiple positions. The fifth-year senior, who will have to sit out for the first four games of the year stemming from a couple of exhibitions games he played during his redshirt season, has become more than just a jump-shooter during his time in South Bend. He's able to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim when defenders close out too hard, and he's also become a solid rebounder on the defensive end of the floor. Abro will be joined by Scott Martin, who is a similar player. Martin is more a front-court player than Abro, but he also is a dangerous three-point shooter with the ability to create off the dribble. Throw in Jack Cooley, a big, 6'10" center that is tough on the glass and has a soft-touch around the basket, and the Irish have a solid front line. Junior Tom Knight, who saw limited minutes last season, will have to boost his production this year, particularly if Eric Katenda is unable to play due to the eye injury he suffered over the summer.
The back court will be anchored by sophomore point guard Eric Atkins. Atkins has a chance to be a breakout performer as the primary ball-handler on the roster this season. In a complimentary and facilitatory role as a freshman, Atkins still managed to average 3.2 apg and lead the Big East in assist-to-turnover ratio. He'll be one of, if not the only player on the Irish capable of creating his own shot. The off-guard spot will be a battle between redshirt-freshman Jerian Grant and true freshman Pat Connaughton. Connaughton is a knock-down shooter that is able to create off the dribble. He's just 6'4", but his length (6'10") and sneaky athleticism make him an ideal candidate to play alongside Abro and Atkins. Grant is more of an athletic slasher who will likely be the best defender on the Notre Dame perimeter. Joey Brooks and Alex Dragicevich will also see time on the perimeter for Notre Dame. The Irish should have no problem scoring the basketball next season, their issue is going to be defensive and rebounding the basketball. This is not a team with an over-abundance of toughness and physicality. They'll likely finish somewhere in the middle of the league, but an NCAA Tournament berth is not out of the question.
9. Georgetown: Austin Freeman and Chris Wright will graduate Georgetown as two of the greatest guards to set foot on the DC campus. But as impressive as the numbers were that they put up, the lasting legacy of their recruiting class will be the inability to get the Hoyas past the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Under the leadership of Freeman and Wright, Georgetown seemingly was never quite able to put it all together. Whether that was the result of running into Stephen Curry, Chris Wright's broken hand or the inability to compete in a top-heavy Big East, the Hoyas always seemed to be missing something come March. 2010-2011 was no different, as Georgetown lost four of their last five Big East games before being bounced in the first round of both the Big East Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.
This year's Hoya team is going to look quite different, as there will be a changing of the guard in the back court. With Wright and Freeman gone, look for Markel Starks to step into the starting lineup and Jason Clark to take on a much more significant role as a scorer. Starks will officially be the point guard -- Clark is much better suited to being a score-first player -- but they are both going to have to carry the burden of running the Hoyas offense. When Georgetown struggled last season, it was because they lost their threat to create at the end of a clock (Wright's injury). The Hoyas will get their open shots and they back door cuts running JT III's system, but the ability of Starks and Clark to create when the offense stagnates will be critical. Junior Hollis Thompson will also be forced into a much bigger role this year. He was forced to play out of position at times last season, but he's a dangerous shooter with impressive length and athleticism that can really get to the glass. I'm expecting him to have a big year. Two freshmen -- Jabril Trawick and Aaron Bowen -- will provide the perimeter depth.
Up front, the Hoyas are going to be quite young, but also quite talented. Henry Sims will be the veteran leader for this group. Sims was a joke amongst Big East fans for the first two years of his career, but he slowly became a relevant factor as a passer at the high post for the Hoyas last season. This year, he'll need to take on some of the rebounding and interior defense Georgetown loses with Julian Vaughn's graduation. After that, the Hoyas will have loads of unproved and youthful talent. Nate Lubick moved into the starting lineup by the end of last season, but he'll need to develop more as a rebounder and a scorer. Georgetown's quartet of freshmen bigs will be counted on to make an impact as well. 6'9" combo-forward Otto Porter is the most-hyped of the group, but Mikael Hopkins, Tyler Adams and Greg Whittington are going to be counted on to produce as well. I think Georgetown could end up being a sleeper in the league this season, particularly if they are able to come together based on what happened in China this summer. Worst case scenario is that this group is a year away, but the future is promising.
10. West Virginia: Bob Huggins had a trying year in 2010-2011. Between the inconsistency of Casey Mitchell, the issues with his players learning his sets and the disappearance of their freshmen class, West Virginia went through numerous starting lineups and different rotations. As a testament to the program he is running at West Virginia, that group was still able to make the NCAA Tournament and win a game. This year promises to be more difficult for Huggy Bear, as he graduates threes starters and a key bench player while also losing two important pieces to transfer.
The strength of this year's team will be on their front line. It starts with Kevin Jones, a senior that had a bit of a disappointing junior season after playing such an important role as a sophomore. Jones thrived as Da'Sean Butler's sidekick, but when he was asked to play more of a central role in the offense, he struggled. Jones couldn't find the same consistency with his perimeter stroke. His rebounding numbers remained fairly consistent, however, and that's where his strength is. Jones needs to build off the end of the season, as he played his best basketball of the year down the stretch. He'll be joined up front by Deniz Kilicli, a burly, 6'9" Turk with a surprisingly soft touch in the lane. When Kilicli gets into a rhythm, his lefty jump hook is unstoppable, but he needs to improve his rebounding. There has been talk that Jones could end up starting at the three this season, making room for redshirt freshman Kevin Noreen to slide into the starting lineup. Noreen played seven games last year before being sidelined with a knee injury. He's another big man with a nice outside touch, but he'll be asked to get more physical in the paint. Four newcomers -- freshmen Tommie McCune, Pat Forsythe and Keaton Miles and JuCo transfer Dominic Rutledge -- will provide depth.
The back court will be anchored by Truck Bryant, who will likely spend the majority of his time playing off the ball this season. Bryant is a four-year starter in the program and will be the team's best perimeter shooter. He's at his best when he is able to set his feet and be a spot-up shooter, and by moving him to the off-guard Huggins hopes to get him to improve on that 32.3% three point shooting. Bryant gets into trouble when he puts the ball on the floor and forces the issue. With Bryant, you want to see selective aggressiveness. He needs to know when to pick his spots. The point guard spot will be a battle between freshmen Jabarie Hinds and Gary Browne. Hinds is probably the most highly-regarded member of this recruiting class. Another freshman, Aaron Brown, should also see time on the perimeter. West Virginia does have some talented pieces, but it is never easy to rely heavily on freshmen, especially in the Big East. The Mountaineers should be in the mix for an NCAA Tournament berth, but a lot of that will depend on how well this team can hit the defensive glass and what kind of play they get out of the point guard spot.
11. Seton Hall: Last season was supposed to be a big year for new head coach Kevin Willard, but due to a pair of life-threatening issues beyond his control -- Jeremy Hazell was shot was while recovering from a broken hand and Herb Pope nearly died last summer when his heart stopped after a workout -- SHU battled through yet another disappointing season. They finished the year 13-18 overall and 7-11 in the Big East, bowing out of the conference tournament in the first round to in-state rival Rutgers. Making matters more difficult, Seton Hall loses six players from last season's rotation, including their two best scorers in Hazell and Jeremy Robinson.
This year's team will be based around the front court, as Willard has a number of pieces at his disposal. It starts with Herb Pope, 6'8" boulder of a power forward. Pope struggled last season as he fought to get back into shape after having his heart stop during a workout the previous summer. By the end of the year, he was starting to round back into form. It will be interesting to see what Pope can produce this season, as he averaged a double-double as a sophomore and will be asked to anchor a front line with a couple of talented youngsters on it. Freshman Kevin Johnson, a California native, is expected to compete for a spot in the starting lineup if he is cleared by the NCAA, although that is looking less and less likely. If he's not, sophomore Patrick Auda showed some promise last season, as did classmate Aaron Geramipoor. Freshman Brandon Mobley will get minutes as well.
The back court will be headlined by Jordan Theodore, who has been one of the most underrated point guards in the conference throughout his career. Theodore is at his best when he is penetrating and creating, which will be all the more important for the Pirates this season. Seton Hall is a very good defensive team, but they struggled to score the ball last season and, as we mentioned, will be losing their top two scorers from that team. Theodore will have to become the go-to guy this season. Sophomore Fuquan Edwin will likely get to start in the back court again. He's a solid defender with some size that will slot in nicely at the small forward spot. The rest of the perimeter rotation will be stocked with freshmen. Aaron Cosby and Haralds Karlis seem to have the upper hand in terms of earning the last starting spot on the perimeter. Both players were on campus all summer long. Freddie Wilson and Sean Grennan will also see time. Seton Hall has a young group supporting Pope and Theodore. This will be a rebuilding year for them, but Willard has a solid base for which to build on.
12. Rutgers: Mike Rice certainly has the Scarlet Knights pointed in the right direction. After Fred Hill's ugly tenure came to a conclusion at the end of the 2009-2010, Rutgers opted to hire the fiery Robert Morris head coach, and it paid off. Rutgers, despite having a roster with a number of seniors on it, completely changed the feel of their program. While they were on the short-end of the talent stick seemingly every night in league play, this group competed. They defended, they battled on the glass and they earned quite a bit of respect from a number of folks around the league. It paid off in small doses as well, as RU took Syracuse to overtime on the road, knocked off Villanova on one of the most memorable plays of the season and then went on to beat rival Seton Hall in the first round of the Big East Tournament before losing to St. John's in semi-controversial fashion.
Rutgers does graduate three starters from last year's team, however, which will make the rebuilding process take just that much longer. The good news? Both Dane Miller and Gil Biruta are back. Biruta is a tough, physical 6'8" post presence that can score and get on the glass. He was named newcomer of the year in the Big East last season and is the perfect player for a Mike Rice-coached team. The only issue he has is foul trouble. He was limited to just 22 mpg last season because he couldn't stay on the floor. If he can solve those fouling issues, expect a big year from the Lithuanian. Miller should have won the Big East newcomer of the year award in 2010. He struggled a bit on the offensive end of the floor as a sophomore, but that Miller's best attribute is his ability to defend. The 6'6" small forward can make things happen defensively. Junior Austin Johnson is another big body that Rice can trot out there, but his front court depth took a major hit when Kadeem Jack, a freshman that was expected to start this season, broke his foot. He should be back by the middle of Big East play. A couple of other freshmen -- Derrick Randall and Greg Lewis will provide Rice with front court depth.
The back court will be a bit more of an issue for Rutgers. Sophomores Mike Poole and Austin Carroll are the only two players that saw significant playing time that return. Carroll is one of the best perimeter shooters that Rice will have at his disposal while Poole, like Miller, is a small forward known more for his ability to defend than his ability to score. Rice does have quite a bit of talent entering the program, however. It starts with Myles Mack, a 5'9" point guard out of St. Patrick's that will have a chance to start immediately. He's not the only newcomer that Rice will have in the back court, either, as freshmen Jerome Seagears, Malick Kone and Eli Carter both enter the program along with Texas Tech transfer Tyree Graham. The Scarlet Knights are on their way up as a program, but they are a couple of years away from truly competing in the league.
13. St. John's: It didn't take long for Steve Lavin to get the Johnnies back to the NCAA Tournament. Coaching a team that was made up of virtually all seniors, Lavin's team put together one of the most impressive runs in the Big East last year. After a couple of embarrassing non-conference losses -- to St. Bonaventure and Fordham -- and a 1-5 stretch at the start Big East play, St. John's used a blowout win over Duke at the Garden to spark a seven game Big East winning streak. It was enough to earn the Johnnies an at-large bid to the tournament. They lost their opening game, but that was partly due to DJ Kennedy blowing out his knee in the Big East Tournament.
The problem? St. John's literally loses their entire team. Nine seniors graduated from last year's team and Dwayne Polee transferred out of the program and into San Diego State. And while Lavin brought in one of the deepest and most talented recruiting classes in the country, he lost three of those freshmen -- Amir Garrett, JaKarr Sampson, and Norvel Pelle -- when they couldn't get through the NCAA's Clearinghouse. What that means is that St. John's is left with a roster that consists of just eight scholarship players, only one of whom was a member of last season's team.
There is some talent on the roster, however. Junior returner Malik Stith will team with high-scoring JuCo transfer Nurideen Lindsay to share the ball-handling duties while D'Angelo Harrison and Phil Greene will share minutes at the shooting guard spot. Sir'Dominic Pointer and Moe Harkless, who are probably the two most talented recruits that Lavin brought in, will man the forward spots while God's Gift Achiuwa will be the team's interior presence. With that much inexperience on the roster, its difficult to expect much out of St. John's this year. But how much could we have expected out of this group if all nine newcomers were eligible? This was going to be a rebuilding year for St. John's regardless of who is on the roster. The guys that did get cleared will be gaining experience while Lavin continues to flex his muscles on the recruiting trail. The future is still bright in Queens even if the chances of making noise this season are significantly slimmer.
14. South Florida: Once again, South Florida struggled to a disappointing finish in the Big East. Coming off of a year where the Bulls finished .500 in the league and made a run at earning an at-large bid, USF won just 10 games last season and went 3-15 in Big East play. They lost to Florida Atlantic and James Madison in non-conference play. Their only Big East wins? Against DePaul and Providence. Any progress that Stan Heath's club made in 2010 completely went out the window last season.
This season, if the Bulls have any chance at competing in the Big East, its going to be the result of their front line playing well. Gus Gilchrist is one of the most talented big men in the league with the talent to be a major force in the league, the issue is whether or not he buys into the team concept. He was suspended for portions of last season due to "philosophical differences" with Heath. He won't be alone on the front line, either. Kansas State transfer Ron Anderson, Arizona State transfer Victor Rudd and junior Toarlyn Fitzpatrick will all see minutes up front. There is also some talent on the perimeter. Shaun Noriega is one of the better shooters in the conference when he gets hot, Hugh Robertson had a couple big games last season and should fill in well until Jawanza Poland, the uber-athletic junior scoring guard, returns from a back injury that will keep him sidelined until December. The point guard spot will be a major question mark, however, as Juco transfer Blake Nash and freshman Anthony Collins will be competing for the starting spot. USF has some pieces this season, but they are the same pieces that struggled all year a season ago. If Gilchrist doesn't correct his attitude and Poland doesn't get back to 100%, it will be another long year in Tampa.
15. Providence: Keno Davis has a disastrous tenure with the Friars. On the court, his product stunk. His team scored points by the bucketful, but they couldn't stop anyone defensively. When you're playing in the powerhouse Big East, you have to be able to get stops when you need them. Off the court, the Friars may have been even worse. Davis couldn't keep his players out of the police blotter, and the boosters and athletic department quickly soured on Davis. Just three years after being the hottest young coach in america, Davis lost his job at Providence. In steps Ed Cooley, who spent the last five years running the Fairfield program. Cooley, a Providence native, is tasked with rebuilding a school that doesn't have 1-A football into the powerhouse they were during his high school days in the late 80's.
That won't be an easy, or a quick, task. Cooley will be completely remodeling a team that went 4-14 last season and loses a first round pick to the NBA Draft. There are some pieces at his disposal, however. Vincent Council can hang with any point guard in the conference, and his back-up -- freshman Kiwi Gardner -- is tiny but will be one of the most exciting players in the league. Sophomores Gerald Coleman and Bryce Cotton both had promising freshman campaigns, as did big man Kadeem Betts. He'll join junior Bilal Dixon on the Friar frontline. This is an extremely young group -- two junior, seven sophomores, three freshmen -- that will have to learn a completely different system this year. Davis preached the run-and-gun; Cooley loves defense stalwarts. It will take a while for him to ingrain that mindset into a team that finished 150th in defensive efficiency last year. But with the youth on the roster, and with a loaded recruiting class on the way in 2012, the future is bright in Rhode Island. But that future may come at the expense of success this year.
16. DePaul: The Blue Demons struggled mightily during the 2010-2011 season, but that is no different than what we have come to expect out of the once-powerful DePaul program. The Blue Demons struggled mightily under head coach Jerry Wainwright, so its no surprise that those struggles continued under new head coach Oliver Purnell. Playing Purnell's typical, full court style, DePaul showed some flashes of potential, battling with some of the better teams in the Big East -- taking Villanova to overtime, losing by four at Louisville, losing by two to West Virginia. But its clear that Purnell's team still has a way to go.
The good news is that he has built the foundation for a promising future. Sophomore Cleveland Melvin and Brandon Young, both Baltimore natives, led the team in scoring and were named to the league's all-freshmen team. With point guard Jeremiah Kelly and big man Krys Faber both returning as well, there was reason for optimism heading into this season. But that was until DePaul started losing players by the handful. First, Shane Larkin decided not to enroll at DePaul and instead headed to Miami. Then freshman Macari Brooks was ruled ineligible for this season because he couldn't get through the NCAA's Clearinghouse. He'll be available next year and have four seasons of eligibility. Tony Freeland, who started at small forward last year, will miss the year after undergoing surgery on his balky right shoulder and Montray Clemons suffered a patella injury while warming up for Midnight Madness. Purnell now will struggle to have enough bodies to go 5-on-5 in practice. Miami transfer Donnavan Kirk will provide a boost when he gets eligible in December, and freshmen Charles McKinney and Derrell Robertson will have an impact, but its going to be another long year for the Blue Demons. The good news? There was hope. And there still is for the future. Its just not happening this year. Continue reading...
Once you get past the referee mistakes and the poor late game execution, the central talking point of this tournament's first weekend was that, for the second straight year, the conference that was supposed to be the nation's best woefully underperformed.
There really is no way to argue around it.
The Big East sent 11 teams to the NCAA Tournament. Nine of those teams failed to make it to the Sweet 16. Of the two that did, they had to beat another Big East conference foe to get there -- Marquette beat Syracuse in the second round and UConn beat Cincinnati in the second round.
There is really no defense. The Big East sucked in the tournament.
But that doesn't mean they shouldn't have gotten 11 teams into the dance.
The league went 29-16 against the five other BCS leagues. The 11 teams that made the tournament had a combined record of 24-10 against tournament teams from other conferences. Yes, the Big East proved its worth during the regular season. There really is no justifiable argument against any team in the conference.
That said, it probably shouldn't be that big of a surprise that the Big East struggled.
All season long, the consensus regarding the Big East conference was that it was a collection of a number of quality basketball teams. That there was a lot of good in the league but not much great. That beyond Kemba Walker, there wasn't a single, surefire first round pick in the conference.
In conference play, the Big East slowly but surely built up each team's individual profile. With so many games against good, but not great, teams, RPI's became inflated. Wins began to look better than they were. Teams began to look more promising because they were winning games against the team in third place in the Big East.
What makes the Big East so entertaining to watch is also what causes an early tournament demise.
Villanova, for the second straight season, collapsed down the stretch of the season. They lost their last five games, seven of their last nine, and nine of their last thirteen heading into the NCAA Tournament. Anyone that picked them to beat George Mason was either a Villanova alum or a Philly native.
The same can be said for Georgetown. The Hoyas collapsed down the stretch without Chris Wright, and while he came back for the tournament, he wasn't the same player and the Hoyas weren't the same team. Everyone saw that loss coming as well.
St. John's got an inflated seed thanks to a one-month stretch where the Johnnies played out of their minds and struggled to compete after losing DJ Kennedy to a torn acl. Anyone that watched Syracuse play this season knew that they were not going to go very far in the tournament with Scoop Jardine leading the way. Notre Dame and Louisville were both thought to be "overrated" all season long.
The writing was on the wall.
Perhaps the most telling fact, however, is that the Big East simply does not have the individual talent this season. Other than Kemba Walker of UConn, who is a surefire first round pick?
Regular season success is the result of team play and coaching. The season is a grind, and the teams that have their players prepared -- physically, mentally, and with a firm understanding of the game plan -- are the ones that succeed. But in a one game, winner-takes-all tournament, talent takes over. And the Big East just doesn't -- didn't -- have that talent level.
That said, the NCAA Tournament doesn't change a season's worth of sample size.
The Big East didn't have the best teams this season, but they were the best conference. They deserved to get all 11 teams into the tournament. You can point to the top eight teams getting knocked out by the second round of the dance, and I can't argue that fact. But its also true that the ninth and 11th place teams in the league -- teams that combined to go 18-18 in Big East play -- will both be playing in the Sweet 16.
A disappointing performance in the NCAA Tournament -- one that was predicted by just about every columnist, writer, blogger, and fan -- doesn't change that fact. Continue reading...
There is only one thing you need to know about the 2011 Big East Tournament -- UConn and Villanova, who have both spent time in the top ten this season -- will be playing on the first day of the tournament.
Think about that for a second.
Two teams that were at one point considered two of the ten best teams in the country could not even secure a top eight seed in their conference. While UConn may have been overrated due to the ridiculous start Kemba Walker had and Villanova has had an epic collapse down the stretch of the season, the fact that those two will have to win five games in five days to take home the Big East Tournament title should tell you the kind of depth this league has.
The ironic part, however, is that while there is an unprecedented amount of "good" in the Big East, there isn't all that much "great". Pitt and Notre Dame certified themselves as the top two teams in the league, but they are the kind of powerhouse that you expect to see at the top of the Big East. This isn't the Pitt, UConn, and Louisville teams of 2009.
Where: Madison Square Garden
When: March 8th-12th
Final: March 12th, 9:00 pm, ESPN
Favorite: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Yup, I'm going with it. Let me explain, because I do have a convincing argument. The Irish have won 11 of their last 12 games. Ben Hansbrough, who should win the Big East player of the year award in the voters get it right, has been playing the best basketball of his career of late. Tim Abromaitis has refound his shooting stroke. This team is loaded with experienced basketball players that create all kinds of matchup problems with their versatility. Throw in the fact that this group owns Pitt of late -- they've won three in a row against the Panthers using their Burn Offense -- and the Irish are my pick to win it all.
Other Contenders: The list of contenders for the Big East title is long. There is regular season champion Pitt, although the Panthers are playing short handed right now. Back up big man Talib Zanna broke his thumb and is still out of the lineup. He's the Panthers best offensive rebounder, and for a team that thrives on cleaning up the offensive glass, this loss is much more significant than you think. The Panthers have as many losses without Zanna as they did with him in the lineup.
There are a number of other teams capable of winning this thing. Syracuse is a tough team to beat at the Garden, and when Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph are playing well, the Orange are a very good team. Louisville is the streakiest team in conference. They press and they shoot a lot of threes, and when the threes are dropping and they are forcing turnovers, the Cardinals are a tough team to beat.
Sleeper: St. John's Red Storm
Its weird calling a team that is ranked as high as the Johnnies are a sleeper, but they are the fifth seed in the Big East, so I'll allow it. The Red Storm struggled early in the season, but they have really come together down the stretch as Dwight Hardy has become one of the best scorers in the league. But the biggest reason St. John's has a shot at winning this thing? They are a much better team at home, and their home court just so happens to be Madison Square Garden.
Deeper Sleepers: West Virginia is really coming together late in the season Joe Mazzulla and Kevin Jones are finally hitting their stride late in the season, while they have three legitimate scoring threats -- Deniz Kilicli, Casey Mitchell, Truck Bryant -- that are all capable of going for 20 points. Also keep an eye on Cincinnati. The Bearcats have come on late in the season and played their way off the bubble and into a potential six seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Players to Watch:
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall: Hazell has been through more this season than is fair. He broke his wrist early in the season, got shot on christmas day, and has had to deal with arguably the most dysfunctional basketball program in the country. That said, he can score with the best of them. When he gets hot, he is fun to watch.
Marshon Brooks, Providence: Brooks leads the league in scoring. He's gone for 43 points and 52 points this season. Need I say more?
Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette: DJO is one of my favorite players in the conference to watch. The Kanye West lookalike is a lefty that just knows how to score. He's got range well beyond the three point line and dunks as hard as anyone in the country.
Coming into the season, Pitt and Villanova were the two teams everyone expected to be competing for the Big East title. While that hasn't exactly changed in the last two months, in this blogger's humble opinion the best team in the Big East is Georgetown. The Hoyas are an experienced team led by the best back court in the country in Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, and Jason Clark. Their front court has been better than expected, especially junior Henry Sims, who has developed into a homeless man's Greg Monroe. (The old Henry Sims was a homeless man's version of the new Henry Sims, so that last sentence should be taken as a complement.) They defend, they run a disciplined offense, and John Thompson III has allowed this team to take advantage of their guards and play at a faster pace this season. No team in the country has a better resume than the Hoyas do right now, as this team has emerged as a Final Four favorite seemingly out of nowhere. You aren't supposed to get better when you lose a lottery pick to early entry.
Player of the Year: Kemba Walker, UConn
This is obvious, isn't it? Walker has posted ridiculous numbers (26.5 ppg, 4.0 apg, 4.8 rpg, 2.1 spg, 42.1% 3PT) and carried an extremely young UConn team to a Maui Invitational title and a No. 4 ranking nationally. This team was picked 10th in the league to start the season and is now legitimately being discussed as a conference contender, and it is almost all a result of Walker's play.
All-Conference Team:
G: Ashton Gibbs, Pitt: 16.5 ppg, 44.4% 3PT, 3.4 apg
C: Rick Jackson, Syracuse: 13.9 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 2.0 bpg
Biggest Surprise: Cincinnati Bearcats
UConn is the biggest surprise of the season, but we've already talked about the Huskies here. And with Cincinnati on the brink of being one of just eight teams nationally to head into the new year undefeated, they deserve mention here. To be fair, Cincinnati hasn't exactly beaten anyone this season. Their 68-34 win over Dayton is nice, but it came at a time when the Flyers were playing some horrendous basketball. They also beat Oklahoma in Oklahoma, but the Sooners are no where near the same team as they were when Blake Griffin was in uniform. The Bearcats have been bolstered by better-than-expected play on their perimeter, led by Dion Dixon, Sean Kilpatrick, and Cashmere Wright. I'm reserving judgement on this team until after they are truly tested -- which will come early in Big East play -- but this start by Cinci deserves some praise. Also deserving mention here are the Louisville Cardinals and Providence Friars.
Biggest Disappointment: Villanova's back court
Corey Fisher was supposed to be the heir apparent to Scottie Fisher as Villanova's leading man. Maalik Wayns was supposed to be the next Kyle Lowry. Combined, they are shooting just 38% from the floor and 22% from three. They are still compiling some impressive assist numbers, but the stats don't tell the whole story. Villanova has struggled this season with a lack of leadership. They have struggled to beat teams they should be blowing out, and they lost to Tennessee in Madison Square Garden in a game where both players disappeared down the stretch. That said, Nova has just the one loss this season, and Fisher did appear as if he turned a corner against Monmouth in Nova's last game. I like the roster make up of this Villanova team, always have, but until there is consistently great play coming out of Wayns and Fisher, the Wildcat's don't look like a team that can challenge for a Big East regular season title.
Teams to keep an eye on:
Notre Dame: The Irish have just one loss on the season -- which came at Kentucky -- and won the Old Spice Classic in impressive fashion, knocking off Wisconsin, Georgia, and Cal.
Louisville: There is no star on this Louisville team, but they run a system that doesn't require a star. If the Cardinals can control tempo -- meaning they are playing fast -- and are knocking down shots from the perimeter, this will be a tough team to beat. And that no star comment? That could change if Peyton Siva continues to play the way he has of late.
Marquette: I feel like I say it every year, but don't write off the Golden Eagles just yet. This is a scrappy team with a lot of talent on the perimeter.
West Virginia: Bobby Huggins is still trying to get this team to play his way, but once he does, don't be surprised if this team makes a run in conference play. They have size, they defend, and Casey Mitchell has the potential to be a big time scorer.
Providence: Seriously. There is talent on this team. Vincent Council and Bilal Dixon are above-average Big East players, and Marshon Brooks is playing as well as anyone in the country.
Teams to forget about:
Seton Hall: I feel for the kids at Seton Hall. This was supposed to be their year. But between Herb Pope's near-death experience and subsequent struggles coming back and Jeremy Hazell's injuries (broken wrist, getting shot on christmas), this is not the team we expected at the start of the season.
St. John's: The recent win to Northwestern aside, it seems as if experience hasn't helped this Johnnies team. They've lost to Fordham and St. Bonaventure already this year.
I love Big Monday. Maybe its because I grew up in Big East country. Maybe its because I have an awkward love for color commentary of Jay Bilas and Bill Raftery. Maybe its because I am the only person in the country that thinks Brent Musberger and Bobby Knight are entertaining as announcers. Maybe its because something needs to fill the void of Monday Night Football.
Or maybe its because I simply adore starting off my week with two big-time matchups, which just so happen to be the only games of significance each and every Monday. If you can't get excited for Big Monday, then we can't be friends anymore. Sorry. The door's over there.
I have a point to all of this (I swear).
On Thursday, the Big East released their Big Monday schedule. The Big XII announced their portion back in July, which means that I now know exactly how I will be spending each and every Monday in January and February.
Hit the jump to see our rankings of which Big Mondays we are looking forward to the most: (Ed. Note: We aren't including the first three weeks in our rankings. If we were, they would be at the bottom. Two games are always better than one.)
1. January 17th: Villanova @ UConn; Kansas State @ Missouri; Syracuse @ Pitt; Kansas @ Baylor
I mean, isn't this obvious? The 17th is Martin Luther King, Jr., day, and what better way to celebrate your Monday off from work than eight solid hours of Big East and Big XII hoops? The day tips at 3:30pm (all times EST) with Villanova heading to UConn. Now, the Huskies are going to be down this season, but they still have Kemba Walker who will need to have a big game against Villanova's loaded back court. The good news for UConn is that the game will, in fact, be played at Gampel Pavilion, their on-campus arena, as opposed to the Hartford Civic Center. The other MLK Day Big East game will be one of the best of the season. Pitt and Syracuse, along with Villanova, are the favorites to finish atop the conference, and its by a pretty wide margin. There is a lot to like about this game, but the matchup that intrigues me the most will be Pitt's sophomore big man Dante Taylor going up against stud Syracuse freshman Fab Melo. I get the feeling NBA scouts will like that as well.
UConn beat Nova in Philly last year. (photo credit: Stamford Advocate)
On the Big XII side, the games will be just as entertaining. The first game pits Kansas State and Mizzou, two of the more exciting teams to watch in this league. Kansas State has a ton of size and length along their front line, but their back court is relatively inexperienced after all-american Jacob Pullen. That's not ideal considering the Tiger's 40 minutes of hell defense. Mizzou is deep, especially in the back court, with a lot athletes that really can get after it defensively. It may not be the prettiest game to watch, but it will be exciting. The night ends with Kansas heading to Waco, TX, to take on Baylor. Both the Bears and the Jayhawks have potential all-americans on their roster in LaceDarius Dunn and Marcus Morris. But they also boast two of the most-hyped recruits in the country in Josh Selby and Perry Jones.
2. February 14th: West Virginia @ Syracuse; Kansas @ Kansas State
It may be Valentine's Day, but love is rarely in the air when Kansas and Kansas State get together. The atmosphere is always fantastic when the Jayhawks enter the Octagon of Doom, and this season should be no different. Marcus Morris will have his hands full with the Wildcat front line, but the matchup that everyone will want to see is freshman phenom Josh Selby going up against senior and all-american Jacob Pullen.
Jacob Pullen and the Wildcats have a great home court. (photo credit: USA Today)
In the early game, Bob Huggins will bring his West Virginia Mountaineers to the Carrier Dome to take on Jim Boeheim's Syracuse Orange. The Orange are definitely the more talented team, with guys like Kris Joseph and Fab Melo looking like potential first round picks, but the Mountaineers are a scrappy bunch led by senior Joe Mazzulla. With Kevin Jones and Deniz Kilicli seemingly primed for big years inside, it should surprise no one if WVU gives Syracuse a game.
3. February 7th: Pitt @ West Virginia; Missouri @ Kansas
Rivalry games are what it is all about in college hoops, and these two rivalries are about as entertaining as it gets. West Virginia fans are notoriously rowdy, and the last time the Panthers came to visit, it ended with a Pitt assistant coach being hit by a coin thrown from the stands. With both teams once again loaded with physical, tough basketball players, I wouldn't be surprised if this year's installment of the Backyard Brawl ended up in an actual brawl.
Marcus Morris and Kim English will be two of the best players in the Big XII next year. (photo credit: Statsheet)
You know a rivalry is good when it has its own nickname. Pitt-WVU is the Backyard Brawl, while Kansas-Missouri games are known as the Border War. This year, the Tigers will be traveling to the Phog to take on a very good Jayhawk team. Kansas will be playing with a freshman point guard in Josh Selby, which is never ideal when you are facing the kind of pressure that Mizzou puts on for 40 minutes.
4. February 21st: Syracuse @ Villanova; Oklahoma State @ Kansas
A late February game between two of the favorites to win a conference? Yes please! The outcome of this Syracuse and Villanova game will, in all likelihood, have a major impact on the top of the Big East standings. Villanova may not have answers for Kris Joseph or Fab Melo, but can the Orange zone contain the Wildcat's tremendous back court?
Oklahoma State travels to Kansas in the night cap. The Cowboys lost their star James Anderson to the NBA this offseason and return a young roster. Okie State does have a couple of solid post players and some young talent in their back court, but winning in the Phog is never an easy task.
5. February 28th: Villanova @ Notre Dame; Kansas State @ Texas
Texas lost quite a bit of talent, but with freshmen Cory Joseph and Tristan Thompson coming in, and Jordan Hamilton returning, there's reason to believe this Texas team could make a run at a Big XII title. Kansas State is likely a top ten team this season, which means that if the Longhorns get a couple of breaks this year, this game could end up being a fantastic way to end the Big Monday season.
Notre Dame lost a bunch of talent as well, as Luke Harangody and Tory Jackson graduated. But with guys like Ben Hansbrough, Tim Abromaitis, and Carleton Scott returning, as well as a healthy Scott Martin being added to the rotation, this Irish team may sneak up on some people. But if Villanova is in the mix for a Big East title at this point in the year, will the Irish be able to compete with a determined Villanova team?
6. January 24th: Notre Dame @ Pitt; Baylor @ Kansas State
There's an argument to be made that Jacob Pullen and LaceDarius Dunn at the two best guards in the country. Would I make that argument? Not necessarily, but I would argue that watching those two go back and forth in a game with as much size, length, and athleticism as there is on both sides of the ball in this game will be immensely entertaining.
If Notre Dame continues to play the way they did down the stretch last season, then this matchup with Pitt might struggle to hit the 50's. If Notre Dame decides to try and take more advantage of some of the offensive talent they have on their roster, it may end up being a higher-scoring affair. But will Notre Dame then be able to compete with a very good Pitt team?
7. January 31st: Louisville @ Georgetown; Texas @ Texas A&M
Both of these games are quite similar. Georgetown loses Greg Monroe, but they return a talented and experienced back court that could end up being one of the best in the country. Its part of the reason they are considered one of the four best teams in the conference. Louisville, on the other hand, lost quite a bit of senior leadership and will head into this season with a younger group of kids.
As we mentioned, Texas lost some talent, but has a solid core of young guys that will lead them. The 'Horns, like Georgetown, should be considered one of the top four or five teams in their league, while the Aggies will have lost a lot of their senior leadership. Continue reading...
Summer officially ends on September 22nd, but for me, the end of summer always coincided with the end of August. Or when I had to go to school. (That first day was always the worst, wasn't it?) Anyway, school is right around the corner, which means that college basketball season is around the corner, down the street, through two lights, and on the left. Since we've all had a fight with our GPS at one time or another, we at BIAH will take this week to roll out our way-too-early, all-encompassing conference previews.
To browse through the other conferences, click here.
Pre-Season Awards
Player of the Year: Corey Fisher, Villanova
Its no secret that Jay Wright runs an offense geared towards back court players, and with Villanova losing a first team all-american with Scottie Reynolds' graduation, Fisher is in line to be the feature guard. Fisher is a dynamic scorer that can get to the basket, can finish amongst the trees, and, as he proved this summer, is a very good three point shooter. He's a tough kid from the Bronx, which leaves me with little doubt that he can flourish as a senior leader for a Nova club with a wealth of young talent.
And a close second goes to: Austin Freeman, Georgetown
To be honest, any one of the five players listed below on the Big East's first team could slide in here, as the top six players in the league seem fairly obvious. Freeman is probably the best of that group, however. At 6'4", 240 lb, Freeman is built more like a linebacker than a shooting guard, but for someone his size, he is nimble, mobile, and athletic. The best aspect of his game is his ability to shoot -- when he gets it going, he is damn near impossible to stop. Ask UConn. Or Louisville. He needs to improve on his ability to get to the rim -- he shot less than 100 free throws last season -- but he has a high basketball IQ and truly understands what is a good shot and what isn't. Freeman is the perfect guard for JT III's offense, and should thrive this year.
Breakout Star: Kris Joseph, Syracuse
The last two years, Joseph has come off the bench, playing a role for a team that had legitimate stars -- Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf, Wes Johnson, Andy Rautins. But with that talent off to the NBA (or New Zealand) someone is going to have to fill the void, and Joseph is the perfect player. At 6'7", Joseph is athletic enough to be a dangerous slasher. He can get to the rim, and he can finish once there. He has the length to be a nightmare defensively in the Syracuse zone. If he can add a consistent jump shot, then Joseph seems like a safe bet to be a first round pick whenever he decides to go pro. All-Conference First Team:
POY - Corey Fisher, Villanova, Sr.
G - Kemba Walker, UConn, Jr.
G - Austin Freeman, Georgetown, Sr.
F - Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame, Sr.
F - Kris Joseph, Syracuse, Jr.
F - Kevin Jones, West Virginia, Jr.
All-Conference Second Team:
G - Chris Wright, Georgetown, Sr.
G - Ashton Gibbs, Pitt, Jr.
G - Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, Sr.
F - DJ Kennedy, St. John's, Sr.
F - Jimmy Butler, Marquette, Sr.
Freshman of the Year: Fab Melo, Syracuse
In an era of one-and-done basketball, its pretty amazing that in a 16 team conference, Melo is really the only kid with a chance of being in the NBA in 2011. The seven-foot Brazilian has a pretty good back to the basket game for a player his age and is regarded by a few recruiting outlets as the best center in the class. Playing alongside Rick Jackson and Joseph, the Orange will have a very good front line.
All-Freshman Team:
G - Eric Atkins, Notre Dame
G - Vander Blue, Marquette
G - Dion Waiters, Syracuse
F - Roscoe Smith, UConn
F - Nate Lubick, Georgetown
What Happened?:
NCAA Sanctions: From a basketball perspective, the biggest story in the Big East this summer was up at UConn. The Huskies received a notice of allegations from the NCAA in May, informing them of eight major violations in the recruitment of Nate Miles. UConn will find out its final punishment from the NCAA in October, but the violations have already cost them two assistants -- Beau Archibald and Brad Sellers, the son of former Husky star Rod Sellers. Jim Calhoun avoided the heavy artillery -- getting grazed with a citation for "failure to monitor" the program, which is ironically what the best coaches need to do to succeed.
Coaches: The NCAA infractions weren't the only reason Calhoun was in the news. Ailing health, which isn't helped by the fact that he is nearing 70, coupled with the impending NCAA sanctions, a team that is going to need some rebuilding, and the fact his contract was up made many believe Calhoun would hang 'em up this summer. Wrong. He signed a five-year deal instead.
Calhoun had far from the worst summer for coaches in the Big East. Rick Pitino let the world -- and every single opposing student section -- know about his 15 second tryst on a restaurant table with one Karen Sypher. Bob Huggins fell, a result of being in Vegas the medicine he took on an empty stomach making him light-headed, and broke seven ribs. Fred Hill was run out of Rutgers, in part because he lost it on the Pittsburgh baseball team's coaching staff.
Perhaps the only coach you can actually feel bad for this summer was Norm Roberts. All Roberts did was St. John's program and get his kids to play as hard as they could for 40 minutes a game all season long. But he couldn't win, and thus got the axe. The Johnnies dipped into the ESPN studios and pulled out Steve Lavin, the former UCLA head coach, to make the trip east.
The four new coaches to the conference: Oliver Purnell left Clemson for DePaul; Mike Rice filled in for Hill at Rutgers, leaving Robert Morris; Steve Lavin replaced Norm Roberts at St. John's; and Kevin Willard left Iona and took Gonzo's spot at Seton Hall.
LOI's: Three Big East teams made headlines for issues with LOI's that they had recruits sign. DePaul initially refused to release Walter Pitchford, Jr., from his LOI. He signed with Jerry Wainwright, who was at DePaul two coaches ago. After appealing both the school and the NCAA, DePaul finally released Pitchford. The same thing is currently happening to Joseph Young at Providence, who as of this writing has not yet been granted a release by Providence. At Marquette, DJ Newbill was dropped from his LOI when Buzz Williams had the opportunity to bring in former top 100 recruit Jamil Wilson, a transfer from Oregon. All in all, Big East members did not shine bright this summer.
Back to Providence: Man oh man, did they have a rough summer. Two freshmen kicked out of school for beating up a student. Their star Greedy Peterson thrown off the team. Another player arrested.
Seton Hall didn't fare much better: Aside from their coach being kicked to the curb, the Pirates had their best big man spend nearly a month in the hospital because he collapsed after finishing a workouts and saw Robert "Sticks" Mitchell get arrested for (get this) robbing eight people at gunpoint just two days after being kicked off the team.
What's Next?
Expansion: I've had enough expansion talk for the summer, which is why I'm putting it down here. Despite all the rumors and the doomsday scenarios and the possibility of the conference disintegrating (or blowing up to 20, depending on who you asked), we are still here, a 16 team college hoops behemoth. In the future, who knows if that remains true. Do Syracuse, Rutgers, Pitt, and/or UConn go to the Big Ten? Do the Big XII's remnants -- including the Kansas schools and Baylor -- join the Big East? What about Memphis and Central Florida? Who knows. We'll save those discussions for next summer.
Power Rankings:
Villanova: While the Wildcats do lose all-american Scottie Reynolds, Jay Wright's club (as always) will be more than fine in the back court. Corey Fisher, fresh off an alleged 105 point performance in a Bronx summer league, and Maalik Wayns will be as dynamic as any back court in the country and should be able to thrive in Scottie's absence. Corey Stokes is still going to be a lights out shooter. Dominic Cheek and James Bell, who is out indefinitely with stress fractures, will be dangerous on the wings. Up front, the five-man rotation of Antonio Pena, Mouph Yarou, Isaiah Armwood, Maurice Sutton, and JayVaughn Pinkston gives Villanova a very deep, very talented roster for the upcoming season. The Wildcats should compete for the Big East title and, depending on how well some players develop (Armwood, Cheek, Wayns, Yarou) and how good a couple of freshmen are (Bell, Pinkston), Nova could very well make a run at the Final Four.
Pitt: The Panthers were the surprise of the Big East last season, finishing tied for second in the conference, and the majority of their roster is coming back this season. Pitt has almost reached the level of a Wisconsin -- no matter who is on their roster, this is a team that is disciplined and well coached to the point that they are always going to be competitive. As always, expect a gritty, defensive-minded team from the Panthers. An already solid back court of Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, and Travon Woodall will be bolstered by the addition of freshmen Isaiah Epps, JJ Moore, and Cameron Wright, as well as Lamar Patterson finally getting healthy. Gilbert Brown, who missed the first half of last season due to academic issues, will be back at the small forward spot. Brown had an inconsistent season in 2010, but showed flashes of some serious potential. Gary McGhee and Nasir Robinson, who will miss the first 10 or so games, will bolster the front line, but the real x-factor on this team is going to be sophomore Dante Taylor. Taylor was one of the most highly touted recruits last year, but it took him a while to adjust to the Big East. If Taylor can live up to his promise, Pitt is a potential Final Four team. If not, this is still a club that will be competing for a league title.
Syracuse: It is easy to look at the Orange and think that, with the players they lost (Wes Johnson, Andy Rautins, Arinze Onuaku), they will be down next season. Well, they might not win a Big East title, but they certainly will be in the mix atop the conference standings. Brandon Triche and Scoop Jardine will anchor the back court, with freshman Dion Waiters providing an offensive spark as an off-guard. Kris Joseph should blossom into a dangerous weapon as a slasher on the wing, and if he can add some strength and a jumper this summer, could very well be in the running as a first-team all-Big East selection. Rick Jackson will be paired with Fab Melo, who Boeheim has been raving about (he raved about Wes Johnson last summer, and look how that turned out), in the front court. With guys like CJ Fair, Mookie Jones, and James Southerland providing minutes off the bench, there is no doubt Syracuse will be a good team. How good -- borderline top 25 or a potential Big East champ -- remains to be seen.
Georgetown: Georgetown only lost one player form last season, but it just so happens that one player was Greg Monroe. Without Monroe, the Hoyas are going to rely heavily on their loaded back court of Chris Wright, Jason Clark, and Austin Freeman, which very well could turn out to be the best in the conference. Throw Hollis Thompson into the mix on the perimeter, and the Hoyas have a back court that rivals Duke's for the best in the country. Julian Vaughn is a solid power forward, and with Henry Sims returning and freshmen Nate Lubick and Moses Abraham coming in, there is some potential up front. This is a deeper group with a different roster makeup than we are used to seeing JT III have. The Hoyas are a tournament team and should compete for a top four spot in the league, especially if one of the big men can become a high post passing threat.
West Virginia: Expect the Mountaineers to have a bit of a different makeup next season. Three of the five players from their all small forward line-up are gone -- Da'Sean Butler, Wellington Smith, and Devin Ebanks. Whereas the 'Eers were seemingly short of point guards last season, they will be flush this year. Joe Mazzulla may never be a real shooting threat again, but he is a bulldog and a true leader. His ailing shoulder should be as healthy as it ever will be. Truck Bryant, who dealt with some injuries and inconsistencies after a good freshman year, is also back. Noah Cottrill, one of the better point guard recruits in the class of 2010, is built in the same mold but should immediately be the best shooter of the three. The interesting question for Bob Huggins is going to be what happens on the perimeter. Casey Mitchell, who just returned from a suspension for violation of team rules, and Dalton Pepper were both touted as shooters and scorers coming into Morgantown, but neither really lived up to the hype last season. The front court will be fine for WVU. Kevin Jones is a star-in-the-wings at the power forward spot, while Deniz Kilicli should fare much better this season without having to serve a 20 game suspension. With guys like John Flowers, Cam Thoroughman, Danny Jennings, and freshman Kevin Noreen -- who may end up being the best scorer of the bunch -- Huggy Bear has plenty of options up front. WVU loses a lot defensively or on the offensive glass this season, and since they aren't loaded on the offensive end, for WVU to make the tournament their bigs are going to need to find a way to replace the production of Ebanks, Smith, and Butler.
Marquette: Don't be surprised if you see predictions that the Golden Eagles will be down this season. Yes, they lost Lazar Hayward. Yes, Mo Acker and David Cubillan graduated. But, as we should come to expect from the Golden Eagles these days, Marquette will have on of the the best back courts in the conference come season's end. Darius Johnson-Odom is one of the best shooters in the country, and will get quite a few more looks with Lazar Hayward in the NBA. Junior Cadougan is a bulldog at the point and should be much improved now that he is healthy. Vander Blue is a consensus top 40 recruit that is athletic, attacks the rim, and plays a tough, aggressive brand of basketball. Marquette also returns the streaky Dwight Buycks. The Golden Eagles are going to be thin up front, which means they need Jimmy Butler to continue to develop for his senior year. Keep an eye on Juco transfer Jae Crowder as well. Marquette is once again going to have a short bench and play small ball, but with that back court, they will be able to compete.
Seton Hall: Seton Hall is the x-factor in the Big East this season. They got rid of Bobby Gonzalez. They have a very good back court. Jeremy Hazell, who may be the best returning scorer in the conference, returns for his senior season. He'll play along side Jordan Theodore, an underrated point guard who will get a chance to be the 'man' with Eugene Harvey's graduation. Keon Lawrence (the talented but enigmatic Missouri transfer), Jamel Jackson (a streaky shooter who hit 12 threes in a game last season), and freshman Fuquan Edwin should all see significant minutes. Eniel Polynice, the Ole Miss transfer, will be eligible immediately and could sneak into the Pirate starting line up. At 6'5", Polynice is more of a defender, a slasher, and a creator and should really complement Hazell well. Up front, Seton Hall is going to be thin even if Herb Pope is cleared. If he's not, Jeff Robinson, who pulled his name out of the NBA Draft, and Ferrakhan Hall will be the only returnees on a young, inexperienced front line. If Pope, who averaged a double-double last season, returns, Seton Hall has all the pieces they need to make a run at a spot in the top four of the league. The question is whether new head coach Kevin Willard can fit all those pieces together. Hazell doesn't understand the concept of team basketball or what a good shot is. Pope was ejected from the NIT last year for punching a Texas Tech player below the belt. Four players have transferred in from different colleges. This is a talented group, but if there is no chemistry, it could be another disappointing season.
Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish have their work cut out for them this season, as they will be losing Luke Harangody and Tory Jackson. Mike Brey's club will count heavily on their front line next season, which is headlined by last season's second-leading scorer Tim Abromaitis. Scott Martin, a Purdue transfer who tore his acl before the season started, will be back after sitting out the past two years. One guy I expect to have a big season is Carleton Scott, a senior that nearly left the program before finding a groove as he moved into the starting lineup when Gody got injured. Ty Nash and Jack Cooley complete the front line rotation. In the back court, its going to be Ben Hansbrough and a lot of inexperience. After Hansbrough, the Irish return just 30 games played of experience with Joey Brooks and Tom Kopko combined, and add three freshman to the mix. Eric Atkins, a freshman point guard, should see time immediately and is probably the best of that group. Notre Dame made a run to the NCAA Tournament last season by changing their style, slowing the pace, and becoming a defensively oriented group. Will there be more of the same this season?
St. John's: St. John's is in a good position for new head coach Steve Lavin as the Johnnies are loaded with seniors. Ten, to be exact, with eight expected to see significant minutes in the Johnnies rotation. This group isn't just experienced, either, they are fairly talented as well. DJ Kennedy is as underrated as anyone in the league, averaging 15 points, 6 boards, and 3 assists last year. Dwight Hardy (who can heat up as quickly as anyone in the league, save Jeremy Hazell), Paris Horne, and Malik Boothe make up the rest of the Johnnies back court. Anthony Mason, Jr., graduated, but with Justin Brownlee, Sean Evans, Justin Burrell, and Rob Thomas all returning, Lavin will have a lot of big, athletic bodies at his disposal. The x-factor may end up being freshman Dwayne Polee, a 6'7" bean pole with athleticism for days. Norm Roberts had his flaws as a coach, but one thing he got his club to do was to play all out for 40 minutes. If Lavin can get this group to defend and hit the glass, they have the experience, the depth, and a legitimate first-team all-conference player. This is the year for St. John's to make a run at the tournament. When this class leaves, it may be a while before they are back in the mix.
UConn: The Huskies once again lost a ton of talent, as Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson, and Gavin Edwards all graduated from a team that disappointed many fans in Connecticut. Returning is Kemba Walker, the Huskies lightening quick point guard, as well as big man Alex Oriakhi, who had a solid, if unspectacular, freshman campaign. But beyond that, UConn has no proven or reliable pieces returning. Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was inconsistent. Charles Okwandu haven't lived up to expectations and Ater Majok left school to sign a pro contract. Donnell Beverly is a solid back court player, but is not a starter in the Big East. Calhoun was able to land Roscoe Smith, a very highly regarded wing that should be able to take over for Robinson. The other two freshman -- Jeremy Lamb an Shabazz Napier -- are top 100 recruits that will replace Darius Smith and Jamaal Trice, last year's duo of top 100 freshman that transferred out. UConn has some solid pieces in Walker, Oriakhi, and Smith, but unless some depth and balance develops, the Huskies are looking at another disappointing year.
Louisville: Now that they are past the trial of the century in Kentucky, the Cardinals now actually have a college basketball season to prepare for. And preparing for it is going to be tougher than you think. Gone are starters Edgar Sosa, Jerry Smith, and Reginald Delk. Gone is their rock in the post, as Samardo Samuels went pro to support his family. For those scoring at home, that means that Louisville will be losing their top three scorers and four players that started at least 26 games. Then, consider that Roburt Sallie was not allowed to transfer in from Memphis, Justin Coleman did not get cleared, and Jared Swopshire and Russ Smith are injured. At least they were allowed to bring in freshman Gorgui Deng. That's tough to overcome when you aren't bringing in Kentucky's recruiting class. That said, there is still talent on this roster. Terrence Jennings and Jared Swopshire have all sorts of potential on the front line, Peyton Siva -- as well as Preston Knowles -- should be able to showcase his ability in a featured role in the back court. And with guys like Kyle Kuric, Mike Marra, and Raheem Buckles, there are capable role players who have shown flashes of potential. Louisville will need to catch a few breaks to make the tournament.
South Florida: The Bulls are going to have a big time front court this season. Augustus Gilchrist, when healthy (he missed about half the season last year), is an absolute force in the paint. Jarrid Famous is 6'11", 240 lb, athletic, and has shoulders as broad as Dwight Howard's. Stan Heath also has two more-than-adequate backups in Toarlyn Fitzpatrick and Ron Anderson, who is now eligible after transferring in from Kansas State. The issue for the Bulls is going to be in the back court. Dominique Jones, Chris Howard, and Mike Mercer are all gone, which means that the Bulls lost over 40 ppg and their three best creators. Remember, this is a team that struggled to score at times last season. In two Big East tournament games, the only three the Bulls hit came from a walk-on in garbage time. Anthony Crater, the Ohio State transfer, is the only returner in the back court that played any kind of significant minutes. Beyond Crater, there are a couple walk-ons, a couple JuCo transfers, and a couple freshmen. USF may be able to make a run at a finish in the top half of the league and, possibly, a trip to the NCAA Tournament if they can become a staunch defensive team and find someone that can score and create in their back court. That is a very big "if", however.
Cincinnati: The Bearcats are going to be in trouble next season. With Deonta Vaughn graduating and Lance Stephenson off to the NBA Draft, Mick Cronin is going to be left without any real perimeter scoring threats. Point guard Cashmere Wright, a top 100 recruit in 2008 that tore his acl before playing a game, will be counted on heavily to be a playmaker. Cinci does have a big front line, headlined by potential all-Big East center Yancy Gates, and with the number of big, strong wings they have, Cronin is going to need to rely on his club's rebounding and defensive toughness, because they certainly will struggle to score this season.
Providence: The Friars have had a disastrous offseason. They lost assistant coach Pat Skerry, which cost them a top 100 recruit in Naadir Tharpe. They saw their best player, Greedy Peterson, get booted out of school along with freshmen Johnnie Lacy and James Still. Then, Kadeem Batts, a redshirt freshman, was arrested outside a club. All this happened while Joseph Young has been trying to get out of his letter of intent so he can attend college closer to an ailing aunt. Currently, 12 of the 15 players listed on the Providence roster are underclassmen, including nine freshmen. There are a couple of bright spots for the Friars. Senior Marshon Brooks is an underrated scorer as an off-guard, and sophomores Bilal Dixon, Vincent Council, and Duke Mondy showed flashes of potential during the season, but don't expect much out of Keno Davis' club this year.
Rutgers: There was quite a bit of turnover in Piscataway this summer. Gone is Fred Hill, replaced by Mike Rice, who nearly led 15th seeded Robert Morris to an upset of Villanova in the NCAA Tournament. Mike Rosario and Gregory Echenique, the Scarlet Knights' two best scorers, transferred to Florida and Creighton, respectively. Hamady Ndiaye graduated. What's left? Well, sophomore Dane Miller was a unanimous selection to the Big East's all-rookie team. Jonathon Mitchell, who averaged 11.8 ppg and 6.1 rpg, returns for his senior season. But beyond that, there isn't much talent on this roster, and this freshman class isn't going to be coming to the rescue. The future is bright with new head coach Mike Rice recruiting like a maniac, but this year will be another long season for Rutgers, even if they do get Kadeem Jack midway through the year.
DePaul: DePaul is not going anywhere this season. Gone is Mac Kowshal. Gone is Will Walker. How bad has it gotten for the Blue Demons? The most noise they made this summer was when they refused to release Walter Pitchford, Jr., from his LOI, and when they were able to land a visit -- not a commitment, simply a visit -- from Chicago native Anthony Davis. DePaul was able to land Cleveland Melvin, who was originally a UConn commit, however most believe him to be a stretch for the Big East. Oliver Purnell was known for his hot starts to a season at Clemson. The Big East may not be as friendly.
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