Over the next few weeks, we will preview the best conferences heading into the 2016-17 season. Let’s continue with the Big East basketball conference.
Three years after realignment transformed the Big East from a stacked 16-team league to a comfortable 10-team league, the conference is right on par with the majority of other Power Five conferences.
Not only is Villanova coming off their first National Title since 1985, but other teams are finding their groove nationally. Xavier has become one of the more consistent programs in the nation. Creighton has gotten back on their feet for the first time since the departure of Doug McDermott.
Seton Hall made their first NCAA Tournament since 2006. Marquette, St. John’s and DePaul are on the upswing. Butler still has nice pieces despite the departures of Kellen Dunham and Roosevelt Jones. Providence has made three straight NCAA Tournaments. And of course, Georgetown has the potential to rebound following a poor 2015-16 season.
Most of the teams in the conference are also dominating on the recruiting trail. Xavier has a top-10 class in 2017, while Villanova and Creighton also have impressive groups lined up.
So remember when the Big East was dead?
Even though nothing can top the 16-team “old” Big East, this conference never went anywhere. The league has re-branded itself into a group of 10 basketball only schools that will duke it out home-and-away, continue to take centerstage at the greatest arena in basketball and find success through more team oriented rosters than star power.
And this year should be no different than last year, except for the fact that more squads could have success in March. The Big East sent half their league to the Big Dance in 2015-16, so I don’t expect anything less in 2016-17.
Conference Awards
Coach of the Year: Greg McDermott, Creighton
Player of the Year: Josh Hart, Villanova
Freshman of the Year: Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s
All-Big East First Team:
Senior guard Maurice Watson Jr., Creighton
Sophomore guard Edmond Sumner, Xavier
Junior forward Trevon Bluiett, Xavier
Junior forward Kelan Martin, Xavier
Senior forward Kris Jenkins, Villanova
(The Big East does not honor their Player of the Year on the First Team All-Conference)
All-Big East Second Team:
Junior guard Kyron Cartwright, Providence
Junior guard Khadeen Carrington, Seton Hall
Junior guard Marcus Foster, Creighton
Junior forward Angel Delgado, Seton Hall
Senior center Luke Fischer, Marquette
Jalen Brunson (Villanova), Kassoum Yakwe (St. John’s), Haanif Cheatham (Marquette) and Billy Garrett Jr. (DePaul) all deserve some attention as potential Honorable Mentions. All three could jump players above them to leap onto the Second Team though.
Josh Hart seems to be the most reasonable selection for Big East Player of the Year, given that he is the best player on the best team and is expected to be even better in his senior campaign. Edmond Sumner, Mo Watson Jr. and Trevon Bluiett are other players in the mix, but a sleeper could be Kelan Martin. Martin has to be a more complete player if Butler is to make the Big Dance and make a run in March, but he can flat out score and rebound the ball.
Finally, Coach of the Year is also interesting. We could go with Chris Mack or Jay Wright, however, those guys have a level of consistency year in and year out that is already recognized. How about Chris Mullin as a Greg McDermott challenger? St. John’s could double their win total from last year.
10. DePaul Blue Demons
2015-16 record: 9-22 overall, 3-15 in Big East
Head coach: Dave Leitao
Key returning players: Billy Garrett Jr., Eli Cain, Darrick Wood, R.J. Curington, Erten Gazi, Peter Ryckbosch
Newcomers: Three-star PF Al Eichelberger, three-star SG Brandon Cyrus, non-ranked PG Devin Gage, non-ranked C Levi Cook, JUCO SF Tre’Darius McCallum, Western Kentucky transfer G Chris Harrison-Docks
I promise you Blue Demon fans, DePaul is on the upswing. It’s Billy Garrett’s final season in Chicago, but the program’s recruiting success, the fact that they landed former ESPN top 100 talent Austin Grandstaff as a transfer and their newly built arena that is set to open next year gives DePaul hope for the future.
They haven’t had a winning season since 2007 and haven’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2004 (when Dave Leitao had his first stint at DePaul). Unfortunately, this is not the year that they break out of the cellar, as they are losing a lot of experience off last year’s ninth place team.
The Blue Demons won’t have the services of their leading scorer and rebounder Myke Henry, veteran forward Tommy Hamilton IV, shooter Aaron Simpson and bench big Rashaun Stimage.
Garrett is back in the fold to run the team, while sophomore guard Eli Cain is set to have a breakout season after finding his rhythm down the stretch of 2015-16. But beyond the two guards, where is DePaul going to get their production from?
Wood is a role player, but not a third scorer. Curington, Gazi and Ryckbosch are completely unproven. Also, the freshman certainly cannot be counted on to provide major minutes right off the bat.
That’s where forward Tre’Darius McCallum and 5’11” guard Chris Harrison-Docks come into play.
McCallum averaged 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for Indian Hills Community College last season, while shooting 56 percent from the field and 41 percent from long range. Those numbers earned him second team NJCAA All-Region honors and helped his team reach the NJCAA D1 National Tournament.
Harrison-Docks put up 10.0 points, 1.9 assists and 1.0 rebounds per game in 2015-16 for Western Kentucky. He struggled with his efficiency and playmaking ability, but he has the experience to help DePaul in Big East play.
Ultimately, the Blue Demons just don’t have the talent, depth and front court size to challenge for a spot in the middle of the conference standings.
9. Marquette Golden Eagles
2015-16 record: 20-13 overall, 8-10 in Big East
Head coach: Steve Wojciechowski
Key returning players: Luke Fischer, Haanif Cheatham, Duane Wilson, Jajuan Johnson, Sandy Cohen II, Traci Carter, Sacar Anim, Matt Heldt
Newcomers: Four-star SG Markus Howard, four-star SF Sam Hauser, USC GS G Katin Reinhardt, UNC Asheville transfer G Andrew Rowsey
While it seems like I’m knocking Marquette for picking them to finish 9th, the Big East is wide open from 4-to-10.
The Marquette freshman are one year older and they also possess three key seniors in Luke Fischer, Katin Reinhardt and Jajuan Johnson. But the Golden Eagles still have a number of young core pieces on their roster(six sophomores and two freshman) and they have to make up for the massive loss of Henry Ellenson.
Ellenson, who was selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 18th overall pick in the NBA Draft, averaged 17.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists for the Golden Eagles in 2015-16. He was the go-to player on the offensive end and was a tremendous rebounder on both ends of the floor.
That production will be awfully tough to make up, even though they have Fischer back for his final season of college basketball. Fischer is an efficient finisher around the rim, rebounds effectively and blocks shots, but who’s going to help him out in the post?
Marquette is going to have to play a lot of small lineups with Sandy Cohen II or USC transfer Katin Reinhardt at the four. They also will have to rely on Matt Heldt a bit more in the post.
UNC Asheville transfer guard Andrew Rowsey will help upgrade the talent level, but if the Golden Eagles are going to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big East, they need Traci Carter and Haanif Cheatham to have massive breakout seasons.
Cheatham and Carter showed flashes of brilliance in their freshman campaigns. They also made mind-boggling freshman mistakes.
Finally, Johnson and Duane Wilson need to become more consistent from the perimeter. They also need to be leaders for Wojo and company.
8. Providence Friars
2015-16 record: 23-10 overall, 10-8 in Big East, lost in second round of NCAA Tournament
Head coach: Ed Cooley
Key returning players: Rodney Bullock, Jalen Lindsey, Kyron Cartwright, Ryan Fazekas, Drew Edwards
Newcomers: Four-star SF Alpha Diallo, three-star PG Mailek White, three-star F Kalif Young, JUCO F Emmitt Holt, George Mason transfer G/F Isaiah Jackson
The heart and the souls of the Providence program, Ben Bentil and Kris Dunn, are off to the NBA. The Friars will somehow have to make up for the 37.5 points, 13 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game that the two college basketball superstars left behind.
So why in the world are the Friars ranked 8th in our preseason preview?
Culture and coaching.
There is a reason why the program has made three straight NCAA Tournaments. There is a reason why the Friars sent two players to the NBA this past off-season. And there is a reason why they made numerous comebacks last season in games they weren’t supposed to be in.
A big part of Providence’s success has to do with Ed Cooley, who always seems to do more with less and whose player development system has led to terrific results on the court.
Cooley won the Big East Tournament in 2013-14 despite losing three significant players (Dunn to injury, Brandon Austin to suspension and Rodney Bullock to suspension). The next year, despite losing their best player and top scorer, Bryce Cotton, the Friars reached the Big Dance.
Then just look at the leaps that certain players made over the course of Cooley’s time at PC. Cotton went from averaging 4.0 points in his freshman year to over 21 points in his senior season. Dunn went from an injury prone guard to one of the top players in the nation. Bentil’s leap last year was on par with the greatest one season leaps in Big East history.
Cooley is unlikely to lead the Friars to the NCAA Tournament without great players like Dunn and Bentil in 2016-17, but they should be better than what the coaches predicted in the latest Big East preseason poll (9th place).
Rodney Bullock, Kyron Cartwright and Jalen Lindsey are all expected to step into larger roles, while Drew Edwards and Ryan Fazekas will be role players. Cooley has been raving about George Mason transfer Isaiah Jackson, who should be a critical piece to the puzzle as a do-it-all guard with excellent size and length.
Also, the Friars have former Indiana big Emmitt Holt to pull down rebounds, and Alpha Diallo, Mailek White and Kalif Young are in the fold to provide the team with quality minutes.
They don’t have a single senior of their roster (that’s promising for their future), however, this team is going to play with a chip on their shoulder and will give 110 percent every night.
Any Cooley-led team is known for playing tough and physical. Expect the Friars to finish 8th or maybe even higher in the Big East.
7. St. John’s Red Storm
2015-16 record: 8-24 overall, 1-17 in Big East
Head coach: Chris Mullin
Key returning players: Federico Mussini, Malik Ellison, Yankuba Sima, Kassoum Yakwe
Newcomers: Four-star PG Shamorie Ponds, German F Richard Freudenberg, JUCO transfer F Bashir Ahmed, Tennessee transfer F Tariq Owens, partial qualifier PG Marcus LoVett
In Chris Mullin’s first year and the start of a massive rebuilding process, St. John’s had one of the worst seasons in program history. They lost 16 games in a row from the middle of December to the middle of February, and their only win in conference play all year was at home against DePaul.
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They didn’t lack the effort and the intensity. Instead, the Johnnies just didn’t have the talent to record wins in a rugged Big East.
But 2016-17 will be a different story. Not only do the Red Storm have an increased level of talent, but they have versatility, depth, speed and scoring.
The Red Storm have a plethora of options in the backcourt, starting with former four-star recruit Marcus LoVett (who was forced to sit out as a partial qualifier last season), returnee Malik Ellison and the gem of St. John’s recruiting class, Shamorie Ponds. Sophomore point guard Federico Mussini should also factor in as a shooter and will likely play off the ball for the majority of his minutes.
In the front court, the Johnnies have players who can slide in at numerous different positions. Bashir Ahmed could potentially be the team’s leading scorer and will factor in at the three and four positions. Kassoum Yakwe is a shot blocking machine with a developing offensive game, while Yankuba Sima was the team’s best player last season until suffering a broken hand at the beginning of conference play.
Add in Richard Freudenberg’s shooting ability from the four position and Tariq Owens’ length, and the Johnnies have a completely different roster in 2016-17.
6. Butler Bulldogs
2015-16 record: 21-10 overall, 10-8 in Big East, lost in the second round of NCAA Tournament
Head coach: Chris Holtmann
Key returning players: Kelan Martin, Andrew Chrabascz, Tyler Wideman, Tyler Lewis
Newcomers: Four-star C Joey Brunk, three-star SG Kamar Baldwin, three-star SF Henry Baddley, Memphis transfer G Avery Woodson, George Washington transfer G Kethan Savage
Like Providence, Butler is losing two key veterans, Roosevelt Jones and Kellen Dunham. It’s nearly impossible to make up for the versatility of Jones and the sharp shooting of Dunham, however, the Bulldogs still have some pieces to work with.
Kelan Martin is one of the top scorers in the Big East and could be in the mix for Big East Player of the Year at the end of the conference season. He averaged 15.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last year, and will likely need to improve his playmaking (1.1 assists per game) and defense in 2016-17 if Butler is to make the NCAA Tournament.
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The Bulldogs also have Andrew Chrabascz and Tyler Wideman in the front court. Chrabascz can stretch the floor and finish inside, while Wideman is a powerful force on the interior who plays excellent defense. Chrabascz had a breakout game in the NCAA Tournament against Virginia, scoring 25 points on 9-of-13 shooting, so Butler will be looking at him to become their second leading scorer in 2016-17.
Tyler Lewis, Kethan Savage and Avery Woodson will carry the backcourt. Lewis struggled last season against taller, more physical guards, but he has valuable experience and is a good passer.
Savage is a big scoring guard who averaged 11.7 points on 40 percent shooting in his last season at George Washington in 2014-15. The guard sat out all of last season due to the NCAA transfer rules.
Finally, Woodson is the best shooter of the three, as he hit 43 percent of his jumpers from downtown last season at Memphis.
Beyond the veterans, freshman Joey Brunk, Kamar Baldwin and Henry Baddley all have differing skill sets that will help the Bulldogs off the bench. Brunk (6’11”) will be the most important player of the bunch due to his size and skills. Other than Brunk, the tallest player on the roster is sophomore center Nate Fowler, who only played 6.3 minutes per game last season.
5. Georgetown Hoyas
2015-16 record: 15-18 overall, 7-11 in Big East
Head coach: John Thompson III
Key returning players: L.J. Peak, Isaac Copeland, Bradley Hayes, Marcus Derrickson, Jessie Govan, Reggie Cameron II, Tre Campbell, Kaleb Johnson
Newcomers: Four-star SG Jagan Mosely, JUCO PG Jonathan Mulmore, Louisville transfer F Akoy Agau, Robert Morris transfer G Rodney Pryor
Last year, Georgetown finished under .500 for the first time since 2003-04 and didn’t reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2013-14 season. Their lack of team speed, average defense and flawed roster beyond now-graduated D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, resulted in an 8th place finish in the league.
While it’s still up in the air as to if Georgetown will reach the NCAA Tournament this year, I don’t see John Thompson III’s squad finishing in the bottom half of the league standings again.
The Hoyas have eight of their top nine scorers back and are adding three valuable transfers, including Akoy Agau, Jonathan Mulmore and Rodney Pryor. They also have a talented freshman joining the team in Jagan Mosely.
Thompson has plenty of depth (perhaps too much) and can use numerous different styles of play to defeat their opponents.
Georgetown has the option of playing small, with Marcus Derrickson or Akoy Agau at the five, or they can play big with Bradley Hayes and Jessie Govan at the five with Isaac Copeland or Derrickson at the four. Adapting their roster to a modern style of basketball will help the Hoyas have more success in transition and create better sets in the half court.
They can now take advantage of match-ups, while also having the option of switching back to their “old” style of play.
One concern: They legitimately have 11-to-12 players who will be in the rotation, creating a potential problem for Thompson when it comes to finding the right combinations.
Georgetown doesn’t have a single player that will dominant on a nightly basis. This is a team of players that will take turns in the spotlight depending on who their opponent is.
4. Seton Hall Pirates
2015-16 record: 25-8 overall, 12-6 in Big East, lost in first round of NCAA Tournament
Head coach: Kevin Willard
Key returning players: Khadeen Carrington, Desi Rodriguez, Angel Delgado, Ismael Sanogo, Michael Nzei, Veer Singh, Rashed Anthony, Myles Carter
Newcomers: Four-star SG Myles Powell, three-star SG Eron Gordon, Wake Forest GS PG Madison Jones, Kansas State transfer G Jevon Thomas
On the back of Isaiah Whitehead, the Seton Hall Pirates won the Big East Tournament over the eventual National Champion Villanova Wildcats and earned a berth to their first NCAA Tournament since 2006.
With Whitehead departing from school early, the Pirates will have to move forward with junior Khadeen Carrington, who is transitioning to the lead guard spot, Wake Forest transfer Madison Jones and Kansas State transfer Jevon Thomas, who will be eligible in December.
While it will be an adjustment to transition from Whitehead to Carrington, Jones and Thomas, the Pirates still have four returning starters, including the formally mentioned Carrington, Desi Rodriguez, Angel Delgado and Ismael Sanogo.
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Carrington had a breakout Big East Tournament when he scored 55 points in three games against Creighton, Xavier and Villanova. He was also the team’s second leading scorer and the ‘Robin’ to Whitehead’s ‘Batman.’
Rodriguez drastically improved his jump shot last season, shooting an improved 39 percent from three and 50 percent from the field overall. He was the team’s third leading scorer and was the Pirates’ most potent player during the non-conference portion of the schedule.
The big man, Delgado, averaged nearly a double-double in 2015-16 and should be even better this season. Expecting anything less than 11-to-13 points and 9-to-11 rebounds would be bad news for the Pirates’ front court.
Sanogo will need to improve his offensive game, but defensively, he is stout. He can guard all five positions on the floor, switch in pick-and-roll situations, block shots and use his quick hands to force steals.
Beyond the four returning starters and the other point guards (Jones and Thomas), Seton Hall has solid depth. Michael Nzei, Rashed Anthony, Veer Singh, Myles Powell and Eron Gordon are all expected to receive quality minutes off the pine.
3. Creighton Bluejays
2015-16 record: 18-14 overall, 9-9 in Big East
Head coach: Greg McDermott
Key returning players: Maurice Watson Jr., Cole Huff, Isaiah Zierden, Zach Hanson, Khyri Thomas, Toby Hegner, Ronnie Harrell Jr.
Newcomers: Three-star SF Kobe Paras, non-ranked PG Davion Mintz, Kansas State transfer G Marcus Foster, F Martin Krampelj (sat out all of last year due to injury), F/C Justin Patton (redshirted)
This is the most hyped Creighton team since Doug McDermott graduated.
Between the backcourt of Maurice Watson Jr. and Marcus Foster and the front court that is anchored by Cole Huff, the Bluejays have a roster that should keep them in the top-25 for the majority of the season.
Last season, Watson was one of the best point guards in the Big East. He put up 14.1 points, 6.5 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game, while impacting the game with his speed, attacking mentality and quickness. In 2016-17, Watson will continue to play with a chip on his shoulder and could capture the honor of Big East Player of the Year.
But the reason for Creighton’s optimism is Watson’s combination with Foster. The shooting guard from Kansas State averaged a stellar 15.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in his freshman year before his averages dropped off across the board in his sophomore season. The Bluejays are hoping that within a new environment Foster can flip his game back to old ways.
There are already rave reviews about Foster’s ability to score the basketball and defend on the perimeter, so Creighton could have the most lethal backcourt in the Big East.
Then there’s Huff. We all know what the senior is capable of, especially after he exploded for 35 points against Seton Hall in their first match-up in the Big East Tournament last year. If he can stay healthy (and overcome his knee injury), he will be a dynamic third scorer.
Replacing Geoffrey Groselle is going to be the main problem for the Bluejays, as Zach Hanson, Toby Hegner and Ronnie Harrell Jr. will have to step into bigger roles. Even Justin Patton will need to have an immediate impact up front next to Huff and company.
I’d be awfully surprised if Creighton finished outside of the top three in the Big East in 2016-17. However, that doesn’t mean they will make a long run when March comes around. They must stay healthy, Foster has to revert to his freshman ways and the front court must be consistent.
2. Xavier Musketeers
2015-16 record: 27-5 overall, 14-4 in Big East
Head coach: Chris Mack
Key returning players: Trevon Bluiett, Edmond Sumner, Myles Davis (currently suspended), J.P. Macura, Kaiser Gates, Sean O’Mara
Newcomers: Four-star SG Quentin Goodin, four-star PF Tyrique Jones, Norfolk State transfer F RaShid Gaston, Florida A&M GS G Malcolm Bernard
If it wasn’t for Bronson Koenig’s stunning buzzer beating three pointer, the Xavier Musketeers would’ve had a realistic shot to challenge the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 2016 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
Unfortunately for Chris Mack and company, things didn’t turn out well for their team and the Musketeers were eliminated from the Big Dance after a marvelous season.
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In 2016-17, Xavier once again should be a top-10 team for the majority of the season. Trevon Bluiett and Edmond Sumner, the two top players on the roster, are back for at least another year, and the Musketeers still have the balance and depth that made them such a dangerous team a year ago.
Myles Davis is still serving a suspension for criminal damaging charges, so it’s unknown as to when he will be returning. Our guess is that Xavier is waiting for the criminal process to weigh itself out before they take action.
Without Davis, the Musketeers will be at void of leadership, meaning that Malcolm Bernard and Quentin Goodin will pick up more minutes.
Meanwhile, Mack is trying to replace the departures of James Farr and Jalen Reynolds in the front court. That task will be up to Norfolk State transfer RaShid Gaston, freshman Tyrique Jones and big man Sean O’Mara.
The Musketeers are legit title contenders and have an outside shot of challenging the defending National Champs for the Big East crown.
1. Villanova Wildcats
2015-16 record: 29-5 overall, 16-2 in Big East
Head coach: Jay Wright
Key returning players: Josh Hart, Kris Jenkins, Jalen Brunson, Phil Booth, Mikal Bridges, Darryl Reynolds
Newcomers: Three-star C Dylan Painter, Fordham transfer F Eric Paschall, G Donte DiVincenzo (redshirted), F Tim Delaney (redshirted)
Can Villanova be the first team to repeat as National Champions since the 2006-07 Florida Gators?
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It’s possible, but first they have the task of winning their fourth straight Big East regular season conference crown. And they will have to achieve that goal without the services of veterans Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu, and freshman Omari Spellman (who has been ruled an academic redshirt).
Those are three crucial losses, however, you also must look at the rest of Villanova’s roster. Their two leading scorers are back, Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins, Jalen Brunson has similar traits as Arcidiacono, Phil Booth broke out in the National Title game, Mikal Bridges is one of the most versatile wings in the country and Darryl Reynolds nearly averaged a double-double when Ochefu went out for a short stretch with an injury last season.
And that’s not even touching on the newcomers. Dylan Painter and Tim Delaney should have small roles, but Fordham’s Eric Paschall can play numerous different positions and is capable of scoring the rock from all three levels.
Even Donte DiVincenzo should get minutes as a backup guard who will contribute on both ends of the floor.
Leadership is a bit of a concern, but would you really doubt a roster as skilled, experienced and flexible as Villanova?
You can’t. And that’s why despite the increased talent level across the nation, the Wildcats have a solid chance to be covered in confetti for the second straight season.