Big East Basketball: Building each program’s Mount Rushmore

With the 2017-18 college basketball season officially in the books, let’s examine the “Mount Rushmore'”players for all 10 Big East basketball programs.

The Big East has held firm as one of the finest basketball leagues in the country despite almost constant team turnover since the conference’s inception in 1979. In less than four decades, 22 different schools have participated in Big East basketball, with several other programs nearly adding to that total before conference realignment swept them elsewhere.

In the current iteration of the Big East, three programs – Georgetown, Marquette, and Villanova – have national championship banners waving in their arenas. Five more schools have been appeared in at least one Final Four. Only Xavier and Creighton are yet to advance past the Elite Eight, but the Musketeers and Bluejays are two of the 21st Century’s most consistent program and should reach college basketball’s promised land before long.

All 10 programs have had their moment in the sun, even if it hasn’t always culminated in a title. Across every era of basketball, each school has had various individuals propel their respective teams to new heights, racking up countless personal accolades in the process.

Now that Villanova has extended its run of dominance with the 2018 National Championship, it seemed fitting to run through every Big East program and recognize the top players and coaches on each team’s individual “Mount Rushmore.” This isn’t necessarily about naming the four most talented players or coaches from each school; rather, it’s about combining their on-court accomplishments with team success, impact on the game, and unforgettable moments (plus whatever other unofficial criteria I come up with).

Here are the four most influential players and coaches for all 10 Big East schools.