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Big East Basketball: Vital questions facing the conference for 2018-19

By Lukas Harkins

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 09: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats directs his players in the first half against the Butler Bulldogs during semifinals of the Big East Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 09: Head coach Jay Wright of the Villanova Wildcats directs his players in the first half against the Butler Bulldogs during semifinals of the Big East Basketball Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 9, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 30: Jorgensen
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 30: Jorgensen /

3. Who will Butler turn to for scoring aside from Baldwin?

Kamar Baldwin is a shoe-in to lead the Butler Bulldogs in scoring during this upcoming season. While playing second fiddle to Kelan Martin as a sophomore last season, Baldwin still posted an excellent season, averaging 15.7 points per game. However, what has gone overlooked this offseason in regards to Baldwin has been how effective he was once he settled into his role last season. For reference, the difference in Baldwin’s stats in non-conference play compared to the rest of the season is remarkable (FG%/3P%/FT%):

  • Non-conference (13 GP): 12.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists on .410/.288/.714
  • Big East play (18 GP): 16.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists on .453/.361/.788
  • BET + NCAAT (4 GP): 20.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists on .485/.353/.800

In short, though, Baldwin is a known commodity when it comes to elite scoring in the Big East. With his ability to erupt for 25+ points while locking down his matchup defensively, it is clear that Baldwin is one of the best players in the conference. However, the question facing head coach LaVall Jordan is this: Who will he turn to as the secondary scorer?

As of right now, there seem to be three frontrunners for that role: Paul Jorgensen, Sean McDermott, and Jordan Tucker. Of this group, the senior Jorgensen is the only one who has already proven himself as a double-digit scorer in the Big East. During this past season, his first with the Dawgs, Jorgs averaged 10.2 points per game as the third-leading scorer on the team. While he could potentially fill this role, Paulie might better be served as a tertiary scoring option on the perimeter.

If this is the case, the next most likely candidate is junior Sean McDermott, who was incredibly effective last season. Over the course of the year, McD posted 7.5 points per game on shooting slashes of .679/.431/.818 (2P%/3P%/FT%). If he is able to come remotely close to sustaining that efficiency at higher volumes, then he could be a serious star this season.

Lastly, Duke transfer Jordan Tucker comes to campus this year as a former top-100 recruit. Well-known as a sniper from distance, Tucker is confident in his abilities and could emerge as a major bucket-getter for the team this season. However, let’s not set the expectations too high for the sophomore. After all, he will not be eligible to even take the floor until the end of the first semester.

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