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Big East Basketball: Markus Howard, Myles Powell lead Conference POY rankings

By Bryan Mauro

VILLANOVA, PA - JANUARY 06: Howard
VILLANOVA, PA - JANUARY 06: Howard /
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NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 08: Myles Cale #22 and Myles Powell #13 of the Seton Hall Pirates reacts after Powell’s basket putting Seton Hall ahead of the Kentucky Wildcats in the final seconds of regulation of a college basketball game at Madison Square Garden on December 8, 2018 in New York City. Seton Hall defeated Kentucky 84-83 in overtime. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 08: Myles Cale #22 and Myles Powell #13 of the Seton Hall Pirates reacts after Powell’s basket putting Seton Hall ahead of the Kentucky Wildcats in the final seconds of regulation of a college basketball game at Madison Square Garden on December 8, 2018 in New York City. Seton Hall defeated Kentucky 84-83 in overtime. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

2. Myles Powell – Seton Hall

The Seton Hall Pirates begin conference play playing their best basketball of the season. The Pirates were a team that not many expected much out of, and based on the talent they lost, the expectations were warranted. After Seton Hall got destroyed by Nebraska in Lincoln, dropped a game to Atlantic 10 favorite Saint Louis at home they have gone 8-1 with wins over Kentucky, Miami and at Maryland. Kevin Willard has his team playing well, and the Pirates look to be a top-tier team in the Big East again this season.

The Pirates are led by one of the most explosive scorers in the entire country. That player is junior guard Myles Powell. Powell is potentially the single most important player in the Big East. Without the guard coach Willard and the Pirates would be struggling to put the ball in the basket, and their record may be reversed. The junior has made or helped facilitate every clutch shot for the Pirates this season. As the season has worn on Seton Hall has had more of their players step up to help shoulder the load, but no single player in the Big East monopolizes more of the scoring load than the junior guard does.

In the press conference before the huge showdown with St. Johns coach Willard mentioned that he felt Powell was the best player in the entire country. That is a bit of an exaggeration but in the eyes of Pirate fans and their players, based on how important the guard is to their success it is not an unexpected comment. Aside from the scoring punch, Powell is great on the defensive end, which is where Seton Hall is hanging their hats this year. He is a deadly shooter from deep and gets fouled enough where he can make you pay from the free throw line.

The junior is going to be in the running for the national player of the year because of the gaudy numbers he is going to put up through all of conference play. If Seton Hall and Powell continue to play this way, the Pirates are going to surprise many people. They are currently playing like a tournament team.

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