Busting Brackets
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Big East Basketball: 3 bold predictions for 2020-21 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 18: Jalen Gaffney #0 of the Connecticut Huskies in action against the Villanova Wildcats during a college basketball game at Wells Fargo Center on January 18, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 18: Jalen Gaffney #0 of the Connecticut Huskies in action against the Villanova Wildcats during a college basketball game at Wells Fargo Center on January 18, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 08: Charlie Moore #11 of the DePaul Blue Demons (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – FEBRUARY 08: Charlie Moore #11 of the DePaul Blue Demons (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

1. Charlie Moore wins Big East Player of the Year

One has to go back to the 1999-00 season to find the last Big East Player of the Year award winner who played on a team that did not have a winning record in conference play. During the 1999-00 season, Troy Murphy averaged 22.7 points and 10 rebounds with Notre Dame as they finished with an 8-8 Big East record that landed them in seventh place, to end a season where only five Big East teams were invited to the tournament.

Despite the argument that can be made that DePaul’s offense will be better, there is less of an argument to make in defense of DePaul improving greatly upon their 3-15 record. Every step forward in their improved offense that they will take and any step forward in the standings that they may take will be lead by their 5’11 senior floor general Charlie Moore.

The obvious choice for Big East Player of the Year would be either Marcus Zegarowski (16.1 ppg, 5apg) or Collin Gillespie (15.1 ppg, 4.5 apg) for two major reasons. They are the only two players returning who made either of the All-Big East teams ( both on the second team) and they both will be on teams contending for a Big East Championship.

In the Big East statistical standings, Moore finished eighth in scoring (15.5 ppg), eighth in free-throw percentage, fourth in steals, and first in assists (6.1 apg). When Moore duplicates those stats while improving the team’s offensive production despite the loss of Paul Reed, it will be due to his ability to get into the paint and to hit Paul Paulicap and Jaylen Butz for easy dunks.

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