Busting Brackets
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Big East Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2021-22 season

By Tristan Freeman

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 11: Julian Champagnie #2 of the St. John's Red Storm reacts in the second half against the Seton Hall Pirates during the Quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 11, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 11: Julian Champagnie #2 of the St. John's Red Storm reacts in the second half against the Seton Hall Pirates during the Quarterfinals of the Big East Tournament at Madison Square Garden on March 11, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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Big East Basketball Javon Freeman-Liberty DePaul Blue Demons (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
Big East Basketball Javon Freeman-Liberty DePaul Blue Demons (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

11. DePaul Blue Demons

2020-21 season record: 5-14 (2-13)

It was a miserable season overall for the Blue Demons. But while the covid-related pauses can explain the record, it simply felt like the same old bottom-fielder of Big East Basketball. That’s why they had to let go of head coach Dave Leitao (again) and hire Oregon assistant Tony Stubblefield this offseason.

For better or worse, he’ll have an almost entirely new roster to work with. Among the many players that left include former top-50 prospect Romeo Weems (NBA Draft) and leading scorer and passer Charlie Moore, who’s off to Miami. The lone two rotational pieces left are former D-II transfer Courvoisier McCauley and Javon Freeman-Liberty, a former Valpo transfer that averaged 14.4 ppg and 5.3 rpg this past season.

Among the key newcomers on the roster includes Minnesota transfer forward Brandon Johnson and Tyon Grant-Foster, a former JUCO star who played at Kansas last season. Former top-100 guard Jalen Terry comes over from Oregon, while Kansas transfer Markese Jacobs will be playing after missing last season with an injury.

The majority of the roster features potential talent but not necessarily proven at the D-I level. Outside of Freeman-Liberty, there isn’t a great amount of production that you can rely on. The lack of frontcourt depth is also a major concern in a league that has a number of good bigs. The goal for Coach Stubblefield is to make them competitive in year one before he can add better talent but they’ll need Freeman-Liberty to possibly go for 20 ppg to get some league wins.

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