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Big East Basketball questions: Key storyline, biggest surprise/disappointments

By Tristan Freeman

Jan 7, 2023; Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Desmond Claude (1) talks with guard Adam Kunkel (5) against the Villanova Wildcats in the second half at William B. Finneran Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 7, 2023; Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA; Xavier Musketeers guard Desmond Claude (1) talks with guard Adam Kunkel (5) against the Villanova Wildcats in the second half at William B. Finneran Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports /
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Big East Basketball
Big East Basketball Marquette Golden Eagles guard Tyler Kolek Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports /

Big East Basketball has had its share of big moments so far this 2022-23 season, including one of its programs (UConn), ranked as high as No. 2 in the AP poll. They’re one of multiple surprises, along with Xavier, Providence, and Marquette.

But who has been most impressive in the Big East to this point? Check out the answers to that and more from this roundtable, featuring myself and two talented contributors to Busting Brackets.

Bryan Mauro – @threecolorbeard

Tristan Freeman – @hoopsnut351

Josh Mullenix – @TheJMULL_

1. Which team has been the biggest surprise so far?

Mauro

Marquette. I figured they would be a middle-of-the-pack Big East team as they didn’t have that one star that they can rely on going into the season.  Turns out I was wrong Tyler Kolek is one of the top five passers in the game and Olivier Maxence Prosper is a star.

Freeman

I have to go with Xavier. The upgrade from Chris Mack to Sean Miller was clear but with mostly the same roster, the Musketeers have gone from a bubble team to potentially the favorite to win Big East Basketball. Souley Boum has always been a great scorer but he’s been able to run the offense as well as a true point.

Mullenix

Marquette – The gift that is Shaka Smart at Marquette just keeps on giving. The Golden Eagles, who were picked to finish 9th in the preseason coaches poll, are 13-4, 5-1 in the Big East, and a comfortable third in the conference rankings. They’re also the second-highest-ranked Big East team at KenPom at 16th.

What’s perhaps even more surprising is how they’ve gotten there. Smart’s team is sixth in the country in offensive efficiency. They take great care of the basketball, are elite from 2-point field goal range, and a functional 35 percent from beyond the arc. Tyler Kolek has turned into one of the best facilitators in the country with a top-10 assist rate and an assist-to-turnover ratio of nearly 4 to 1. Last season, Kam Jones, David Joplin, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and Oso Ighodaro averaged a combined 22.6 points per game. Through 17 games, that group is averaging 52.3 points per contest.

The next step for the Golden Eagles is consistently beating good teams. They beat Baylor in non-conference but lost to Purdue, Mississippi State, and Wisconsin. They beat a Creighton team with Ryan Kalkbrenner but lost to Providence — albeit in a close game. Marquette’s next three Big East games are against UConn, Xavier, and Providence. It’s going to be a really great test for Smart’s team.

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