Big East Basketball: 2023 conference tournament preview and predictions
By Joey Loose
Key Players
With significant talent on these 11 teams, it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few players, but here are five names to keep an eye on this upcoming week, all members of the All-Big East First Team.
Tyler Kolek – Marquette
There have been many important figures in Marquette’s rise this season, but the play of Kolek, a talented junior point guard, has been perhaps the most key. He’s averaging 12.7 points and 7.9 assists per game, leading the Big East in assists for a second straight season. Not only does he lead the league in offensive win shares, but he’s scored at least 18 points in Marquette’s last four games and is peaking at the right time.
Ryan Kalkbrenner – Creighton
On a team where all five starters are averaging nearly 12 points a game, Kalkbrenner has proven to be the most dynamic cog in the machine. A 7’0 junior center, it’s not just that he’s averaging 15.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, it’s how this team played during his absence earlier in the season. Kalkbrenner leads the nation in effective field goal percentage and might be the conference’s most efficient offensive threat.
Adama Sanogo – Connecticut
Sanogo is one of the most talented big men in the nation and has been as advertised during his junior season with the Huskies. He’s a leader on the team and is averaging 17.2 points and 7.2 rebounds a game. He’s actually the Big East scoring leader this season and is a dynamic post-presence. Sanogo’s important to the Huskies cannot be underrated if they make a run in New York.
Bryce Hopkins – Providence
Providence boasts another well-balanced starting rotation, but Hopkins is undoubtedly the major player. A unanimous First Team All-Big East selection, Hopkins averages 16.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. After getting bench minutes at Kentucky last year, the sophomore forward has been electric in Ed Cooley’s system, leading the conference in free throws and having a gigantic impact to keep the Friars in the top tier of the league.
Souley Boum – Xavier
He was a major scorer at both San Francisco and UTEP, and Boum has not missed a beat this year with the Musketeers even at the power conference level. He’s averaging 16.8 points and 4.5 assists per game while hitting 42% of his 3-point attempts. Xavier would not be where they’re at without his excellence on both sides of the ball.