{"id":1329,"date":"2011-01-02T20:38:01","date_gmt":"2011-01-03T00:38:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.broadstreetbelievers.com\/?p=1329"},"modified":"2011-01-02T20:38:01","modified_gmt":"2011-01-03T00:38:01","slug":"2010-college-basketball-conference-previews-big-east","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/broadstreetbelievers.com\/?p=1329","title":{"rendered":"2010 College Basketball Conference Previews: Big East"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>[NOTE:\u00a0 This post is still in progress, but with the NFL playoffs coming up, I wanted to post what I have and will pick it up later.]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The Big East, in 2010-2011, is known for overachieving already, as a supposed &#8220;down year&#8221; for the conference still sees five Top 10 teams as conference play begins.\u00a0 That being said, let us not now go too far overboard and <em>over<\/em>rate them, as they really have not played great competition (as typical for the Big East) and they most certainly have not been tested away from their cozy gyms.\u00a0 Plus, it is hard not to be a much talked about conference when you have SIXTEEN teams.\u00a0 But, all that being said, it is still going to be a fascinating Big East season.<\/p>\n<p><em>[NOTE:\u00a0 Much of this post &#8211; as all the conference previews &#8211; was written before even\u00a0the non-conference games were played, so the &#8220;preview&#8221; will focus mostly on the personnel of each team, rather then their early season results.]<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Conference Tidbits<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>There are a slew of new coaches in the Big East:\u00a0 Oliver Purnell (DePaul, from Clemson), Mike Rice (Rutgers, from Robert Morris), Kevin Willard (Seton Hall, from Iona), and Steve Lavin (St. John&#8217;s from UCLA via ESPN).<\/li>\n<li>Louisville has officially left Freedom Hall, where they enjoyed an all-time 682-141 record.\u00a0 The Cardinals will begin play this year in the KFC Yum! Center (yes, that is actually the name of it&#8230;).<\/li>\n<li>The oft-overlooked Mike Brey will attempt to take Notre Dame to an 11th consecutive postseason this year &#8211; quite the achievement at a football school.<\/li>\n<li>When Pitt&#8217;s Ashton Gibbs was named the Big East&#8217;s Most Improved Player last year, it marked the 6th time in the last 11 years that a Pitt player has won that award.\u00a0 Talk about an impressive under-the-radar statistic for the coaching ability of Jamie Dixon (and his predecessor, Ben Howland).\u00a0 Do not be surprised if they make it 7 out of 12, as senior center, Cary McGhee, may have the inside track on the award this year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Blue Ribbon&#8217;s All-Conference Teams<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>MVP:\u00a0 Austin Freeman (Georgetown)<br \/>\nKemba Walker (UConn)<br \/>\nCorey Fisher (Villanova)<br \/>\nAshton Gibbs (Pittsburgh)<br \/>\nKris Joseph (Syracuse)<\/p>\n<p>TOP NEWCOMER:\u00a0 Fab Melo (Syracuse)<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">BSB&#8217;s PICKS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Pittsburgh<\/li>\n<li>Villanova<\/li>\n<li>Syracuse<\/li>\n<li>Georgetown<\/li>\n<li>Connecticut<\/li>\n<li>Notre Dame<\/li>\n<li>West Virginia<\/li>\n<li>Louisville<\/li>\n<li>Marquette<\/li>\n<li>Cincinnati<\/li>\n<li>Seton Hall<\/li>\n<li>St. John&#8217;s<\/li>\n<li>Providence<\/li>\n<li>Rutgers<\/li>\n<li>S. Florida<\/li>\n<li>DePaul<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Lock Tournament Teams<\/span>:\u00a0 Pittsburgh, Villanova, Syracuse, Georgetown, Connecticut<br \/>\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Very Likely Tournament Teams:<\/span>\u00a0 Notre Dame, West Virginia, Louisville<br \/>\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Possible Tournament Teams:<\/span>\u00a0 Marquette, Cincinnati<br \/>\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Possible NIT Teams:<\/span>\u00a0 Seton Hall, St. John&#8217;s, Providence<br \/>\n<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Unlikely Postseason Teams:<\/span>\u00a0 Rutgers, S. Florida, DePaul<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Favorite &#8211; Pittsburgh<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is one of the reasons I love college basketball.\u00a0 In one of the highest profile leagues that dominates the basketball hotbed of the Northeast,\u00a0the generally accepted favorite to win the league is a team that has not started a high school McDonald&#8217;s All-American since 1987.\u00a0 College hoops is still about coaching (not to be confused with prepping kids for the NBA), experience, and hard work.\u00a0 The Pitt Panthers are the favorites to win the Big East and, just maybe, a national championship, and they start 3 seniors and 2 juniors &#8211; none of whom were big-time recruits out of high school, and none of whom are big-time recruits for the NBA.\u00a0 But, what they are is a collection of <em>very good college players<\/em>.\u00a0 And this is, after,\u00a0college basketball.\u00a0 If they weren&#8217;t &#8220;The&#8221; Favorite, they would be &#8220;My&#8221; Favorite.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Team<br \/>\n<\/em>While the intro here is correct in that none of these kids were stars in high school, and none will be stars in the pros, that is not to say that these are all &#8220;mediocre&#8221; players.\u00a0 Two seniors &#8211; 6&#8217;6&#8243;\u00a0small forward <strong>Gilbert Brown<\/strong> and 6&#8217;2&#8243; point guard <strong>Ashton Gibbs<\/strong> &#8211; both have the potential to be stars this year.\u00a0 Brown is a unbelievable athlete, who can shine on both ends of the court and should, at the very least, be able to make up for the loss of Jermaine Dixon to graduation.\u00a0 He is a solid defender inside and out and should be a prolific scorer.\u00a0 He is also 23 years old, so he has the maturity to reel in his off-the-charts athleticism.\u00a0 Gibbs, last year&#8217;s Most Improved Player in the Big East, might take yet another jump this year.\u00a0 He has in-the-gym range on his jumpshot and is a terrific free throw shooter.\u00a0 He is not exactly a pure point guard, so his decision-making might be questionable, at times, but there is no doubt that he can score with anyone in the country.<\/p>\n<p>After Gibbs and Brown, the Panthers starting lineup will consist of, well, what it always consists of &#8211; a bevy of &#8220;glue&#8221; guys who know their roles, play great defense and do all the little things it takes to win ball games.\u00a0 <strong>Cary McGhee<\/strong> has the best potential to emerge as a leader on this team, as he has that blue-collar Pittsburgh Steeler mentality, and could show some skills to back it up this year.\u00a0 He is a ferocious rebounder and an absolute rock on the defensive end.\u00a0 He does not just occupy the lane, he <em>takes possession <\/em>of it.\u00a0 He is not exactly refined offensively (and is a terrible free throw shooter), but can pick up some garbage points on tip-ins and busted plays.<\/p>\n<p>The starting lineup will be rounded out by a couple of Philly area kids.\u00a0 The starting 2-guard (at least for now) is probably going to be 6&#8217;4&#8243; senior, <strong>Brad Wanamaker<\/strong>.\u00a0 Wanamaker, a Roman Catholic product, is incredibly versatile and one of those guys that just about every coach covets.\u00a0 He played every game last year at small forward, so he is not opposed to mixing it up, but he also has a dependable jumpshot.\u00a0 He is an excellent passer and is already an outstanding defender and could become elite by the end of the year.\u00a0 He can guard three separate positions and should give the Panthers a ton of flexibility with their lineups.\u00a0 The other projected starter is 6&#8217;5&#8243; junior <strong>Nasir Robinson<\/strong>, out of Chester High.\u00a0 Robinson is one of those guys where if you remember to scheme to stop him, it is not difficult to do, but if you focus too much on stopping guys like Gibbs or Brown, Robinson can absolutely kill you.\u00a0 Overall, he is a real gamer, who does the dirty work.\u00a0 A very good rebounder, Robinson knows what is a smart shot and what is not.\u00a0 The weakness here is, like McGhee, Robinson is an abymal free throw shooter (42% last year).<\/p>\n<p>The Pitt teams of the past have had decent seasons, but never quite enough to make big splashes in the postseason (aka&#8230;the Final Four).\u00a0 Why would this year be different?\u00a0 Well, it might not be, but if there is a reason to believe that it is, that reason would be the depth.\u00a0 The Panthers do have a number of solid bodies coming off the bench, led by sophomore\u00a0<strong>Travon Woodall<\/strong>, a 5&#8217;11&#8221; NYC point guard, who would probably be starting for 90% of teams in the country.\u00a0\u00a0A good shooter and a great playmaker, Woodall actually made 11 starts as a freshman last year.\u00a0 The other real firepower for Dixon on the pine is another sophomore, 6&#8217;9&#8243; power forward, <strong>Dante Taylor<\/strong>.\u00a0 Taylor is actually the first McDonald&#8217;s All-American to go to Pitt since Brian Shorter and Bobby Martin in 1987.\u00a0 He is only the fifth in the school&#8217;s history (Charles Smith in 1984 and Jerome Lane in 1985).\u00a0 Though many look at Taylor&#8217;s freshman year as a disappoinment, those who followed the Panthers believe he just was not a plug-in-and-play kind of recruit, and he might be on the verge of reaching his potential this year or next.\u00a0 If it is this year, watch out, because he certainly has talent.\u00a0 The rest of the bench is rounded out by a long and lean 6&#8217;7&#8243; sophomore with jet-like quickness and a decent offensive game inside, <strong>J.J. Richardson<\/strong>, and three potentially impressive freshman &#8211; small forward <strong>Lamar Patterson <\/strong>(a tough, versatile player who reminds Dixon a lot of Robinson), shooting guard <strong>J.J. Moore<\/strong> (who can flat-out score, but lacks the ballhandling and passing skills to really be an effective guard just yet), and point guard <strong>Isaiah Epps<\/strong> (another NYC-area point guard, who is\u00a0a terrific passer and is actually the first-cousing of Woodall).<\/p>\n<p><em>Are They Better Than Last Year?<br \/>\n<\/em>On paper, there is no doubt that this team is far more talented than last year&#8217;s version.\u00a0 The only player of any consequence that has not returned in Jermaine Dixon &#8211; a very good player, but is replaceable if Brown takes the leap that most think he will.\u00a0 This year&#8217;s Gibbs is better; this year&#8217;s McGhee is better; and, they now have multiple viable options off the bench.\u00a0 So, yes, this team should be better than last year&#8217;s team, though it is unsure whether they can accomplish another top 2 finish in this league.<\/p>\n<p><em>Question Marks?<\/em><br \/>\nFree-Throw Shooting?\u00a0 While Gibbs is one of the best FT shooters in the nation, the two bigs that should get the most minutes (McGhee and Robinson) are downright abysmal (57% and 42%, respectively).\u00a0 In close games, Dixon will have to make the decision of whether he is willing to sacrifice his inside presence to avoid having teams send those two parading to the line.<\/p>\n<p>The Best Player on the Court Theory?\u00a0 As much as I love college hoops for being a team game, when the chips are down, I still subscribe to the old basketball adage of &#8220;put you money on the best player on the court.&#8221;\u00a0 This year, Pitt will probably be in the Top 10 all season long, but most of their important games will probably feature the best player on the court wearing different colors.\u00a0 Do not get me wrong, I think Brown and Gibbs are terrific players, but neither are elite, and, in the end, great teams win games, great players win championships.<\/p>\n<p><em>Their Ceiling<\/em><br \/>\nDespite the second question mark, there is no way that I cannot reasonably say that this is one of the handful of championship caliber teams in the nation this year.\u00a0 Jamie Dixon might be the most underrated coach in the country, and he has a ton of experience and talent this year.\u00a0 I think Pitt will win the Big East and might finally get to the Final Four, and I would not be totally shocked if they are cutting down the nets come April.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">My Favorite &#8211; Georgetown<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nEveryone will be talking about what this team lost&#8230;well, at least until they see what they still have.\u00a0 The recipe was always going to be interesting &#8211; a Princeton-style team with elite athletes &#8211; but we were not always sure that interesting meant successful.\u00a0 And, to be fair, despite a run to the Final Four in 2007, the jury is still out on John Thompson III at Georgetown, but this might be the best chance he has to erase the awful memories of bad upsets to Davidson in 2008 and Ohio last year (with a 7-11 Big East season in between).<\/p>\n<p><em>The Team<br \/>\n<\/em>There are a few players every year that absolutely leave me in awe, and it is not usually the most bally-hooed players in the country.\u00a0 Blake Griffin was good, but never &#8220;did it for me.&#8221;\u00a0 Guys like Terrance Williams, Lamar Odom, and Jameer Nelson, on the other hand, were absolutely must-watch players for me, for whatever reasons.\u00a0 This year, that guy is <strong>Austin Freeman<\/strong>.\u00a0 Freeman, a 6&#8217;3&#8243; senior is absolutely phenomenal and scratches me right where I itch, as a basketball fan.\u00a0 I think what I like most about him is that he plays the game so effortlessly, on both ends of the floor, yet has a quiet intensity and confidence, so that he demands the ball with the game on the line.\u00a0 The beginning of this year will be all about whether or not Georgetown will be able to survive playing without Greg Monroe, but it will not take long for the conversation to switch to how anyone will be able to survive playing against Austin Freeman.\u00a0 He scores effortlessly with a deceptive quickness and a lights-out, quick-release jumpshot.\u00a0 He looks like he is not even trying, when in fact, he just abuses guys on both ends.\u00a0 Teaming up with 6&#8217;1&#8243; senior point guard <strong>Chris Wright<\/strong> (a do-it-all point guard whom I think is also an absolute star) might create &#8211; dare I say it &#8211; the best backcourt duo in the country.\u00a0 Throw in a healthy dose of the third guard, 6&#8217;2&#8243; junior sharpshooter <strong>Jason Clark<\/strong> and you have yourself the best backcourt in America (you probably heard it here first&#8230;).\u00a0 While Freeman and Wright are refined, solid, and superstars, Clark has a little work to do on his game for this level.\u00a0 He needs to take\u00a0better care of the ball and take better shots, knowing that there might be better options elsewhere.\u00a0 He is a very good defender and a decent passer.<\/p>\n<p>Another aspect forgotten in the loss of Monroe is that the frontcourt now belongs to <strong>Julian Vaughn<\/strong>, and he should be able to step up and produce.\u00a0 A very talented frontcourt player, Vaughn a 6&#8217;9&#8243; senior, who played his freshman year at Florida State, was in the Monroe shadow a year ago and could take this opportunity to shine.\u00a0 He does need to work hard on the glass, especially because this is a very small team, but his offensive game is refined enough to make a big jump in the scoring department.\u00a0 He will be bolstered down low by probably sixth-man <strong>Henry Sims<\/strong>, who, though a bit of a project, is the only one on the roster with true low-post ability.\u00a0 The other starter in the frontcourt will most likely be the 6&#8217;7&#8243; sophomore, <strong>Hollis Thompson<\/strong>.\u00a0 Thompson, long and lean, might be the player the Hoyas would most like to see make the leap this year, and where they would like to see that is on the glass.\u00a0 Thompson, not that great a rebounder his freshman year, may be looked upon to pick up some big boards for this team if he wants crunch-time minutes.\u00a0 He also needs to work on shot selection, as though he could be a very good scorer, there are better options &#8211; at least this year &#8211; for G&#8217;town.<\/p>\n<p>The rest of the depth on this team will come from a stable of first- or second-year players, all of whom have immense talent.\u00a0 6&#8217;7&#8243; sophomore <strong>Jerrelle Benimon<\/strong> will be asked to provide tough rebounding ability off the bench.\u00a0 6&#8217;3&#8243; sophomore <strong>Vee Sanford<\/strong> is a lightning-quick combo guard, who can slash to the basket very effectively, but needs to work on his outside shot.\u00a0 6&#8217;8&#8243; freshman <strong>Nate Lubick <\/strong>is a coach&#8217;s son, who actually was a two-time Massachusetts state player of the year in high school.\u00a0 He is a big body with a soft touch around the basket and is a great passer.\u00a0 6&#8217;0&#8243; freshman <strong>Markel Starks <\/strong>is another lightning-quick combo guard who has a lot of game.\u00a0 Starks might be the Hoyas go-to guy as early as next year, as he can shoot the lights out and get to the rim.\u00a0 For now, he is just a nice piece off the bench, as he develops.\u00a0 6&#8217;9&#8243; freshman <strong>Moses Abraham<\/strong> is a big Nigerian with absolutely no offensive skills, but possesses a <em>gigantic <\/em>wingspan and great defensive intution.\u00a0 Thompson actually believes he could be a star in the Big East some day.\u00a0\u00a0 Rounding out the bench will be 6&#8217;5&#8243; freshman <strong>Aaron Bowen<\/strong>, whose 6&#8217;11&#8221; wingspan makes him an excellent defender (especially in the zone).\u00a0 Bower has a quick first-step to the basket and has a pretty well-developed midrange game for a freshman.\u00a0 He also runs the court really well and is no doubt firmly in the plans for the future of the Hoyas.<\/p>\n<p><em>Are They Better Than Last Year?<br \/>\n<\/em>This is hard to say because, as good as I think this team is, it is not exactly easy to replace a big man who was an NBA lottery pick.\u00a0 And, to make matters worse, they don&#8217;t really have any reliable back-to-the-basket players on the roster.\u00a0 That being said, I am going to go out on a limb and say, &#8220;yes&#8221; they are going to be better this year than last.\u00a0 I think their backcourt is just too good not to be able to make up for the lack of rebounding.\u00a0 Plus, Chris Wright is not only an elite player, but an elite leader and should have this team ready to play each and every night in an always-tough Big East.<\/p>\n<p><em>Question Marks?<br \/>\n<\/em>Rebounding?\u00a0 We have sort of belabored this point, but this team lacks size and strength down low, especially if they decide to start Thompson over Sims (which is likely).\u00a0 If Vaughn and Thompson can step up their rebounding then this team could soar.\u00a0 If not, who knows?<\/p>\n<p>The Princeton Style?\u00a0 As I mentioned in the open, the jury is still out on whether or not this style can translate to the top tier of college basketball.\u00a0 Thompson has proven that he can still recruit to this style (one of the major question marks), but he has not proven &#8211; other than the one Final Four run on the backs of two legit NBA&#8217;ers &#8211; that he can win in March with this style.<\/p>\n<p><em>Their Ceiling<\/em><br \/>\nThough I dislike most things &#8220;Georgetown&#8221; (mainly their enrollees), I actually love this team&#8230;as evident by my dubbing them &#8220;My Favorite.&#8221;\u00a0 However, I am still unsure as to whether or not they actually have <em>national championship<\/em> potential.\u00a0 Unlike Pitt (and maybe another team or two in this conference), I probably would be surprised to see this team cut down the nets in April, and that is why I am going to put their ceiling at Final Four.\u00a0 I just do not think they have the size to win six straight March games against the elite competition.\u00a0 I could see them coming out of a regional, but I cannot see them then winning two Final Four games.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Elite\u00a0&#8211; Villanova<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nGone\u00a0are Scottie Reynolds and Reggie Redding, but the Wildcats may not miss a beat.\u00a0 They have one of the best coaches in the business and they have a load of talent.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Team<br \/>\n<\/em>With Reynolds gone, this team will be turned over to the two Coreys.\u00a0 While 6&#8217;5&#8243; <strong>Corey Stokes<\/strong> is an emerging player, who has become very good on the defensive end to add to an elite jumpshooter, the real star on this team is 6&#8217;1&#8243; point guard <strong>Corey Fisher<\/strong>.\u00a0 Fisher, now out of the shadow of Reynolds, may become a national superstar.\u00a0 He is a do-it-all kind of lead guard who led the team last year in assists and was second in scoring and steals.\u00a0 His jumpshot is improving, while his slashing and playmaking ability is already there.\u00a0 Expect a big year from Fisher.<\/p>\n<p>The &#8216;Cats, as usual, will go with a third guard to join the Coreys, as Jay Wright loves his run-and-gun style.\u00a0 The most likely candidate for that third guard is 6&#8217;2&#8243; sophomore <strong>Maalik Wayns<\/strong>, who is already an outstanding defensive player and could harness his lightning quickness to become a go-to offensive player, as well.\u00a0 Wayns, who worked extensively in the offseason with former Villanova &#8220;third guard,&#8221; Kyle Lowry, can model his game after the current NBA guard because he has that kind of quickness.\u00a0 But, like Lowry, he needs to rein in his turnovers.\u00a0 Other contenders for this starting spot are 6&#8217;6&#8243; sophomore <strong>Dominic Cheek<\/strong>, a highly-touted recruit who struggled in his freshman year, and 6&#8217;7&#8243; sophomore <strong>Isaiah Armwood<\/strong>, who is very athletic and great on the defensive end.\u00a0 Cheek can absolutely score in bunches, so he will be invaluable, whether he does end up starting or not.\u00a0 Armwood, a long athletic player could be invaluable in his ability to guard multiple positions on the floor.\u00a0 The backcourt could also be bolstered by an All-American recuit, 6&#8217;5&#8243; <strong>James Bell<\/strong>, but the team is unsure whether or not he will play at all this year because of a stress fracture in his foot.\u00a0 If he does play, Bell may be the best athlete on the team &#8211; a long wing player from Florida who basically recruited himself because he loved the style of play on the Main Line.<\/p>\n<p>The frontcourt, normally an afterthought on &#8216;Nova, is actually much better than most national people will give them credit for.\u00a0 6&#8217;8&#8243; senior <strong>Antonio Pena<\/strong> is not going to wow anyone with his athleticism or his low-post moves, but he is a very strong and sturdy post player.\u00a0 The big question for Pena is whether or not he can stay out of foul trouble.\u00a0 And, then there is maybe the ultimate X-factor in this entire league.\u00a0 The starting center will be <strong>Mouphtaou Yarou<\/strong>, a 6&#8217;10&#8221; sophomore from a small town in Northern Benin, West Africa. \u00a0(Ironically, it is a town that is about 40 miles from a small village across the Togolese border in which I lived for 2 years &#8211; Yarou&#8217;s hometown is Natitingou, which is the center of the Tamberma people and is an stunningly beautiful town which I have visited many times.\u00a0 Okay, enough about me&#8230;back to Yarou).\u00a0 With this only his third year of competitive basketball, there is no telling just how much Yarou will improve with every practive and game in which he participates.\u00a0 He has already shown exceptional skills for a newbie to the game, so the sky is the limit for this kid.\u00a0 The &#8216;Cats have two decent frontcourt options off the bench, as well.\u00a0 They have 6&#8217;11&#8221; sophomore <strong>Maurice Sutton<\/strong> who is an unbelievable shotblocker and very good offensive rebounder and 6&#8217;7&#8243; freshman <strong>Jayvaughn Pinkston<\/strong>.\u00a0 Pinkston, a Brooklyn kid, is a McDonald&#8217;s All-American with an incredible array of skills for a guy with his size.\u00a0 While only 6&#8217;7&#8243;, he has the strength and tenacity to really mix it up down low, but he also possesses a refined outside game not seen in many guys that tall.\u00a0 He has a great handle and very good passing skills to go along with a legit low-post scoring ability.\u00a0 He could develop into a real star for this team.<\/p>\n<p><em>Are They Better Than Last Year?<br \/>\n<\/em>Probably not, but, considering how last season ended, I might have to rethink that answer.\u00a0 Last year&#8217;s team, with the great Scottie Reynolds, started 20-1 and reached as high as #2 in the polls.\u00a0 However, last year&#8217;s team had no real size to speak of.\u00a0 This year, with a more developed Yarou and Pena and the additions of Sutton and Pinkston, they might have the size to avoid needing overtime against Robert Morris and getting flat-out beat by St. Mary&#8217;s.<\/p>\n<p><em>Question Marks?<br \/>\n<\/em>Size?\u00a0 This is always a question mark because of the style of play that Jay Wright plays and, more importantly, the recruiting niche that has been created by that style of play (for example, getting a run-and-gunner like James Bell simply because he loved that style).\u00a0 I guess the main question marks here are individual to the four big men in the rotation.\u00a0 Can Antonio Pena play without fouling?\u00a0 Can Mouph Yarou develop into a dependable big?\u00a0 Can Maurice Sutton emerge as a legit 6&#8217;11&#8221; big?\u00a0 Is Jayvaughn Pinkston ready for big-time college hoops?<\/p>\n<p>Go-To Guy?\u00a0 Can Corey Fisher become the go-to guy that Scottie Reynolds was his whole career at &#8216;Nova?\u00a0 And, can Stokes or Wayns step up and become a legit #2?<\/p>\n<p><em>Their Ceiling<br \/>\n<\/em>Much like Georgetown, I can definitely see this team making a run at the Final Four, but I am not yet convinced that they have what it takes to win a national championship.\u00a0 The demons that haunted them last year have not really been addressed, and they have only added more question marks, with the departure of one of the best players in school history.\u00a0 I think the ceiling for the &#8216;Cats is getting to the Final Four in Houston, but I do not see them winning a title there.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Elite &#8211; Syracuse<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong>Syracuse, in many ways, a lot like Villanova this year.\u00a0 They lost their best player (Wesley Johnson) and a very reliable off-guard (Andy Rautins), but they have a ton of pieces leftover from a very good team last year that could gel to create another very good team this year.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Team<br \/>\n<\/em>A lot of the success of this team this year is going to rely on whether or not some of these former role players can become big-time Big East stars.\u00a0 With the whole starting five having that &#8220;breakout&#8221; potential, there is real reason to think that at least one or two can make that jump.\u00a0 The most likely breakout player is last year&#8217;s Big East Sixth Man of the Year (and only a bench player because of Johnson), 6&#8217;7&#8243; junior small forward\u00a0<strong>Kris Joseph<\/strong>.\u00a0 Joseph is Syracuse&#8217;s leading returning scorer and stealer (if that is a word) and is second among returnees in rebounding.\u00a0 And, that was all off the bench.\u00a0 This team might be the Joseph show from the opening tip.<\/p>\n<p>But, he shouldn&#8217;t be without assistance, as there are two other guys who are most likely ready for big-time basketball, and the two of which I speak were high school teammates at Neumann.\u00a0 6&#8217;2&#8243; point guard <strong>Scoop Jardine<\/strong> has resurrected a college career that was a bit derailed by immaturity.\u00a0 Jardine was fantastic off the bench, backing up Rautins, last year and should be ready to lead the team this year, whether he is playing his natural point guard spot or sliding over to the 2-guard.\u00a0 His high school teammate that may have the biggest upside on this team this year is 6&#8217;9&#8243; senior <strong>Rick Jackson<\/strong>.\u00a0 Jackson, a ferocious rebounder, put a lot of time into his offensive game in the offseason and it could pay major dividends.\u00a0 Because of the star power at the &#8216;Cuse last year, Jackson was a bit of an afterthought, but he was thrust into action in the NCAA Tournament when an injury to starting center Arinze Onuaku forced Jackson (the only remaining reliable big) to play center throughout the postseason.\u00a0 Jackson was up-and-down in the tournament, but was playing out of position and showed signs of brilliance amidst his inconsistency.\u00a0 Jackson may be the key to the entire season for Syracuse this year.\u00a0 If he can step up and be a legit post presence, this could be a very difficult team.<\/p>\n<p>The other two projected starters are both very intriguing for very different reasons.\u00a0 6&#8217;4&#8243; sophomore <strong>Brandon Triche <\/strong>should get to start at the point from day one, with Jardine sliding to the two.\u00a0 If Triche can be a steady presence in the backcourt, it could take the ballhandling duties off of Jardine and allow him to just focus on scoring.\u00a0 Triche, who has great size for a point guard, does lack footspeed for the position, and it got him in trouble, particularly against some of the quicker guard in the Big East last year, but it is not as big of a problem on this team because of their exclusive commitment to the zone defense.\u00a0 Triche&#8217;s length probably more than makes up for his lack of quickness because of that 2-3 zone defense.\u00a0 The other intriguing player on this team is a guy that no one really knows from whom just how much we can expect, and that is 7&#8217;0&#8243; freshman <strong>Fab Melo<\/strong>.\u00a0 One of the greatest names to hit the college hoops scene in some time, the Brazilian big man is very raw, but <em>very <\/em>agile for a 7-footer.\u00a0 Some say that he could be the best freshman big man in the country, while others say he may struggle to even earn playing time as a frosh.\u00a0 Obviously, the reality is probably somewhere in between, but if it is anyone near the former, Syracuse could be deadly.\u00a0 Melo, who picked up basketball upon his arrival in the States before his junior year of high school, was an avid soccer player in his soccer-crazed home country.\u00a0 But, with only two years of basketball, Melo was named a McDonald&#8217;s All-American.\u00a0 Because of his soccer training, he is incredibly agile and very good at understanding passing lanes.\u00a0 His length and that spatial understanding will probably make him incredible in Boeheim&#8217;s zone, if he can quickly pick up the fundamentals.\u00a0 He is also a surprisingly good shooter for such a raw talent, which, along with his size and athleticism, has NBA scouts drooling already.\u00a0 But, as we have seen before, just because the NBA is paying attention does not mean automatic stardom in college.\u00a0 As good as he may appear, he is still a bit of a project.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately for Coach Boeheim, there are some other big bodies off the bench in case Melo does not get it right away.\u00a0 Another 7-footer, sophomore\u00a0<strong>Dashonte Riley<\/strong> is a good passer and excellent defender.\u00a0 <strong>Baye Moussa-Keita<\/strong> is another big body (6&#8217;10&#8221;), but is a very raw freshman from Senegal.\u00a0 He could see some minutes if there are minutes to be had because he is incredibly athletic.<\/p>\n<p>Size is not the only thing Syracuse can bring off the bench this year.\u00a0 They have some potential stardom there, as well.\u00a0 6&#8217;6&#8243; redshirt sophomore <strong>Mookie Jones<\/strong> is a lights-out shooter, who has not seen much playing time in his two years at the &#8216;Cuse because of attitude issues that often translate to bad decisions on offense and all-around poor defensive play.\u00a0 If he can get himself together, he could be a big-time player for the Orange and maybe one day in the Association.\u00a0 <strong>Dion Waiters<\/strong> is a 6&#8217;3&#8243; freshman guard (and cousin of Jardine), whom Boeheim called &#8220;the personification of a scoring guard.&#8221;\u00a0 Waiters has great athleticism, strength, and quickness and can get to the rim at will.\u00a0 He is still developing an outside shot, which other Big East teams are hoping he never develops because he is already a handful and could become unstoppable with a good jumpshot.\u00a0 6&#8217;8&#8243; sophomore small forward <strong>James Southerland<\/strong> is one of those players that would have any coach drooling.\u00a0 He did not play much at all his freshman year because he was stuck behind Johnson and Joseph, but when he did, he showed signs of absolute brilliance.\u00a0 He is freakishly athletic, as seen by his highlight reel dunking ability.\u00a0 However, discipline is what may haunt Southerland, as he struggles in fundamentals like ballhandling and defense.\u00a0 He also can be pushed around inside, so he needs to get stronger.\u00a0 And, finally, the one guy that may be forgotten on this team who could emerge as one of the more important pieces to this team is 6&#8217;7&#8243; freshman <strong>C.J. Fair<\/strong>.\u00a0 Fair, who was pegged early on as maybe the top prize of the 2010 recruiting class, tore his ACL at the end of his sophomore year and sort of fell off the radar.\u00a0 He recovered to have a very good senior year, but was still under-recruited.\u00a0 Syracuse believes they may have a steal here.\u00a0 Fair is an excellent defender and his long, lean frame makes his absolutely perfect for the 2-3 zone.\u00a0 He is also very polished on the offensive end with\u00a0very smooth ball skills and an excellent jumpshot.\u00a0 Fair should see significant minutes right off the bat and may become one of the better freshman in the Big East.<\/p>\n<p><em>Are They Better Than Last Year?<br \/>\n<\/em>Well, they lost a lot.\u00a0 Wesley Johnson was the Big East Player of the Year last year and an NBA lottery pick; Andy Rautins was a dead-eye shooter and very good college 2-guard; and, Arinze Onuaku was a very dependable, if not excellent, big man.\u00a0 Throw in the fact that they won the Big East last year and were a #1-seed in the tournament, and it is not hard to expect a step backwards this year.\u00a0 The question is just how big of a step?\u00a0 Last year, they entered the season trying to replace Johnny Flynn, Eric Devendorf, and Paul Harris.\u00a0 The year before they lost do-everything forward Donte Green.\u00a0 So, this is not new for the &#8216;Cuse, and I think they are as well-suited, if not more so, this year to pick up the pieces.\u00a0 I do not think they will be better, but I am not sure that they will be all that much worse.<\/p>\n<p><em>Question Marks?<br \/>\n<\/em>Melo?\u00a0 Fab Melo is clearly the biggest question mark.\u00a0 He can be anywhere from boom to bust, with the chances pretty much equal on either side and anywhere in between.<\/p>\n<p>A Star?\u00a0 Last year, Wesley Johnson broke out and carried this team to a phenomenal season.\u00a0 This year, the pieces are in place, but is there someone that can do what Johnson did last year?<\/p>\n<p><em>Their Ceiling<br \/>\n<\/em>This might be an interesting answer, considering my takes on Villanova and Georgetown.\u00a0 I <em>do <\/em>think this team can win a national championship, even though, if I were a betting man, I would more likely bet on Villanova or Georgetown to get to Houston.\u00a0 I think that, if it all falls right for the Orange, they have a national championship-type roster.\u00a0 This team might be a middling team in the Big East if things do not go as planned, but if the right pieces fall into place, this could be the best team in the country.<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Team to Watch &#8211; Notre Dame<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong>No one seems to give Mike Brey the credit he may deserve (including me), probably because he seems to underachieve with some pretty good talent.\u00a0 But, let us think about it.\u00a0 Other than Luke Harangody (the only Big East player to ever average 20-10 for a career), how good were those teams?\u00a0 Is it not enough to just sit back and say, &#8220;Wow, Notre Dame has 10 consecutive postseason appearances?&#8221;\u00a0 I think so.\u00a0 And, now that the winningest senior class in school history has graduated, we might be able to parse out whether or not Brey is a good coach or just a coach that happens to get good players.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Team<br \/>\n<\/em>This year&#8217;s team has experience, that is for sure.\u00a0 And, you can never underestimate experience in college hoops.\u00a0 The five main guys in this rotation are three 5th-year seniors, a 4th-year senior, and a 4th-year sophomore.\u00a0 The best of the bunch is probably the 4th-year junior, 6&#8217;8&#8243; small forward <strong>Tim Abromaitis<\/strong>.\u00a0 Abromaitis was the runner-up last year to Ashton Gibbs for the Big East Most Improved Player Award and, if I had a vote, he would have gotten my vote over Gibbs.\u00a0 Coming into last year (after a redshirt year), he had scored a combined 20 points in 12 career games.\u00a0 He nearly averaged that <em>per game <\/em>last year\u00a0(16.1) when he finally got to play.\u00a0 This year, Abromaitis becomes the go-to guy on a mid-level Big East team.\u00a0 But, there is a lot more than just the guy who sounds like a disease.<\/p>\n<p>The backcourt will be manned by 4th-year sophomore\u00a0<strong>Scott Martin<\/strong> (who sat out one year after transferring from Purdue and another year with a medical redshirt) and 5th-year senior\u00a0<strong>Ben Hansbrough<\/strong> (who sat out a year after transferring from Mississippi State).\u00a0 Martin, who is huge (6&#8217;8&#8243;) for\u00a0a guard started all but two of Purdue&#8217;s games as a freshman three years ago, but decided to transfer to Notre Dame.\u00a0 After sitting out a year, he tore his ACL at the beginning of last year and received a medical redshirt, so he is quite eager to begin his career here with the Irish.\u00a0 And, they are eager to have him here.\u00a0 A big-time scorer, Martin may be leaned on to provide serious scoring punch for this team this year, as well as leadership in the backcourt.\u00a0 Hansbrough, the younger brother of UNC&#8217;s all-time leading scorer Tyler Hansbrough, is quite different from his brother in some ways and quite similar in others.\u00a0 While Tyler was a lanky big body and a ferocious rebounder, Ben is more of a smooth, poised guard with a pure jumpshot.\u00a0 What they share is their passion for the game.\u00a0 Tyler was celebrated for his energy and &#8220;motor.&#8221;\u00a0 While not as evident because of the position he plays, Ben also plays with a high &#8220;motor&#8221; and a serious passion for the game.\u00a0 Playing alongside Martin and Abromaitis, Hansbrough may be one of the more important players in the Big East this year.<\/p>\n<p>While the three players on the wing &#8211; Martin, Hansbrough, and Abromaitis &#8211; are probably going to define just how good this team can be, the frontcourt should go a long way to seeing if they have the consistency to seriously contend for a Big East title.\u00a0 The two starters with Abromaitis in the frontcourt are experienced, grizzled, and skilled.\u00a0 6&#8217;7&#8243; <strong>Carleton Scott<\/strong> is a solid low-post scorer, who can also step out and beat you with a jumpshot.\u00a0 A good rebounder, Scott is also a very solid defender.\u00a0 6&#8217;8&#8243;, 232-pound <strong>Tyrone Nash<\/strong> is a handful inside.\u00a0 Along with being a big body, Nash has great footwork and is an adept passer out of the post.\u00a0 He needs to play with more aggression, but maybe he was stifled playing alongside &#8216;Gody for so long.<\/p>\n<p>After the starting five is where things get a little iffy for the Irish.\u00a0 They have 6&#8217;9&#8243;, 240-pound\u00a0sophomore bigs in <strong>Jack Cooley<\/strong> (who has a striking &#8211; and unfortunate &#8211; resemblence to Harangody) and <strong>Mike Broghammer<\/strong>, while the outside features a trio of promising freshmen.\u00a0 The 6&#8217;1&#8243; point guard from Columbia, MD, <strong>Eric Atkins<\/strong> might be the best of them.\u00a0 Atkins may even push for a starting spot if he develops quickly enough, which would allow Brey to pick and choose his starting lineup and have an experienced scoring threat off the bench, depending on whom he decided to sit.\u00a0 They also have 6&#8217;5&#8243; slasher\/scorer\u00a0<strong>Jerian Grant <\/strong>(son of former NBA&#8217;er Harvey and brother of Clemson&#8217;s Jerai) and 6&#8217;7&#8243; European-style point guard\u00a0<strong>Alex Dragicevich<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><em>Are They Better Than Last Year?<br \/>\n<\/em>It is going to be difficult because they have to try and go without, possibly, the best player in school history in Luke Harangody and a four-year starter in Tory Jackson.\u00a0 But, honestly, I think they can be better.\u00a0 They finished eighth in the Big East last year and, maybe because the league is not as good, I think they can better that finish this year.\u00a0 They did win 23 games and nab a #6-seed in the NCAA Tournament, but they had a disappointingly non-competitive first round loss to Old Dominion, so I think they can better that too.\u00a0 It is hard to say, but I can see the Irish at least equaling their success, despite the winningest class in school history graduating.<\/p>\n<p><em>Question Marks?<br \/>\n<\/em>Point Guard?\u00a0 Their best five players are Martin, Hansbrough, Abromaitis, Scott, and Nash, but there really is not a point guard among them.\u00a0 Martin will probably assume &#8220;point guard&#8221; duties, but he is more of a scorer than a distributor.\u00a0 Hansbrough probably doesn&#8217;t have the handle or passing ability to really play the position, and Atkins is only a 170-pound frosh that would require sending one of the experienced guys to the bench.\u00a0 I think they will be okay, but it is definitely something to look out for.<\/p>\n<p>Defense?\u00a0 Mike Brey is a good defensive coach, but he\u00a0does not exactly have the best defensive\u00a0<em>players<\/em> this year.\u00a0 Martin is not great on the perimeter and\u00a0Scott and Nash down low do not always put\u00a0up a great fight against larger bodies.\u00a0 Hansbrough and Abromaitis are probably the two best\u00a0defenders, but they are not exactly shut-down guys either.\u00a0 I think they can come together and play good &#8220;team defense,&#8221; but they have to really work at it.<\/p>\n<p><em>Their Ceiling<br \/>\n<\/em>The ceiling for\u00a0this team is most likely the second weekend.\u00a0 I could see them winning a game or two in the tournament, but, even if everything goes perfectly, they probably do not have Final Four talent.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Contender\u00a0&#8211; UConn<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong>Well, I made wrote most of this before the season started, and maybe I should have waited until after the Kemba Walker Invitational (aka The Maui Invitational), but I want to hold firm to my &#8220;preseason&#8221; preview.\u00a0 Nothing in this has really changed because I think there are still question marks surrounding this team.\u00a0 But, they do look pretty good so far.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Team<br \/>\n<\/em>Well, it is going to start and end with <strong>Kemba Walker<\/strong>.\u00a0 The 6&#8217;1&#8243; junior point guard may be poised for stardom.\u00a0 A very good player on a very good team as a freshman, Walker seemed to take a step back when asked to do more last year.\u00a0 He looked like he was not ready to be anything more than a reserve guard.\u00a0 But, this summer, he was asked to play against Team USA and he shined.\u00a0 He gained confidence and, most important, a jumpshot.\u00a0 Lightning-quick and great with the ball, if Walker can consistently hit jumpers, he could be as difficult to guard as anyone in the country.<\/p>\n<p>Along with needing an emergence from Walker, the Huskies will also be looking for some emergence from some their last two recruiting classes.\u00a0 Most of all, they will hope to see 6&#8217;0&#8243; freshman <strong>Shabazz Napier <\/strong>to enable Walker to play off the ball.\u00a0 If Napier (an absolute jet) can hold down starting point guard duties, that will enable Walker to be the go-to scorer that Calhoun thinks he can become.\u00a0 The Huskies also expect to get some outside shooting help from two very heavily-recruited freshman 6&#8217;5&#8243; <strong>Jeremy Lamb<\/strong> and 6&#8217;7&#8243; German\u00a0<strong>Niels Giffey<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Youth continues to rule on the wing and in the frontcourt.\u00a0 Big-time recruit from Baltimore (via Oak Hill Academy), <strong>Roscoe Smith <\/strong>might even be the best of the bunch.\u00a0 A 6&#8217;8&#8243; power forward with an excellent jumpshot and the athletic ability of a small forward, Smith could see a lot of playing time right away for Coach Calhoun.\u00a0 Another freshman, 6&#8217;9&#8243; &#8220;shooting forward&#8221; <strong>Tyler Olander<\/strong>, could also see significant minutes in the frontcourt for the Huskies, as may 6&#8217;7&#8243; sophomore swingman <strong>Jamal Coombs-McDaniel<\/strong>.\u00a0 The latter, a heavily-recruited player in last year&#8217;s class struggled in limited minutes his freshman year, playing behind Stanley Robinson.\u00a0 But, with Robinson gone, Coombs-McDaniel could play a major role in Storrs.\u00a0\u00a0UConn may even be able to get something out of ray 6&#8217;10&#8221; freshman <strong>Michael<\/strong> <strong>Bradley<\/strong>.\u00a0 But, the main man in down low\u00a0for the Huskies this year will be 6&#8217;8&#8243; bruiser <strong>Alex Oriakhi<\/strong>.\u00a0 Oriahki, a strong, able-bodied big man from Boston started just about every game his freshman year, but provided very little, if any, offensive substance.\u00a0 He was a menace on the boards and a solid defender, but for UConn to really take the next step, they may need Oriakhi to emerge as a legitmate low-post scorer &#8211; something which Calhoun believes he can do.<\/p>\n<p>The one thing that this team may lack, however, is veteran leadership.\u00a0 Though Walker is a grizzled veteran junior and the leader of this team, the rest of the real talent on this team is made up of all underclassmen, many of whom are freshmen.\u00a0 However, the Huskies do have two experienced seniors to lean on during those tough Big East rough contests.\u00a0 Backup two-guard, <strong>Donnell Beverly<\/strong> decided not to transfer and is back for his senior year.\u00a0 The 6&#8217;4&#8243; poised guard brings extra ballhandling and defense to the backcourt and could easily replace Napier if he is not ready for prime time, sliding Walker to the point.\u00a0 And, down low, the veteran presence may come from the 7&#8217;0&#8243; senior from Nigeria <strong>Charles Okwandu<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><em>Are They Better Than Last Year?<br \/>\n<\/em>Well, the bad news is that they lost two very good players in Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson.\u00a0 The good news is that, despite those two, the team was not very good last year, so they do not have to do all that much to improve.\u00a0 I think they will definitely be better than last year because I think this is a tournament team.\u00a0 If Walker can be the superstar that many think he can be, and any one of Oriakhi, Napier, Smith, Lamb, Giffey, or Coombs-McDaniel can become a reliable number two, then this team should easily be better than last year and may even have a legit shot at making noise in March again.<\/p>\n<p><em>Question Marks?<br \/>\n<\/em>Walker?\u00a0 I actually think that this is the least of their concerns because I believe that he is able to be outstanding, but I guess the main question is just how good can he be?\u00a0 And, moreover, <em>just how good does this team NEED him to be?<\/em>\u00a0 It might not matter if he is the best player in the country if the rest of these guys do not develop.<\/p>\n<p>The Kids?\u00a0 There is a lot of youth in Storrs, but in typical Calhoun fashion, they are extremely talented.\u00a0 And, with one of the best coaches in the business pulling the strings, I expect them to be as good as advertised.<\/p>\n<p>Napier?\u00a0 If Shabazz Napier &#8211; a very heralded recruit &#8211; is able to play the point full time that will enable Walker to just score.\u00a0 If not, and Walker has to move over to the point to play with either Lamb or Giffey or even Beverly, then this team all of sudden looks a lot less scary on the offensive end.<\/p>\n<p><em>Their Ceiling<br \/>\n<\/em>It is hard to say just how far this team can go, considering they were pretty bad last year <em>and <\/em>they lost two of the three best players.\u00a0 But, I will say that they can go as far as Kemba Walker takes them.\u00a0 To me, that sounds like the second weekend, at most.\u00a0 I think they will make the tournament, but that might be all.\u00a0 The best I see for this team is the Sweet Sixteen, which, with all this youth in\u00a0a bounce-back season, would be a very nice result in Storrs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[NOTE:\u00a0 This post is still in progress, but with the NFL playoffs coming up, I wanted to post what I have and will pick it up later.] The Big East, in 2010-2011, is known for overachieving already, as a supposed &hellip; 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