Five-minute season preview: Big East
Yahoo Sports will break down the top 10 leagues for the upcoming college basketball season working backward from No. 10 to No. 1. Here’s a look at our No. 5 league, the Big East.
Kris Jenkins’ dramatic buzzer-beating 3-pointer didn’t just deliver Villanova its second national championship.
It also cemented the revamped Big East as one of college basketball’s premier conferences.
In the three years since many pundits denounced the Big East as dead after the departure of a handful of longtime stalwarts, the league has cracked the top four in conference RPI each season, earned an average of five NCAA bids per year and had its regular season champion land no less than a than a No. 2 seed. Then last year the Big East reversed its trend of falling flat in March as Villanova upset top-seeded Kansas in the South Regional final, blasted Oklahoma by 44 points in the Final Four and edged favored North Carolina in a classic title game.
With Villanova a threat to repeat as national champs, Xavier a potential top 10 team for the second straight year and Creighton, Butler, Seton Hall and Georgetown all eying NCAA bids, there’s no reasonable argument to be made that the Big East isn’t on par with the so-called power conferences. The Big East seems to be much stronger than the SEC once again this season and is comparable with the top-heavy Pac-12 and a Big 12 weakened by a wave of departures.
The favorite to win the Big East for a fourth straight year is Villanova, which returns all but two key players from last year’s title run. The Wildcats have plenty of perimeter players capable of helping replace Ryan Arcidiacono’s playmaking and leadership, though the center position is a major question mark with Daniel Ochefu having graduated and top freshman Omari Spellman academically ineligible.
Jalen Brunson, a 2015 McDonald’s All-American, will play point guard for Villanova and try to strike a balance between setting up his teammates and looking for his own shot. He’ll have plenty of perimeter weapons around him, from All-American candidate Josh Hart, to super sub-turned-starter Phil Booth, to breakout candidate Mikal Bridges.
Jenkins, the title game hero, will start at power forward with promising Fordham transfer Eric Paschall serving as his overqualified backup and providing scoring off the bench. Without Ochefu and Spellman, veteran Darryl Reynolds will take over as the starter at center with freshman Dylan Painter seeing playing time off the bench.
Xavier will again play the role of Villanova’s primary challenger for the Big East title thanks to a perimeter corps loaded with experience and talent. Point guard Edmond Sumner’s height and handle make him a potential first-round draft pick, versatile small forward Trevon Bluiett is an All-American candidate and reigning sixth man of the year J.P. Macura is a more-than-capable replacement for suspended senior Myles Davis in the starting lineup.
While the departure of Jalen Reynolds and James Farr is a blow to Xavier’s frontcourt, the Musketeers have enough talent to absorb that loss. Norfolk State transfer RaShid Gaston should make an immediate impact after averaging 15.5 points and 9.6 rebounds two years ago, 6-foot-8 sophomore Kaiser Gates possesses impressive skill and a high motor and junior Sean O’Mara is a 6-foot-10 bruiser who will play heavy minutes off the bench.
Creighton, Butler, Georgetown and Seton Hall each possess NCAA tournament potential, but they all have more question marks than either Villanova or Xavier.
The arrival of Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster and the return of standout point guard Maurice Watson should fuel a potent Creighton attack, but the Bluejays need to shoot better from the perimeter in conference play this season to open up driving lanes. Seton Hall should be one of the Big East’s elite defensive and rebounding teams, but an elite scorer needs to emerge to replace high-volume Isaiah Whitehead. Butler boasts one of the Big East’s premier frontcourts, but the Bulldogs have to hope that transfers Kethan Savage (George Washington and Avery Woodson (Memphis) can provide perimeter scoring. And Georgetown has plenty of talent and depth to bounce back from last year’s down season, but the Hoyas need transfer Rodney Pryor or one of the returners to emerge as a go-to threat.
Beyond those six teams, the rest of the league may take some lumps.
Providence is rebuilding after the departure of Ben Bentil and Kris Dunn, while Marquette might be a year away from ending its three-year NCAA tournament drought. St. John’s has a young nucleus that could provide a foundation for future success, while DePaul will lean on high-scoring wings Eli Cain and Billy Garrett Jr.
BIG EAST PROJECTIONS
1. Villanova
2. Xavier
3. Creighton
4. Butler
5. Georgetown
6. Seton Hall
7. Providence
8. Marquette
9. St. John’s
10. DePaul
FIRST-TEAM ALL-BIG EAST
G Maurice Watson
G Josh Hart
G Trevon Bluiett
F Kelan Martin
F Angel Delgado
MAKING A LIST:
Best shooter: Isaiah Zierden, Creighton. Finally healthy after battling through knee and shoulder issues the past two years, Zierden could be poised for a big senior season. The 6-foot-3 guard shot nearly 40 percent from behind the arc the past two seasons and should benefit from more open spot-up looks this year with Marcus Foster joining playmaking point guard Maurice Watson in a potent Creighton backcourt.
Best playmaker: Maurice Watson, Creighton. Between Villanova’s Jalen Brunson, Xavier’s Edmond Sumner and Watson, the Big East’s top teams each have excellent point guards. The best distributor of the trio may be Watson, who averaged 14.1 points and 6.6 assists per game last season and should have more weapons around him this year. Not bad for a 5-foot-10 Philadelphia native who originally enrolled at Boston University because Big East teams were hesitant to recruit him.
Best defender: Josh Hart, Villanova. One of the keys to Villanova’s title runs last season was Hart’s ability to slow down high-scoring opposing wings. While the 6-foot-5 senior lacks elite length or athleticism, he has quick hands and feet, he stays in front of drivers and attached to cutters and he forces turnovers and deflections with his activity and anticipation off ball. Hart is also one of the best rebounding guards in the country at 6.8 per game last season.
Top NBA prospect: Edmond Sumner, Xavier. A steady parade of scouts came to Cincinnati last season to evaluate Sumner, who could emerge as a first-round pick as soon as next June. The 6-foot-5 point guard has an explosive first step to the rim, the size to see over a defense and the potential to become a formidable defender. If he becomes a more vocal leader, a more consistent outside shooter and a better decision maker with the ball in his hands, he’d have a chance to be one of the nation’s premier point guards.
Best backcourt: Villanova. Even with Ryan Arcidiacono having graduated, not many teams in the nation can match Villanova’s perimeter depth and talent. The Wildcats will likely start former McDonald’s All-American Jalen Brunson at point guard, though talented junior Phil Booth can also handle the ball and make plays off the dribble. Six-foot-5 Josh Hart can play either wing spot and is among the best two-way players in the country, while sophomore small forward Mikal Bridges will likely play starter’s minutes off the bench and might be the team’s best longterm NBA prospect.
Best frontcourt: Georgetown. Buoyed by the unexpected return of 7-footer Bradley Hayes for a fifth season, Georgetown’s frontcourt will be the deepest in the Big East. Isaac Copeland has a chance to become Georgetown’s top scoring threat, Hayes is an effective interior scorer and rebounder and sophomores Jessie Govan and Marcus Derrickson both have breakout potential if they receive enough playing time. Derrickson, in particular, could be special because of his high skill level and ability to score inside and out.
Best recruiting class: Xavier. This is a typical Xavier recruiting class in that it includes no McDonald’s All-Americans, instead featuring a couple guys who will be productive three- or four-year college players. Quentin Goodin, the Gatorade Player of the Year in Kentucky, is a strong, physical lead guard who should be able to spell Sumner off the bench. Eddie Ekiyor and Tyrique Jones will provide energy, rebounding and interior scoring off the bench, but the biggest impact newcomer in the frontcourt could be Norfolk State transfer RaShid Gaston, who averaged 15.5 points two seasons ago. He should help ease the loss of James Farr and Jalen Reynolds.
Coach on the hot seat: Honestly, there really isn’t one. Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard validated the patience and support of his administration by guiding a young Seton Hall team to the NCAA tournament last season. Things still aren’t going well at DePaul, but second-year coach Dave Leitao will get more time to turn things around. The coach who might face more pressure were his last name different is John Thompson III. Between last year’s sub-.500 finish and a flurry of previous early NCAA tournament flameouts, the Hoyas have slipped well behind Villanova and Xavier in the Big East pecking order.
FACTS AND FIGURES
New coaches: none
Regular-season winner last season: Villanova
Tourney winner last season: Seton Hall
League RPI rank in each of past 3 seasons: 2015-16: 4th, 2014-15: 2nd, 2013-14: 4th
NCAA bids the past three seasons: 15 (Villanova 3, Xavier 3, Providence 3, Butler 2, Seton Hall, Georgetown, Creighton, St. John’s)
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Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
