Big East Preview: #13-#16

Ah, yes. Big East basketball is back for its best season ever.

The intensity, quality and talent level in this conference is unmatched in college basketball. The publicity from an extensive TV contract with ESPN allows the best of the Big East to be shown Monday nights, Wednesday nights and Saturday’s more often than any other BCS conference in the nation. The storied programs are endless, from Georgetown to Syracuse to Connecticut to Saint John’s and Notre Dame. The spirited rivalries are hotly contested year in and year out, from Marquette-Louisville to Seton Hall-Rutgers to Connecticut-Syracuse. The top players in the nation, the best games, the most publicity…what else could you ask for in a 16-team conference?

This year is especially unusual in that you can make a compelling argument for 11 or 12 teams to make the NCAA Tournament this season. Yes, I’m even including Cincinnati, Seton Hall and DePaul as crazier things have happened in this conference. More realistically, an unprecedented 9 or 10 teams may reach the plateau.  Not only that, but the consensus top-four teams in the conference- Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame- could be preseason top-ten teams in the nation. Marquette, Syracuse, Georgetown, Villanova and West Virginia fans can also make arguments for their team to start in the top-25. Never before has the upper echelon of a conference had such high expectations.

The bottom half? Well, let’s just say parity from top to bottom doesn’t describe the Big East this season. My lower three teams all have potential, but look even weaker in such a loaded conference. In other words: expect quite a few blowouts. We start our Big East Preview looking into teams 13-16 in the Big East, with each weekday coming up previewing a single team until we reach #1.

16. St. John’s Red Storm– Coach: Norm Roberts (5th season)

Backcourt: Unless one of the freshman can step up at guard for the Red Storm, there is clearly a lack of Big East-caliber talent at the start of the season. St. John’s lost two key cogs in their backcourt as assist leader Eugene Lawrence graduated and reserve guard Larry Wright opted to transfer. Much like the frontcourt, the backcourt is extremely young. Freshman Quincy Roberts is an athletic scorer while fellow rookie TyShwan Edmondson will also compete for the starting point guard spot. Sophomore Malik Boothe started at point guard last year, but isn’t much of a scorer and is more suited as a shooting guard. Paris Horne, even at just 5.1 PPG, has the potential to score in double-digits on any given night.
Grade: D-

Frontcourt: Anthony Mason Jr. will lead the Johnnies frontcourt. Mason shone in two 29-point games against defensive stalwarts Louisville and Pittsburgh last season, showing off his outstanding athleticism and improved outside shooting. For an offense that ranked in the bottom 60 in all of Divison I basketball last season, coach Roberts hopes to find a nice complimentary piece for Mason this year. Wing D.J. Kennedy emerged as a potential option, averaging nearly eight points and six rebounds as a freshman. They also hope for either Rob Thomas or Sean Evans, both sophomores, to make the leap and join Mason as scoring options. Center is a question mark with the likely favorite being Dele Coker, who started multiple games in 07-08 but seemed to wear down quickly. Track the progress of sophomore Justin Burrell, a 10.8 per game scorer from a year ago who has bulked up this summer and could explode onto the scene.
Grade: C

Bottom Line: While Norm Roberts received a puzzling five-year extension from the program and is in the running for top ten recruit Lance Stephenson for 2009-10, this year is going to be another frustrating campaign for loyal St. John’s fans. Anthony Mason is the lone bright spot on a young and inexperienced team that will simply be overmatched by their Big East competition. They may squeeze out a win or two in Madison Square Garden, but they pose absolutely no threat to any team in the top ten of this conference.

Starting Lineup:
G- Justin Burrell (SO)
G- Malik Boothe (SO)
F- D.J. Kennedy (SO)
F- Anthony Mason Jr. (SR)
C- Dele Coker (SO)

Key Non-Conference Games: 11/17-18 (Preseason NIT at BC), 12/27 vs. Miami, 2/19 vs. Duke
Key Conference Games: 1/22 vs. Cincinnati, 2/1 vs. USF, 2/5 @ Seton Hall, 2/28 @ DePaul
Most Valuable Player: Anthony Mason Jr.
Projected Postseason Tournament: None

15. South Florida Bulls– Coach: Stan Heath (2nd season)

Backcourt: The star of the backcourt, and the entire USF roster, is sophomore guard Dominique Jones. He became the first Big East freshman since Allen Iverson to notch 30 points in back-to-back contests and ended up scoring 18.3 PPG in conference play. Jones is a versatile player who shoots from the outside with efficiency while also displaying excellent athleticism getting to the rim. Jesus Verdejo will join him in the backcourt, another solid outside shooter who finished as a double-digit scorer for Stan Heath last season. Once the first semester ends, the USF backcourt gets a huge boost from Georgia transfer Mike Mercer, who averaged 12.1 PPG in 51 games for the Bulldogs over two seasons and is one of seven newcomers on the Bulls roster for 08-09. Freshman Gaby Belardo will see enhanced playing time in his debut season. Grade: C+

Frontcourt: The Bulls will clearly miss All Big East member Kentrell Gransberry, a box-score filler who led the Big East in rebounding twice in Tampa to go along with 16.0 PPG. Attempting to replace Gransberry is hard enough for any program, but USF has no clear replacement at this point. 6’9 senior Mobolaji Ajayi improved over the course of last season, starting the final 13 games for Stan Heath. They hope to get prized transfer Gus Gilchrist available for the season after his request for an eligibility waiver. Gilchrist, a Maryland transfer, could contribute double-digit scoring and quality rebounding immediately for South Florida, a much needed addition to what appears to be clearly missing pieces up front. They also hope Eladio Espinosa and JC transfer Alex Rivas-Sanchez will turn rebounding from a weakness into a strength. Grade: C-

Bottom Line: Stan Heath’s second year at the helm of the South Florida program won’t be any easier than the first. While the offense could revolve around Gransberry in the paint to give Jones more looks from outside, opposing defenses can key on Jones and force the Bulls weak secondary cast to win games. They’ll be able to steal some from weaker Big East teams at home, but it won’t be enough for USF to climb out of the bottom two this season.

Starting Lineup:
G- Jesus Verdejo (SR)
G- Dominique Jones (SO)
G- Mike Mercer (JR)
F- Mobolaji Ajayi (SR)
F- Alex Rivas-Sanchez (JR)

Key Non-Conference Games: 11/19 @ Virginia, 11/29 vs. Northeastern, 12/16 @ Vanderbilt, 12/22 vs. Oral Roberts
Key Conference Games: 1/10 vs. DePaul, 1/24 vs. Villanova, 2/1 @ St. John’s, 2/25 @ Seton Hall
Most Valuable Player: Dominique Jones
Projected Postseason Tournament: None

14. Seton Hall Pirates– Coach: Bobby Gonzalez (3rd season)

Backcourt: Eugene Harvey busted onto the scene as a freshman and many Seton Hall fans were drooling at the prospect of this kid taking off to national levels as an elite point guard. The sophomore slump kicked in for the local kid Harvey, who saw his FG% drop six points, FT% drop 11 points and 3PT% fall to a horrific 23% last season. Taking over as the primary outside shooter last year was freshman Jeremy Hazell, who made 11 FG vs. West Virginia and 8 threes vs. Louisville but would go 1-10 the following night from outside. Providing a consistent presence could be freshman Jordan Theodore, the highlight of Gonzalez’s recruiting class. Paul Gause could average three steals per game with his quick hands and ability to jump passing lanes for thefts and easy baskets. The strength of the backcourt depends on Harvey going back to playing like he did as a freshman. Grade: B-

Frontcourt: The Pirates head into this season with some intriguing pieces in their frontcourt. Duquesne transfer Robert Mitchell is two years removed from winning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year while averaging 16.4 PPG. Mitchell is handed the difficult role of replacing the uber-productive Brian Laing and may need an adjusting period for Big East play. Still, the expectations for Mitchell are very high. John Garcia looks to keep his knees healthy enough to contribute on a regular basis for Gonzalez. Garcia has an excellent post-up game and rebounds well when he’s on the floor and not caught up in foul trouble. 6’11, 340 pound freshman center Melvyn Oliver could make an immediate impact. Trimmed down to 310, Oliver is surprisingly athletic for his size with soft hands and touch around the basket. Losing Laing for both scoring and rebounding will be hard to overcome. Grade: C-

Bottom Line: I had a difficult time pegging Seton Hall this low in the conference. Harvey and Hazell show potential, the team scores in bunches, and Mitchell could be Newcomer of the Year. I don’t like the erratic behavior of Bobby Gonzalez on the sidelines, though, and his lack of temperament could cost him his job soon enough. His constant press works at times, but the Pirates also tend to give up easy baskets and play atrocious defense. Keeping Garcia healthy and seeing progress for Eugene Harvey are the keys.

Starting Lineup:
G- Eugene Harvey (JR)
G- Jeremy Hazell (SO)
G- Paul Gause (SR)
F- Robert Mitchell (JR)
F- John Garcia (JR)

Key Non-Conference Games: 11/20-23 (Paradise Jam)
Key Conference Games: 1/3 vs. West Virginia, 1/6 vs. Villanova, 2/8 @ Rutgers, 2/10 @ DePaul
Most Valuable Player: Eugene Harvey
Projected Postseason Tournament: None

13. Rutgers Scarlet Knights– Coach: Fred Hill (3rd season)

Backcourt: Rutgers fans began envisioning a bright future when Greg Rosario committed to play in Piscataway. Rosario, who played in the McDonalds All-American game and started at point guard for the top prep team in the nation at St. Anthony’s, could instantly mold himself into the go-to scorer in crunch time situations and, ultimately, the most consistent scorer on the roster when the season concludes. Corey Chandler is another Rutgers player with a high ceiling after scoring 11.1 PPG in his freshman season. Returning starter Mike Coburn notched nearly 10 PPG against Big East competition but may find his minutes drop with the addition of Rosario and return of Anthony Farmer, an emerging senior who found his FG% bolt up from 32% to 42% last season. Hill has plenty of options to mix and match if Rosario were to struggle early in his college career, although I don’t see that occurring. Grade: B

Frontcourt: Fred Hill’s frontcourt received a huge boost when four-star recruit Greg Echenique graduated early and enrolled at Rutgers to gain eligibility for this season. Echenique spent the summer playing for the Venezuelan Junior National Team and could be the scoring center that Rutgers has lacked for so long. Complimenting Echenique well is returning center Hamady N’Diaye, a truly special defensive player with great instincts to go along with rebounding and shot-blocking qualities. Also joining the Scarlet Knights is Christian Morris who will provide intensity and interior scoring off the bench. J.R. Inman, the leading scorer on Rutgers’ last place team of 07-08, also returns to provide versatility and another rebounding presence. He joins freshman Patrick Jackson and small forward Jaron Griffin, who may be relegated to a more limited role this season. Grade: C+

Bottom Line: Rutgers is undoubtedly improved from their disastrous 07-08 campaign. Fred Hill reeled in the best recruiting class in years headed by Rosario and Echenique and they could be much more competitive than previous seasons against high quality opponents. With any young group, they’ll experience growing pains in the Big East, but Rutgers fans know they should be patient. Corey Chandler may prove to be an all-conference contributor if he builds off of his freshman season. Rosario is the real future star, though.

Starting Lineup:
G- Mike Rosario (FR)
G- Corey Chandler (SO)
G- Anthony Farmer (SR)
F- J.R. Inman (SR)
F- Hamady N’Diaye (JR)

Key Non-Conference Games: 12/3 @ Rider, 12/10 @ Princeton, 12/28 @ North Carolina
Key Conference Games: 1/10 vs. Syracuse, 1/24 @ St. John’s, 1/31 vs. DePaul, 3/1 vs. Providence
Most Valuable Player: Corey Chandler
Projected Postseason Tournament: None

#12 DePaul and #11 Cincinnati will be up either Thursday night or Friday afternoon.

News And Notes: 8/29-9/5

Hey everyone (if there is anyone). No, we’re not dead. It’s just been harder posting lately due to the beginning of school and lack of any serious news in the college basketball world. Things will heat up on the site in October with in-depth conference previews and player rankings before the start of the season in November, when there will be a guaranteed post every day by either Pat, Tommy or me. At least until the end of this month, look for the occasional post as well as a News and Notes article from me every Friday night summing up the previous week or so in college hoops. Here’s another edition:

– Not only did the current Kansas Jayhawks team have a hectic week both inside and outside the United States, but their former players experienced a few trials as well. Two stars from last year’s national championship Kansas team were thrown out of an NBA rookie program for having marijuana and women in their hotel room. Arthur denies any wrongdoing, but it was clearly an immature decision by two immature people. David Stern came down on them hard, and now we know a bit more on why their draft stock plummeted so severely on draft day (at least Chalmers).

Also in Lawrence news, the current KU team spent this past week in Ottawa facing off in exhibition games and getting a feel for, other than Sherron Collins, an entirely new main cast. It was a smart move for coach Bill Self to schedule this trip and build continuity both on and off the court. Not surprising is the emergence of Cole Aldrich north of the border as a dominant big man prepared physically for Big 12 basketball. Also faring well were freshmen Tyshawn Taylor with two 20+ point games and Travis Releford, who scored 25 points in the second exhibition. They also received good news that Marcus and Markief Morris have been cleared by the NCAA to play this season. Remember, it’s not rebuilding…it’s reloading.

– Other teams playing exhibitions at this time: Kansas’ conference foe Missouri in Ontario. They’ve been led by DeMarre Carroll, who scored 20 points in the thrashing of the Ontario All-Stars, and freshman guard Marcus Denmon, totaling 23 points against Brock University. Virginia looks to be the weak link in the ACC this season, but does have an impressive rookie: Sylvan Landesberg, who scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a rout over St. Lawrence College. Encouraging news for NC State as the much maligned Brandon Costner scored 31 points in their game vs. York University. Sure, the competition is less than stellar, but these are still early signs on the progression of certain teams for the upcoming campaign.

– Two New Jersey area Big East bottom fodders are looking to move up. Rutgers was able to rack in one McDonalds All-America in talented point guard Mike Rosario. Now it appears they’ve cleared talented big man Gregory Echenique to play for the Scarlet Knights this season. Had he remained in the Class of 2009, it’s likely Echenique would have played in the McDonalds game. Their rival, Seton Hall, received another big-time transfer in former New Mexico State forward Herb Pope to aid a below-average frontline. Pope averaged 11.1 PPG and 6.8 RPG last year. We know Bobby Gonzalez isn’t afraid to reel in low-character players for the sake of winning, and Bobby hopes to gain a waiver for Pope to play this season.

– Levance Fields looks to finally be 100% healthy by November and ready to lead Pitt to a Big East title this season. He received bone graft surgery about a week ago to stabilize his broken left foot, which had been causing him periodic pain over the summer. Fields wanted closure and received surgery. While this will put a hamper on his preparation for the season, Jamie Dixon is fine with having Fields ready for Opening Night. Also on the Big East injury front, David Cubillian may miss the start of the season due to off-season shoulder surgeries.

– I don’t know how reliable this source is, but BruinsReportOnline.com is reporting that talented class of 2009 guard Abdul Gaddy is down to Arizona and UCLA. Gaddy is ranked as the #2 point guard in the land by Scout.com and has proven to be an elite backcourt player with enormous upside. Gaddy is somewhat like Derrick Rose in his feel for the game and tremendous passing ability from the point guard position. Why do I have a feeling he ends up at Westwood?

– I’m just as sick of Derrick Caracter as you are. Still, because it’s Division 1 and Conference USA, it’s worth reporting he’s likely to land at Southern Miss. It appeared Caracter was going to land at a NAIA Oklahoma school before Larry Eustachy stepped in and decided to give Caracter a second chance. And if anyone can relate to second chances, it’s Larry Eustachy.

– Andy Katz has a fine write-up on his ESPN blog about Memphis and how much John Calipari is looking forward to the upcoming season, more because he wants to forget about last year’s national championship game than the actual caliber of his players, I would gather. Still, Memphis looks strong. Tyreke Evans joins the fray as their leading scorer and floor leader. Nebraska transfer Roburt Sallie failed to meet Big 12 eligibility standards and instead opted for Memphis. Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson withdrew from the draft, which helps greatly. Calipari also mentions that Pierre Niles dropped 40 pounds and the lanky Shawn Taggart put on 25 pounds this summer. Calipari also attempts to persuade us the coup of C.J. Henry has nothing to do with Xavier, which is of course complete and utter nonsense.

– Perusing over the Big East conference schedule, here are my top five games:

1. Connecticut at Pittsburgh, March 7
2. Louisville at Notre Dame, February 12
3. Pittsburgh at Louisville, January 17
4. Connecticut at Marquette, February 25
5. Notre Dame at Pittsburgh, January 31

Summer Big East Report, Part I

Throughout the college basketball season, I’m planning on writing a weekly Big East Basketball Report to get our loyal following updated on the comings and goings of the best conference in the nation. I’ll update on the latest news, predict the upcoming week’s games, delve into some player and team rankings, and give reports from what I see live out of the Big East teams visiting the Bradley Center this season to play Marquette. Since the college hoops world is silent save those few privileged individuals at the recruiting showcase in Las Vegas, I decided an offseason edition wouldn’t hurt anyone. Here goes (and I had to split it up into two days because the conference is so damn big):

Georgetown- The Hoyas and coach John Thompson III were blessed with the commitment of the top high school player in the nation Greg Monroe (although I’d argue DeRozan). Thompson hopes Monroe can fill some of the scoring void left by Roy Hibbert, Jonathan Wallace and Pat Ewing Jr. Speedy guard Chris Wright takes the reigns at the point guard slot, and with the departures of Vernon Macklin and Jeremiah Rivers, more shot opportunities for junior DaJuan Summers (11.1 PPG) and sophomore Austin Freeman will be available. The Hoyas play in the loaded Old Spice Classic in Orlando along with a home game vs. Memphis and a trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium to face Duke. Georgetown faces Marquette, Syracuse and Cincinnati twice.

Louisville- Ranked #2 in Tommy’s preseason Top 25, Louisville returns a loaded roster in 08-09. Edgar Sosa is the wild card; if he can mature into an elite point guard, look out for the Cardinals. Returning is double-double threat Terrence Williams, sharp shooter Jerry Smith and future lottery pick Earl Clark to head the roster. Louisville also adds a very capable replacement for David Padgett in top-five overall high school player Samardo Samuels in the post. The Cardinals will face off with Minnesota in Las Vegas on December 20, face Kentucky at Freedom Hall on January 4, and also play Mississippi, Western Kentucky and UNLV in their non-conference slate. The home-and-homes are highlighted by Notre Dame in two outstanding contests, with Louisville also facing West Virginia and South Florida twice.

Notre Dame- The Irish are ranked #3 in Pat’s preseason Top 25, and for good reason. They return the best inside-outside combo in the nation in reigning Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody and three-point specialist Kyle McAlarney. The most underrated cog for the Irish is playmaking point guard Tory Jackson. They also added talented transfers Ben Hansbrough and Scott Martin to play in 2009-10, so Mike Brey is certainly not looking to miss a beast in the next couple campaigns. Key role players Zach Hillesland, Ryan Ayers and Luke Zeller also return. Notre Dame could face off with North Carolina in the Maui Invitational Final and will travel to UCLA in the middle of conference season.  Notre Dame couldn’t conjure the luck of the Irish for their home-and-homes: Connecticut and Louisville, along with Saint John’s.

West Virginia- The Mountaineers lost some key parts to their Sweet 16 team of last year: first round pick Joe Alexander and departing senior Darris Nichols were arguably Bob Huggins’ two best players. Luckily for Morgantown, West Virginia reloaded with Indiana defect and super prospect Devin Ebanks, along with stellar top-50 player Kevin Jones out of the recruiting waters. Also, junior Da’Sean Butler and tournament breakout player Joe Mazzulla return, along with shooter Alex Ruoff, who shot 41% from three last season. The Mountaineers play in the Las Vegas Invitational from November 28-29 against Iowa and either Kansas State or Kentucky, along with games at Ohio State and home against Mississippi. West Virginia faces potential top-5 teams Louisville and Pittsburgh twice, along with South Florida.

Seton Hall- The Pirates lost one of the most underrated players in the conference last season: senior forward Brian Laing, who scored 18.6 PPG and grabbed 6.9 RPG for head coach Bobby Gonzalez. They did manage to reel in talented guard Jordan Theodore to go along with Eugene Harvey and Jeremy Hazell in a high-upside backcourt. For the Pirates to have any success in 2008-09, they need Harvey to return to playing like he did as a freshman sensation. Gonzalez received good news on the transfer of Keon Lawrence to the program from Missouri, but lost Larry Davis to Loyola Marymount. The Pirates will play in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off with Memphis, USC, Missouri and Virginia Tech, along with home-and-homes with rivals St. John’s, Rutgers and Connecticut.

Rutgers- The Scarlet Knights of Piscataway may sneak up on some Big East foes this season. Fred Hill’s team returns their top four scorers from last season’s disastrous 11-20 campaign, including senior J.R. Inman (12.2 PPG) and sophomore guard Corey Chandler (11.9 PPG). Shooter Anthony Farmer also returns to give Rutgers range from the outside, a 40% three point specialist. Rutgers also return defensive stud Hamady N’Diaye down low. Hill managed to receive a commitment from guard Mike Rosario, the ninth best shooting guard in the class according to Scout.com. Rutgers also got Anthony Mitchell from Florida as a transfer for next season. The Scarlet Knights face off against Seton Hall, Providence and Syracuse twice in the conference slate.

Villanova- Jay Wright returns an intriguing bunch into the fray for next season in Philly. The Wildcats have been led by Scottie Reynolds ever since his first game as a freshman, as the 15.9 PPG scorer from last season once again returns as an All-Big East candidate. Improving his overall floor game as a point guard will be key for Reynolds future. Feeding perimeter players Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes, who really emerged at the end of last season, for open shots will help Villanova greatly. Villanova played with zero seniors last year, so continuity, along with other returnees like Dante Cunningham and Casiem Drummond in the post, are crucial factors for a successful campaign. Villanova will play in the Philly Hoops Classic at the Palestra and face Marquette, Syracuse and Providence twice in the conference schedule.

St. John’s– Anthony Mason Jr. is the one true star on the roster; he averaged 14 PPG and 4.4 RPG in Big East play last season. Also returning is last year’s freshman breakout player Justin Burrell, who averaged 10.8 PPG and 5.9 RPG as a definite scoring and rebounding threat. Dele Coker is a 6’10 project who improved mightily over the course of last season in the paint. Replacing team leader Eugene Lawrence at the point guard spot is no easy task, and the Red Storm also lost arguably their best outside shooter to Oakland in Larry Wright. It could be another difficult year at the Garden for St. John’s and head coach Norm Roberts, who is already on the hot seat. The Johnnies play in the Preseason NIT in Boston College’s pod, along with difficult games vs. Duke and Miami in MSG. They’ll face Seton Hall, Notre Dame and Cincinnati twice during their Big East campaign.

Tomorrow: Marquette, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Providence, Syracuse, DePaul, South Florida. Along with Top 25 Big East Player Rankings and Preseason Team Power Rankings.