Previewing the Big East/SEC Challenge

By:  Shane McCarthy

Last year was the first season that the Big East/SEC Challenge went to the 12 per conference team format.  Previously it was four teams from each, and it was played as doubleheaders on back-to-back days on a neutral court.  The new format spans over three days (this Thursday to Saturday) and each game is played on the  home court of one of the two competing teams.

The Big East won the challenge 8-4 last year.   

This year's challenge will be headlined by #8 Kentucky at Notre Dame on Thursday night, because, well it's Kentucky.  This game features a senior-laden team playing at home in front of a raucous crowd versus a prominently all freshman squad on the road that has struggled a bit in the early going.  The Irish looked very good on Monday night home against Chicago St., which may not mean much, but if they can continue their hot shooting (especially from 3) and play with that same intensity on Thursday night, a victory seems more than possible.  The Wildcats have the edge in the front court, but the Irish have the edge in the back court.  Combine that with their experience, depth and home court, and it should be a good one.

Also on Thursday night, Marquette will head down to Florida to take on the #7 Gators.  This is a rematch of a Sweet 16 game from a year ago in which Florida got the best of the Golden Eagles.  Like that game, expect the floor to be spread and shots raining down from all over.  Like most years it seems, Marquette is flying under the radar early, but that is do to their lack of chemistry, and nothing to do with their athleticism.  This team will only get better, and Buzz Williams would like it to start against the Gators on Thursday.

On Friday both #6 Syracuse vs Arkansas and Tennessee vs #20 Georgetown are intriguing games.  The Hoyas have shown early on that they can hang with the best, but they can't get too casual with Tennessee, who is likely a borderline tournament team.  And anytime the Orange leave Central New York before Christmas it makes headlines.  Syracuse is a force and very difficult to match-up with, especially for a team that never sees them.  Good luck Razorbacks.  You're going to need it. 

And if Kentucky vs. Notre Dame does not end up being the best game of the slate, Alabama vs #17 Cincinnati on Saturday very well could be.  The Bearcats have looked very good in the early going, scoring in droves and pounding the glass.  But they've yet to really be tested (no disrespect to Oregon, but let's see a few more games first).  And the Crimson Tide are a fringe Top-25 team, who, like Cincinnati, is undefeated.  Expect this one to come down to the wire and even to OT.

The rest of the schedule is below.

And I like the Big East to emerge victorious (whatever that means - respect I guess? bragging rights?) by taking one more than half and going 7-5.

Louisville, Pittsburgh and UConn are the Big East teams that are not participating in the challenge.

Thursday, November 29

#8 Kentucky @ Notre Dame

South Carolina @ St. John's

Marquette @ #7 Florida

Seton Hall @ LSU

Friday, November 30

Tennessee @ #20 Georgetown

Georgia @ South Florida

#6 Syracuse @ Arkansas

DePaul @ Auburn

Saturday, December 1

Alabama @ #17 Cincinnati

Villanova @ Vanderbilt

Mississippi State @ Providence

Rutgers @ Mississippi

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Soup to Nuts: Vol.1

By:  Shane McCarthy

The most current and official Big East Men’s Basketball POWER RANKINGS

But first, a brief explanation about the title: ‘Soup to Nuts’. 

Per Wikipedia - “Soup to nuts” is an American English idiom conveying the meaning of “from beginning to end”.  It is derived from the description of a full course dinner, in which courses progress from soup to a dessert of nuts.  But most of all I just really enjoy the phrase and didn’t want to slap the bland old title of ‘power rankings’ on my, well, power rankings.  And it just so happens to kind of make logical sense, considering I am ranking the teams from 1 (the beginning) to 15 (the end). 

But enough of that.  We are about four weeks into the season and I have seen enough from each team to issue the inaugural installment of Soup to Nuts.  Feel free to leave a comment, shoot me an email or hit me up on twitter (@shane_t_mac) if you so please.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Dieng Goes Down with a Broken Wrist

By:  Shane McCarthy

In the Cardinals second round matchup with Missouri in the Battle 4 Atlantis on Friday night, Gorgui Dieng absorbed a charge and took a spill to the floor. Instinctively and naturally, he braced his fall by putting his arms down to soften the blow with the hardwood. He ended up leaving the game for a brief period, but returned with his left wrist taped up. The next night, in the championship game against #5 Duke, the injury was deemed severe enough that Dieng had to sit on the bench in street clothes as his team fell in a closely contested battle with the Blue Devils.

Upon returning to Louisville on Sunday, it was determined that Dieng had actually broken his left wrist - the scaphoid bone to be exact. And as of this writing, there is no timetable for his return.

First and foremost you have to feel bad for Dieng. Last year he improved his game to the point that he became nationally recognized. But this was supposed to be his break out year. He has risen to become one of the most formidable centers in the country, causing the opposition to think twice about how they attacked and guarded the paint. Standing at 6 foot 11, he was finally understanding how to play the game and was becoming much more athletic, averaging a full two blocks per game. But now the Cards must move on without him, for a period of time anyway.

It looks as if Coach Pitino is going to go with the combination of Zach Price (6 foot 10 sophomore) and Stephan Van Treese (6 foot 9 junior) to fill in for Dieng. And freshman Montrezl Harrell (6 foot 8) has shown that he can hold his own in the paint at forward. On Saturday night against Duke the two (Price and Van Treese) combined for 12 points, 11 rebounds and one block. Very respectable. And even though the final outcome was a 76-71 loss, the game was encouraging. They went toe-to-toe with the #5 team in the country on a neutral court, without arguably their best defender, without a single practice to adjust, and almost came away with a victory.

Louisville is clearly a different team without Dieng on the court. But the combination of Price, Van Treese and Harrell to go along with Chane Behanan (who leads the team in rebounding with 8.5 per game) is still a strong front court. And that’s without mentioning the excellent back court and engine of this team in Peyton Siva, Wayne Blackshear, Luke Hancock and Russ Smith who is playing ‘russdiculous’ right now. They may not be looked at as the #2 team in the country today, but they will continue to roll out a tough lineup night after night and play stingy defense. But their odds of getting back to the Final Four will be greater if Dieng has a speedy recovery. For his sake and the team’s, Card fans will be hoping for the best, but they know Dieng’s injury won’t result in a lost season. There is too much talent on this roster to think that.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Teams in Feast Week Tournaments

By:  Shane McCarthy

Over the next four days there are a number of college basketball tournaments to take place.  Even though most of the country will be on a long weekend, it is difficult to fit college hoops in between eating, family gatherings, football, shopping, eating, more football and even more eating. 

But if you get a chance to fit some hoops in, there are some real good tournaments going down.  Here are the Big East teams that will be taking part:

Pittsburgh - NIT Season Tip-Off (Wednesday and Friday)
Tonights game is the marquee game:  Pittsburgh vs. #4 Michigan at the Garden.

Louisville - Battle 4 Atlantis (Thursday thru Saturday)
This is an eight team field with four top-25 teams.  The potential for high-caliber match-ups is probable.  A Louisville vs. Duke championship would draw a few eyes.

Cincinnati - Global Sports Classic (Friday and Saturday)
This is a four team tournament taking place in Vegas.  Cincinnati has yet to be tested, but a potential matchup with UNLV (a home game for the Rebels) would give them a feel for where they stand. 

There are plenty of other games spread throughout the weekend (including Marquette and DePaul playing in consolation games tonight), but these are all the tournament games to be played out. 

I'll be back on Monday with the first installment of the Big East power rankings, and will likely send a tweet here and there in the meantime. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Georgetown goes toe-to-toe with #1, but falls in OT

By:  Shane McCarthy

There is no question that Georgetown is a very good team. They proved that the last two nights. The Hoyas obviously deserve to be ranked, and will be labeled with a number next Monday. And now that they rose to the occasion on two nationally televised games against two marquee opponents, everyone will be on the Hoyas bandwagon.

Georgetown was clearly better than #11 UCLA on Monday night. You could see that on both ends of the floor. Their patience combined with aggressiveness on the offensive-end kept UCLA frustrated, while their length and discipline on the defensive-end ultimately won them the game.

But on Tuesday night you could tell that Indiana was the better team on the court. Georgetown didn’t play any different than Monday night and they certainly didn’t play poorly, but you could tell why Indiana is the #1 ranked team. The Hoosiers were very sound defensively, locking down the interior and jamming up cutting lanes, forcing the Hoyas to take 26 3-point attempts. They took 14 the night before. Indiana was also crisp on the offensive-end. Georgetown’s defensive prowess was on display, but whenever the Hoosiers became desperate for a bucket, they cycled the ball to perfection to find a backdoor cut or a wide-open three.

Even though Georgetown hung around all game and held the lead for various parts of the contest, you could just tell that it wasn’t going to last. But it actually almost did, and that’s a compliment. Because this team is young and is quickly learning to play top-notch basketball. "This team can grow up; we can grow up a lot," coach John Thompson III said. "We had a lot of guys out there in situations that they've never been in before. We can get a lot better. A lot better."

Otto Porter gives the Hoyas an identity. In the previous two games he missed against Duquesne and Liberty, Georgetown looked very average. And let’s be honest, with the looming games they had coming up, it’s hard to focus what’s on the plate in front of you. But with Porter on the court, this team has an edge to them. An edge that makes everyone have a bounce in their step and that makes them a contender.

And in the end, the Hoyas took the #1 team to overtime on a neutral court on November 20^th. We are four months away from March. The Big East and the nation have been warned.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Georgetown Spoils Shabazz Muhammad's Debut

By:  Shane McCarthy

Leading up to the contest between UCLA and Georgetown, it was all about the debut of Shabazz Muhammad for UCLA.  After being suspended for the first three games, the Bruins were finally going to get him on the court with the rest of their talented freshmen class.  There was very little talk about the game, not that it was a foregone conclusion that UCLA was going to win, but it certainly felt that way since their prized recruit was finally going to don a uniform.

Georgetown was in control of the game from the very start, getting off to a quick 10-2 lead.  Markel Starks was spectacular all night long.  He finished with a career high 23 points, but it was how he did it that made the Hoyas so effective.  He played with great energy, had a bounce in his step every possession, controlled the perimeter and most of all – played with confidence and made sound decisions. 

UCLA also had no answer for the combination of Otto Porter and Greg Whittington.  The two combined for 31 points and 16 rebounds.  The versatile combo will provide fits for defenses all year long.   Banging bodies down low and stepping out and dropping 3s, the all-around play-making ability of the two is impressive. 

But none of this would have mattered if Georgetown didn’t show up on the defensive end.  The 2-3 zone they sat in all night made UCLA uncomfortable.  Georgetown’s regular rotation featured players that measured in at 6-9, 6-8, 6-8, 6-8 and 6-2.  Too much length and athleticism for a young UCLA team to handle who has yet to play together.    

The 78-70 victory was the first time that Georgetown has ever beaten UCLA.  Now the Hoyas get a crack at the #1 team in the land tomorrow, Indiana, for the Legends Classic championship (to the dismay of many who wanted an Indiana vs. UCLA match-up).  Indiana struggles on the defensive end, but it will take an effort as good as if not better than tonight’s, to topple the Hoosiers.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

UConn Cracks the AP Top-25 - Overreaction?

By:  Shane McCarthy

UConn did not receive a single vote for the preseason AP Top-25. They lost two players that ended up being lottery picks, three others transferred out of the program and their hall of fame head coach retired a month before the season. Now they play one game, beat a top-25 team and become the 23^rd best team in the nation?

I’ll be rooting for the Huskies all season and pulling for Kevin Ollie to get a long-term extension. Both would be great stories. But as of right now, cracking the AP Top-25 seems to be a bit of an overreaction. Here’s why:

• The game was played on a different continent in a different time zone. While both teams had to make the same trip and play under the same circumstances, who knows how travel and fatigue affected each.
Michigan St. went through long spurts of not playing defense whatsoever. UConn was getting both easy buckets in transition and wide-open looks at will.


When Michigan St. did get their act together on the defensive end, they shut down UConn with ease and quickly gained momentum. They seemingly closed a 20 point deficit at the end of the first half in about five minutes.


And it was UConn’s lack of size that made it easy to shut them down. No question they have some of the most talented guards in the country, but their lack of size is going to be a serious hindrance gong forward. You are not going to emerge victorious on most nights when getting out-rebounded 38-25.


And finally, this was the first game of the season for each team. Just as we shouldn’t overreact about UConn’s win, we shouldn’t overreact about Michigan St.’s loss. It’s a long season, let’s let them play a few games.

UConn is playing this season for themselves and their pride, as there is no post-season this year. But that’s the mentality all teams should have. One game at a time, all about the team. You can tell this team was fired up for their first game and wanted to get Coach Ollie his first win - which was great, and much deserved. And I don’t want to take anything away from them because Napier, Boatright and Calhoun looked great, but I’m just saying – let’s see a few games first.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Were the Aircraft Carrier Games a Disappointment After all?

By:  Shane McCarthy

With the start of the college basketball season finally here, there was no doubt a lot of hype surrounding the three scheduled games to be played on aircraft carriers for the opening day of college basketball, especially given the overwhelming success of last year’s lone game.  Unfortunately, only 1 ½ of the games were played, as Mother Nature reminded everyone she is forever unpredictable and will always be undefeated. 

While fans of college basketball were unquestionably disappointed, this was not a lost cause by any means.  The point of these games is to honor our veterans and do something special for our active troops.  Even though the games weren’t able to be played, the players from each team were there for days leading up to the event to not only acclimate themselves to the foreign playing conditions, but to visit with the troops and volunteer in the community.  From the numerous live interviews conducted and other stories from similar events, you quickly understand how much these events mean to the service men and women. 

And even if these games were played, they’d be entertaining as they filled our craving for hoops, but they are no way to accurately determine the skill of each team.  There’s a reason why these games were scheduled to be played after dark - as looking into the sun doesn’t make for the most ideal playing conditions (as we saw in the Syracuse vs. San Diego St. game).  My guess is that playing conditions in Southern California would have been fine after the sun went down (the Cuse game was postponed due to rain), but on the east coast that meant a drop in the temperature and along with it, condensation on the floor.

Now given that two of the games were cancelled and the other was played under less than ideal conditions, there has been a strong call to do away with these games in the future.  But I don’t think that should be the case.  These games aren’t about the basketball being played; they are about honoring our service men and women and providing them with entertainment and somewhat of a distraction from their day-to-day duties.  A 'morale booster' of sorts is what was being used throughout the weekend.  And their commitment to honoring our country is why we get to live in freedom and have simple pleasures like college basketball.  The least we can do is give back in ways such as these events.  So maybe there should only be one game, and that one game should be played after dark in southern California, but I don’t think they should go away entirely.  They have their place, and those that serve our country will tell you that they should go on.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Throw-Down of the Year Alert: Rakeem Christmas

By:  Shane McCarthy

Wasn’t it nice to finally get one of these aircraft carrier games played this weekend?  Well, Deshawn Stephens of San Diego St. didn’t think so, because he got absolutely thrown-down on by Rakeem Christmas. 

Aboard the USS Midway, Syracuse showed how deadly they can be in transition.  About halfway through the first half, Michael Carter-Williams was handed the ball after a rebound and immediately found C.J. Fair stretching the floor.  Fair took one dribble and proceeded to toss up a perfect alley-oop to Rakeem Christmas.  Christmas converted with a powerful two-handed throw-down over Stephens.  Would saying that he ‘Rak’d the boat’ be trying too hard?  Probably, since it is an aircraft carrier and all.  But it was a big dunk.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Throw-Down of the Year Contest

By:  Shane McCarthy

Throughout the season, this blog is going to keep track of the biggest throw-downs by Big East players.  There are no rules to enter and there will definitely be no prizes awarded.  As long as I see the dunk and deem it eligible based on its quality, it gets entered in.   And since I can’t watch every minute of every game and if I somehow miss SportCenter’s Top 10 for that day (which is all dunks for the next seven months), feel free to make me aware of what you think is a throw-down nomination.

With that out of the way, it didn’t take long at all to get our first nomination of the year.  On Friday night on Ramstein Air Base in Germany for the Armed Forces Classic, UConn Sophomore DeAndre Daniels scooted along the baseline and finished with a big throw-down over two Michigan St. players.  Sorry Adreian Payne (#5) and Derrick Nix (#25), you just got thrown-down on.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East 2012-13 Predictions

By:  Shane McCarthy

April seems forever ago, but the wait is finally over and the season starts tonight.  But before we get to actual games, let’s make a few more predictions to add to the excitement.

Big East Regular Season Title:  Louisville

Too much depth and experience.

Big East Tournament Title:  Syracuse

After watching UConn and Louisville streak through the tournament the last two years, it will be Cuse’s turn this year.

NCAA Tournament bids:  7

Louisville, Syracuse, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Georgetown

And given the seemingly wide-open nature of college basketball this year, I predict two Big East teams will make the Final Four. 

Player of the Year:  Michael Carter-Williams

I think Syracuse is going to be really good this year [again], and the reason being is going to be MCW.  He will mold into an excellent point guard who not only scores and plays excellent defense, but makes everyone on the floor better.

Rookie of the Year:  Steven Adams

There is a little bit of hype surrounding the freshmen center at Pittsburgh.  The 7 foot, 240 pound New Zealander will give opposing teams fits on both ends of the floor.

Defensive Player of the Year:  Gorgui Dieng

Every year Dieng has improved little by little.  And it looked like he was improving every game last year to the point where he became one of the best centers in the country.  He will be even better this year and will be one of the best shot blockers in the country.

Coach of the Year:  Buzz Williams

Buzz is an excellent coach who tends to get more out of his players than anyone ever expects.  I’m high on Marquette this year, while others are lukewarm, and by exceeding expectations he will earn coach of the year honors. 

All-Big East First Team

G:  Michael Carter-Williams

G:  Peyton Siva

G:  Vincent Council

F:  Gorgui Dieng

F:  Otto Porter

F:  Jack Cooley 

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Rankings Recap

By:  Shane McCarthy

I've spent the last three weeks previewing all 15 teams in the conference. And I dispensed each blog post in reverse order of how I believe they stack up against each other from #15 to #1. When I started on the second post, I realized this may not be the most effective way to look at these teams. But I started with that style and was determined to stick with it.

Anyway, it is probably best to look at these teams in groupings (or tiers). To the right you can see a more appropriate way of how I view these teams. Each tier represents teams that I believe are similar to each other. And even though I ranked them a certain way, I think you could re-order these teams within each tier in any way, and I wouldn't argue with the result.

And if I had label or describe each tier, this is what I would say:

First tier – These are the teams that will compete for the regular season championship.

Second tier – These teams are talented, but not good enough to win the Big East regular season. However, they are all good enough to catch fire and win the Big East Tournament.

Third tier – A compilation of teams that will win some big games, but will likely have just as many head-scratchers.

Fourth tier – Well, this is the basement.

At the end of the day, this is just my opinion and prediction. Four months from now I will check back and likely find that I was way off. And that’s OK, because its fun watching the season play out and constantly being surprised. Enjoy the ride.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #1 Louisville Cardinals

Previewing all 15 teams from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

After a seemingly improbable run to the Final Four, how will the Cardinals fare when a repeat trip is expected?  This team should be even better than last year’s, but the Big East and NCAA Tournament is a bear.  So before they start booking their tickets for Atlanta, they must take the season one game at a time.

Who’s Back:

Gorgui Dieng –C– Junior – 32.8 Min, 9.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.1 apg

Peyton Siva –G– Senior – 31.7 Min, 9.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 5.6 apg

Chane Behanan –F– Soph – 26.0 Min, 9.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 0.8 apg

Russ Smith –G– Junior – 21.5 Min, 11.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.9 apg

Wayne Blackshear –G/F– Soph – 7.0 Min, 2.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.1 apg

Kevin Ware –G– Soph – 5.3 Min, 1.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.5 apg

Angel Nunez –F– Soph – 4.6 Min, 2.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.2 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Montrezl Harrell – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 7, 225

ESPN’s 90^th ranked player and 18^th ranked Power Forward

Rivals.com’s 82^nd ranked player and 20^th ranked Power Forward

Incoming Transfers:

Luke Hancock – [Guard/Forward] – 6 foot 5, 190

Luke, a transfer from George Mason who was forced to sit out the 2011-12 season, will now be an integral part of a title contender.  As a sophomore at George Mason, he averaged 10.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg and 4.3 apg, and led the team to a 27-7 record and to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2010-11.  Coach Pitino has named him co-captain of this year’s squad (along with Peyton Siva) and is expecting big things from him.  “Luke Hancock has been great this year.”  Coach Pitino said.  “He’s our best basketball player.  He’s mentally the best player on the team and physically the best player on the team.  He’s a true basketball player in every sense of the word.”  So expect Luke to be more than just a role player for the Cards this season.  

Who’s Out:  Kyle Kuric, Chris Smith, Rakeem Buckles, Jared Swopshire 

Overview:

When you bring back this much talent from a team that went to the Final Four the previous year – expectations are naturally going to run high, and rightfully so.  If they could do it last year, they should be able to do it again.  Consistency is huge in college basketball, and that is why the Cards are the #2 ranked team in both preseason polls.

It’s fair to expect a Final Four run, and it’s also fair to expect improvements from last season.  They no doubt struggled in the middle of the season and there seemed to be a point where getting into the NCAAs was in jeopardy.  They ended up finishing 11^th in the Big East in scoring and 155^th in the country.   Much of the struggles can be attributed to sloppy play, but injuries also played a role.

Injuries cannot be predicted, but for what it’s worth – the Cards are entering the 2012-13 season healthy.   Last year they played much of the regular season without Wayne Blackshear, a highly touted recruit who was rehabbing a shoulder injury.  When he finally got on the court towards the end of conference play, he struggled.  But on the big stage against Kentucky in the Final Four he showed his potential by going for nine points and four rebounds in just 14 minutes of playing time. 

And the sloppy play from a year ago should be minimized as Peyton Siva and Gorgui Dieng continue to improve and the young guys have a year of experience.  I already mentioned Blackshear, but Chane Behanan is another player who improved as the season went along and who could be in line for a massive year. 

However, the erratic, sloppy and unpredictable play of Russ Smith does return.  He’s had some ridiculous (aka russdiculous) moments in his career, but his work ethic and burst he brings off the bench is uncanny.  Expect some great moments with an equal amount of head-slapping moments. 

As for the newcomers, Luke Hancock will likely have the biggest impact.  He is a transfer from George Mason who is expected to claim the starting spot that was filled by Kyle Kuric last year.  I tried to find a bad thing said about Hancock, and I failed.  Pitino and all of his former coaches have nothing but great things to say about him.  He’s intelligent, trustworthy, and athletic, has great awareness and can make the big shots.  He sounds like the ideal basketball player.   Montrezl Harrell is a highly recruited incoming freshman who will provide front court depth.

Not only does Louisville have essentially the same roster that went to the Final Four a year ago who is expected to get back there again this year, but Coach Pitino knows a little something about getting to back-to-back Final Fours.  He did it in the 90s at Kentucky.  And he knows it’s no easy task.  There are definitely those who worry that this team was too erratic and untrustworthy last year to be making such bold predictions before the season even starts.  But there are those (including myself) who believe this team never achieved their full potential last year.  They waited until the Big East Tournament to really show off their defensive prowess with their full court press, which suffocated opponents.  They do not need to play that way every game, but when they need to, they are a different team.  Expect this team to be improved offensively (especially Behanan, Blackshear and Dieng with the addition of Hancock), to go along with their stout defense, to be one of the best teams in the country and one that is a serious contender to become national champions.      

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #2 Syracuse Orange

Previewing all 15 teams from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

Even after losing four significant contributors from last year’s squad, the Orange enter the 2012-13 campaign in the preseason top 10.  Needless to say, there is a bit of optimism surrounding this year’s team.  And rightfully so - they have veteran starters, skilled [young] role players from last year primed to step up, and another talented recruiting class.  The hype is warranted for their last year in the Big East, now it’s about delivering.

Who’s Back:

C.J. Fair –F– Junior – 26.4 Min, 8.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 0.9 apg

Brandon Triche –G– Junior – 22.5 Min, 9.4 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.6 apg

James Southerland –F– Senior – 16 Min, 6.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.4 apg

Baye Keita –F– Junior – 12.3 Min, 2.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.1 apg

Rakeem Christmas –F– Soph – 11.5 Min, 2.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.2 apg

Michael Carter-Williams –G– Soph – 10.3 Min, 2.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.1 apg

Trevor Cooney –G– Redshirt Freshman 

Incoming Recruits:

DaJuan Coleman - [Center] – 6 foot 9, 275

ESPN’s 14^th ranked player and 6^th ranked Center

Rivals.com’s 26^th ranked player and 5^th ranked Center

McDonald’s All-American

Jerami Grant – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 7, 190

ESPN’s 37^th ranked player and 11^th ranked Power Forward

Rivals.com’s 64^th ranked player and 15^th ranked Power Forward

Who’s Out:  Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine, Dion Waiters, Fab Melo

Overview:

I’m still disappointed that we didn’t get a Kentucky vs. Syracuse national championship last year.  Granted it would have only been a good game if Fab Melo was playing, but he is also the reason they didn’t get that far.  Damn you Fab.  That would have been a treat, as the Orange were probably the only team in the country that could actually match up with the Wildcats.

This year’s team is deep, a nine man rotation deep - very similar to last year.  That gives Boeheim the flexibility to tinker with combinations to exploit opponents and keep his guys fresh.

Brandon Triche, who has remarkably started every game of his Syracuse career, returns for his senior year.  Triche will continue to be the steady and solid player that he has been throughout his career.

C.J. Fair, James Southerland and Baye Keita also return to provide upperclassmen experience.  Fair will start and get the most playing time of the three as he has molded into a solid forward/wing player.  He isn’t the most dominating low-post player, but he picks his spots and is an excellent shooter.  Southerland is primarily a three point threat while Keita will provide front court depth.

Joining Fair in the front court will be Rakeem Christmas and freshman DaJuan Coleman.  Neither are the true center that Fab Melo was nor will they be the defensive force that he morphed into last year (earning him Big East Defensive Player of the Year recognition), but both are better all-around players than he was.  The combination of Christmas, Coleman and Fair will wear down opposing front courts and keep penetrators at bay.

Most of the buzz entering this year is over Michael Carter-Williams, and rightfully so.  MCW didn’t find the court much as a freshman, but will now take over the driver’s seat and assume the starting point guard role.  There isn’t a thing I can say about him that hasn’t been discussed all summer long: he’s long and fits into the 2-3 zone perfectly, has incredible handles, great vision, deep range, lightning quick slashing ability and can throw it down.  Pretty much – he will be the most exciting player on the court no matter who the Orange are playing.  And it seems plausible that the Orange will go as far as he takes them.

The rotation will be rounded out by Trevor Cooney, a redshirt freshman, and Jerami Grant, an incoming freshman. Cooney has been labeled as a sharpshooter, but Boeheim insists he is more than that.  While Grant is a tall, lanky forward who will factor in the front court/wing rotation.  Both these guys will likely be counted on to be more than role players, and will see extended minutes each game.

For their last year in the Big East, Boeheim has once again reloaded this team to compete for a championship.  On paper, this team looks to be very talented, Final Four worthy talented.  But of course there will be questions as this team will have a very different look from last year and will be counting on a number of young guys to contribute.  They likely won’t repeat their 17-1 conference mark from last season, but another big year looks to be on the horizon for the Orange.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #3 Marquette Golden Eagles

Previewing all 15 teams from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

It is easy to predict a down year for Marquette.  They lost the Big East Player of the Year and one of the most dynamic scoring duos in the nation that combined to score 48% of the team’s points last year.  If you are of the view that Marquette is due for a regression this year – you are mistaken.  Buzz Williams should never be doubted, and he is poised to surprise again. 

Who’s Back:

Junior Cadougan –G– Senior – 28.6 Min, 6.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 5.4 apg

Vander Blue –G– Junior – 25.7 Min, 8.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.6 apg

Jamil Wilson –F– Junior – 24.1 Min, 7.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.1 apg

Davante Gardner –F– Junior – 19.1 Min, 9.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.7 apg

Derrick Wilson –G– Soph – 8.8 Min, 0.6 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.7 apg

Juan Anderson –F– Soph – 4.5 Min, 0.7 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.2 apg

Chris Otule –C– Senior – 17.8 Min, 5.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 0.1 apg (returning from an ACL tear after only playing in eight games last season) 

Incoming Recruits:

Jamal Ferguson – [Small Forward/Guard] – 6 foot 4, 180

ESPN’s 61^st ranked Small Forward

Rivals.com’s 134^th ranked player and 31^st ranked Shooting Guard

Steve Taylor – [Small Forward] – 6 foot 7, 200

ESPN’s 84^th ranked player and 22^nd ranked Small Forward

Rivals.com’s 109^th ranked player and 24^th ranked Power Forward

Incoming Transfers:

Trent Lockett – [Guard] – 6 foot 5, 210

Trent, a senior transfer from Arizona State who will be eligible immediately, is an attacking guard who can potentially fill the void left by Darius Johnson-Odom.  He averaged 13.0 ppg and 5.8 rpg for the Sun Devil last season, earning him All-Pac-10 Second Team honors. 

Jake Thomas – [Guard] – 6 foot 3, 200

Jake played for St. Catherine’s, winning two WIAA Division 3 championships, before becoming a two-year starter at the University of South Dakota.  He averaged 13.4 ppg with the South Dakota Coyotes and is known for his shooting capabilities, but his ball-handling and all-around athletic ability will be on display as well.   

Who’s Out:  Jae Crowder, Darius Johnson-Odom, Todd Mayo, Jamail Jones

Overview:

It is not groundbreaking analysis to state that the loss of Crowder and DJO is a significant negative for the Golden Eagles.  They both developed into extremely talented players who scored half of Marquette’s points last year.  That’s insane.  But with their eligibility now expired, the Eagles are forced to move on without them.

The big question being asked heading into the 2012-13 season is: Who will replace that production?

That doesn’t seem to be a fair question.  Just because there weren’t other significant scorers on the team last year, doesn’t mean those same players returning can’t be the answer.  With Crowder and DJO dropping over 35 a game last year, it was the law of attrition that prevented others from filling up the stat sheet on a consistent basis.

While there is talent on this roster, there is no reason to believe or expect that two guys will step up and average ~18 ppg.  While that would be ideal, it’s not needed.  Marquette has enough skill spread throughout to keep them competitive.

It starts in the front court where Davante Gardner, Jamil Wilson and Chris Otule are all above average players.  And if more than one of them can stay healthy for the entire season, they have the potential to be a terrorizing force. Both Gardner and Otule showed t glimpses, but neither was on the court for the full year.  Both are healthy heading into the season and need to keep it that way.

Like the front court, the back court is just as talented.  Junior Cadougan, Vander Blue and Derrick Wilson may not be household names (much like the front court), but they are a lethal bunch.  And if I were to pick one returning player to have a significant jump in production, it would be Blue.  He was ESPN’s 31^st ranked player in the class of 2010 who has yet to live up to full potential.

However, it could be senior transfer from Arizona State Trent Lockett, who eventually has the biggest impact.  Earning All-Pac 10 Second Team honors is not the most glorified recognition in the country, but his size and style of play make him a good fit to assume the DJO role.  He was a great grab for Buzz Williams, and could be this team’s X-factor.

Unfortunately, Todd Mayo has been ruled academically ineligible for the year and it is suspected that he will likely leave the program.  Mayo’s brief career was a rocky one, but he was the team’s best three point threat.  With his absence, incoming recruits Jamal Ferguson and Steve Taylor will provide needed depth in the back and front court respectively.

It’s no doubt going to take some getting used to watching Marquette play without Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom.  Those are big pieces to replace, and that means everyone needs to step up and contribute.  The Golden Eagles have the roster to do that and then some.  Year after year it seems that Marquette is consistently underrated (at least until mid-February when they gain respect and become everyone’s sexy Final Four pick), and this year is no different.  I believe they surprise once again, but this year they do it with more of a collective effort. 

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Previewing all 15 teams from #15 to #1 

By:  Shane McCarthy

A first round exit in the NCAA Tournament was not the plan after such a successful season in the Big East last year.  This year, expectations are running high as the Irish return all five starters.  Taking the next step is not only possible, but expected.   

Who’s Back:

Eric Atkins –G– Junior – 37.9 Min, 12.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 4.1 apg

Jerian Grant –G– Junior – 36.2 Min, 12.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.0 apg

Scott Martin –G– Senior – 34.7 Min, 9.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.7 apg 

Jack Cooley –F– Senior – 28.7 Min, 12.5 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 0.8 apg

Pat Connaughton –G/F– Soph – 24.1 Min, 7.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 0.9 apg

Tom Knight –F– Senior – 8.9 Min, 2.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.5 apg

Mike Broghammer –F– Senior – 5.3 Min, 1.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 0.3 apg 

Incoming Recruits:

Cameron Biedscheid – [Small Forward] – 6 foot 7, 174

ESPN’s 64^th ranked player and 15^th ranked Small Forward

Rivals.com’s 28^th ranked player and 8^th ranked Small Forward

Zach Auguste – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 10, 220

ESPN’s 25^th ranked Power Forward

Rivals.com’s 97^th ranked player and 23^rd ranked Power Forward

Austin Burgett – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 9, 220

ESPN’s 41^st ranked Power Forward 

Who’s Out:  Tim Abromaitis, Alex Dragicevich

Overview: 

The outlook is simple for Notre Dame as they enter the 2012-13 season: they return all five starters from a team that went 13-5 in conference last year; so naturally, expectations are high.  Coach Brey knows this team has the make-up to contend for the Big East regular season title, the Big East Tournament championship, and make a deep run in March.  That doesn’t mean anything short of this success is a failure, it’s just that the potential is there for such lofty expectations.

Notre Dame not only has one of the best back courts in the Big East, but they have one of the best back courts in the country with Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant.  Both are juniors, who not only bring veteran leadership and experience to this team, but a drive to be two of the best guards in the country.  It really is a scary thought to think these two will be even better than last year, but that is their goal.  You can’t ask for better leadership than what these two bring to the table.

It’s also a scary thought to think that Jack Cooley did not take the game of basketball seriously until last year.  He received Most Improved Player of the Year accolades in the Big East and quickly became one of the most dominant big men in the league.  Anything less than last year’s performance would be a disappointment, but there is reason to believe that he could be even better.

Pat Connaughton returns to resume his guard/forward role and all-around contributor, but he specializes in dropping treys.

Scott Martin also returns after being granted a sixth year of eligibility.  His numbers don’t jump out at you, but he is the type of player that coaches say his intangibles are needed for the team to succeed.

The Irish also welcome two highly touted recruits, Cameron Biedscheid and Zach Auguste, to provide valuable depth in the back court and front court respectively.  We know what the Irish were last year. And it’s perfectly reasonable to expect improvements given the consistency of the roster.  But if there is an even more bullish spin to put on this year’s squad, it is due to the addition of the two mentioned freshmen.

In college basketball, it goes without saying that talent is important, but consistency and depth are invaluable.  Notre Dame returns all five starters and bring in fresh talent to push the vets and provide a relentless attack night after night.  It has been since 2003 since the Irish have made it to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament and they have never won the Big East regular season or tournament.  Louisville was chosen unanimously for first place in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, but Rick Pitino’s vote (which couldn’t be for his own team) went to Notre Dame.  Needless to say, expectations are high for the Irish this year, and everything seems to be in place for a big season. 

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #5 Pittsburgh Panthers

Previewing all 15 teams from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

Last season was a disaster. Plain and simple. The Panthers only won five conference games, had an eight game losing streak and ended a 10 year run of making the NCAA Tournament.  But that was last year, and this year the Pitt Panthers look poised to return as a Big East contender.

Who’s Back:

Tray Woodall –G– Senior – 31 Min, 11.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 6.1 apg

Lamar Patterson –F– Junior – 28.5 Min, 9.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.6 apg

Talib Zanna –F– Junior – 19.3 Min, 6.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 0.3 apg

Dante Taylor –F– Senior – 18.8 Min, 5.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.5 apg

J.J. Moore –F– Junior – 18.4 Min, 7.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.4 apg

John Johnson –G– Soph – 14.1 Min, 4.2 ppg, 0.6 rpg, 1.2 apg 

Cameron Wright –G– Soph – 11.7 Min, 2.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.7 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Steven Adams – [Center] – 7 foot 0, 240

ESPN’s 6^th rated player and 4^th rated Center

Rivals.com’s 5^th rated player and 3^rd rated Center

James Robinson – [Point Guard] – 6 foot 3, 190

ESPN’s 43^rd ranked player and 4^th rated Point Guard

Rivals.com’s 59^th rated player and 8^th rated Point Guard

Chris Jones – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 5, 205

Incoming Transfers:

Trey Zeigler – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 5, 203

A transfer from Central Michigan, Trey will immediately be eligible for the Panthers this year.  He averaged 16 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 2.3 apg in his two seasons at Central Michigan.  In the 2010 recruiting class, Zeigler was the 28^th ranked player by Rivals and 33^rd ranked player by ESPN. 

Who’s Out:  Ashton Gibbs, Nasir Robinson

Overview:

Pittsburgh may have had the Preseason Big East Player of the Year on their roster last season (Ashton Gibbs), but it was clear they were going to go as far as Tray Woodall could take them.  Well Tray got hurt during their non-conference portion of their schedule, sat out an extended period of time and never got healthy until the very end of the season.  As a result, the Panthers were relegated to accepting an invitation to the College Basketball Invitation (CBI) – which they won!  Let’s just say, a return to the CBI is not the aspirations of the 2012-13 squad.

Woodall returns for his senior season, and he had offseason surgery to correct the issue he was hampered by last year.  Once again this team will likely go as far as he takes them, but unlike last year, Pitt has quality depth at point guard if needed.  Tray is one of the great distributors of the ball in the nation (he ranked third in the Big East with 6.1 apg), and it is paramount that he is on the floor as much as possible.  But when he’s not, Coach Dixon feels incoming recruit James Robinson can do a fine job of filling his shoes.

Pittsburgh will also be welcoming back upperclassmen Lamar Patterson and Dante Taylor.  Patterson really came on at the end of the season last year, but Taylor, a former McDonald’s All American, has battled through injuries throughout his career.  Both could be primed for enormous break-out seasons, not only based on potential and health, but also do to talented new-comers who will make the team better.

Trey Zeigler is a transfer from Central Michigan who is an excellent two guard.  Even though Gibbs underwhelmed last year, expect Zeigler (a highly touted recruit from 2010) to fill his role as the dynamic scorer on the Panthers.  And the already mentioned Robinson will provide excellent depth in the back court.

But the real prize is Steven Adams.

A true center from New Zealand, Adams immediately makes the Panthers a Big East contender.  There have been mixed reviews on him (mainly that his talents are raw), but one thing has been consistent – he is a defensive force.  The good news is that he will not have to carry this team, as he will be surrounded by talented players and an exceptional coach.  But if he does play at the level that already has pro scouts drooling, the whole country will have to be on watch.

The entire Pitt Panthers team, community and fan base would like to forget about last year.  I don’t think anyone saw that coming.  And after so many years of consistent excellence, such a drop-off didn’t even seem possible.  But the Panthers are retooled with a very talented lineup to make last year’s hangover-like season go away.  If this team runs through Woodall and Adams like it should, surrounded by talent all over the floor, a #5 finish in the Big East seems too low. The conference got a gift last year as playing Pitt meant a walk-over, but the Panthers should get back to their old ways of stomping opponents this year. 

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac