Predictions for the Final Season of the Big East as we Know It

Who Will Win the League?

We will likely find out on January 19^th when Syracuse travels to Louisville for a heavy weight showdown.  The Cardinals and the Orange are the clear cut two best teams in the Big East.  These two thankfully see each other twice, and obviously one will have to lose, however I don’t believe either will finish undefeated in the Big East.  Both will lose two or three games as there are too many quality teams in the conference, and winning on the road is never easy.

Prediction:  Syracuse.  Truly a gut call here as you could flip a coin between Cuse and Louisville.  Defensively, these teams are one and two in the country, both have excellent point guard play and both teams can go fairly deep on their bench. The two regular season games between the two should be great.    

Who are the Player of the Year Candidates?

Right now this seems to be a two horse race between Michael Carter-Williams and Russ Smith.  MCW leads the nation in assists per game at a clip of 10.1.  But he also snatches three steals and makes the Orange extra-long at the top of the 2-3 zone.  However, Russ Smith has been playing as Russdiculous as ever.  There’s not a player in the country that takes as many crazy shots as him, and makes them.  He is currently averaging an even 20 points per game, while being the engine to the Cards up-tempo play.  Jack Cooley and Otto Porter are two others that will deserve consideration at the end of the season.

Prediction:  Michael Carter-Williams.  Given that I believe Syracuse will win the league, I’ll go with Carter-Williams to win POY.  I know that he is not a good shooter, but his slashing and distribution capabilities make the Orange a difficult team to match up with. 

Who are the Rookie of the Year Candidates?

There hasn’t been a Big East rookie stick out yet like Moe Harkless did last year at St. John’s.  But while there doesn’t seem to be a favorite at this time, there are a pool of candidates.  Steven Adams was the Preseason Rookie of the Year, but it is another freshman on Pittsburgh that has excelled, James Robinson.  Robinson has handled the majority of the point guard duties for the Panthers while allowing Tray Woodall to play more freely in the two position.  Adams is still a candidate, but he looks awkward and unsure far too often, and hasn’t been as dominant as many were hoping.  Ryan Arcidiacono of Villanova is a shifty point guard who has a knack for scoring, but needs to become more consistent.  Jakarr Sampson of St. John’s and Cameron Biedscheid of Notre Dame are excellent scorers while Kris Dunn of Providence is an excellent ball handler, who recently made his debut after recovering for an injury,  who are all worthy candidates in the early going.

Prediction:  James Robinson.  He certainly is not the best scorer of the candidates (that belongs to Sampson), but he plays a large role on a team that should finish near the top of the conference.  However, Arcidiacono and Sampson are the likely favorites today.

How Many Teams will Make the NCAA Tournament?

Prediction:  Seven.  Syracuse, Louisville, Notre Dame, Georgetown, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Marquette. 

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac