Previewing the Last Big East Tournament as We Know It

The Big East Tournament will kick off tomorrow and you can probably find hundreds of articles written in the past few days exclaiming that this will be the final Big East Tournament as we know it. And they will all be right. The conference is set to undergo a drastic makeover next year and there won’t be a Big East Tournament that goes by in the future without at least one reference to the power house this conference once was – even if the newly constructed conference becomes just as great one day.

While Connecticut, Georgetown, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Syracuse were the founding members in 1979 that have stuck it out this long, it took multiple instances of additions and subtractions to build it up to where it is today. The most recent influx of teams took place in 2005 when Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette and South Florida joined to make it the beast that it became. The Big East was always regarded as one of the better basketball conferences in the nation throughout the 80s, 90s and early 2000s, but it really became regarded as an all-time great in 2011 when the Big East sent a record 11 teams to the NCAA Tournament – with UConn capping the year off with a national championship. 

Conference realignment has always been a part of collegiate athletics and it will never go away. Who knows, these 15 teams could end up together in a super conference someday down the road.

But instead of crying over the past or worrying about the future, let’s just enjoy the 2013 Big East Tournament over the next five days like we’ve done each and every time over the years.

Here is a preview on what is to come and my predicted bracket…

The Favorites:

Louisville – The Cardinals haven’t lost in over a month as they are in the midst of a 7-game winning streak and don’t have a bad loss on their resume all season. They were the unanimous pick to win the conference and ended up in a three-way share of it, but given the pieces on this team and the run these same guys made last year, I’m going to label them as the favorite.

Georgetown – The Hoyas made a statement on Saturday by destroying Syracuse in the two schools final regular season meeting as conference rivals, to signal to the rest of the Big East that they are for real. A winner of their last 12 of 13 games, and with a player as hot as Otto Porter, this team clearly knows how to emerge victorious.

Under the Radar Team:

Pittsburgh – I know the Panthers earned a double-bye, but this team has gotten very little publicity all season. The advanced metrics are big believers in Pitt, but they have a tendency to go through prolonged scoring droughts. But given that they will likely see Syracuse followed by Georgetown (two teams also known for troubles on the offensive end) before reaching the finals, you have to like their chances. At least I do, anyway.

Dark Horse Teams:

None - I know the Big East has become known for teams making a run to the championship without the luxury of a double-bye, but I don’t think that will be the case this year. I know the obvious candidate here would be Syracuse, but the Orange’s offense has been so consistently awful over the past month that it seems impossible to fix in such short notice. Notre Dame hasn’t impressed me at all on the road, and unfortunately the winner of the St. John’s vs. Villanova game on Wednesday has to see a well rest Louisville the next day.  Marquette, who shared the Big East regular season crown with Louisville and Georgetown and who also earned a double-bye, is another team that I find difficult to get excited about away from their home court.  And the four teams that play on Tuesday night – Rutgers, Seton Hall, South Florida and DePaul – are all atrocious and have absolutely no shot.

Players to Watch:

Otto Porter – He is going to be the unanimous selection for Big East Player of the Year, and rightfully so -  he can take over a game and put the entire team on his back en route to a victory.  He may be the best stretch four in the country and look for him to impose his will on opponents as needed.

Peyton Siva – While his season was rather disappointing given that he was selected as the pre-season player of the year, he is still the floor general of the Cardinals. Look for the senior point guard to pick up his play as it matters most and reemerge as one of the better distributing point guards in the country.  He just needs to be sure to not get into foul trouble – an area he struggled with throughout the season.

Steven Adams – The freshman big might be the only player in the Big East that can match up with Gorgui Dieng and not be outmatched from a physical standpoint. However, Adams isn’t as skilled or experienced, but if he can stay on the floor his presence alone could be effective enough for the Panthers to make a run at it.

Jack Cooley – If you could somehow quantify hardest working player in the conference, Cooley is probably it. There is no question that he is one of if not the best rebounder in the Big East, but he will need to step it up defensively if the Irish are to have a chance.  Offense isn’t the problem for the Irish, it’s their defense.  Look for Cooley to turn it up a notch and own the paint. 

My Bracket Prediction:

Let me know who you guys think will win and why.

Enjoy

Twitter:  @ShaneInBigEast

Player and Rookie of the Week [week of 2/25 - 3/3]

The best of the best as these two have become familiar faces in this segment...

Player of the Week:

 

Otto Porter

 

The Georgetown Hoyas got more of the same from Otto Porter this past week – he was the team’s leading scorer in both of their victories, which included a game winning shot in double overtime on the road. He finished with 22 points and 5 rebounds in the aforementioned double overtime victory at UConn and 28 points and 8 rebounds in their home victory against Rutgers. I wrote last week that Porter was a lock for Big East Player of the Year, and his performances last week just added to his cushion. National Player of the Year is within grasp, but that would likely require further success for the Hoyas (given that they have only gained significant recognition as of late and haven’t been a national darling like some others over a longer time horizon). And given how he and the Hoyas have played as of late, that is certainly not out of the question. If the Hoyas victory at Syracuse was the official Otto Porter coming out party, then the Big East Tournament could be a full-fledged Otto Porter production.

 

Rookie of the Week:

 

JaKarr Sampson

 

Just as Otto Porter is a lock to be the conference’s Player of the Year, JaKarr Sampson is a lock to be Rookie of the Year. This is the seventh time this season he has earned Rookie of the Week honors. And while the Johnnies lost both of their games last week, it wasn’t due to the lack of production from Sampson. And with D’Angelo Harrison now suspended for the remainder of the season, Sampson has become the team’s leader in points and rebounds per game (15.0 and 6.6 respectively). Last week Sampson accumulated 14 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals against Pittsburgh and 22 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks at Providence.

Twitter:  @soupTOOnuts

Has Otto Porter Run Away with Big East Player of the Year?

Last year’s Big East Player of the Year race was hard-fought by three players: Kevin Jones of West Virginia and Jae Crowder and Darius Johnson-Odom of Marquette. While Jones had the best statistical season of the three, it was Crowder’s well-rounded play and Marquette’s success that earned him the prize in the end.

This year, the Preseason Player of the Year Award went to Peyton Siva. And at the halfway mark of the season, or the transition from non-conference to conference play, it looked as if the player of the year recognition was going to be someone from the group of: Russ Smith, Michael Carter-Williams, Jack Cooley or Sean Kilpatrick.

But now, with a week and a half left in the regular season, it looks as if Otto Porter has already locked it up.

Russ Smith, Michael Carter-Williams and Sean Kilpatrick all had monster first halves, and while they all continue to play well and put up gaudy statistics from time to time, none have had the consistency or thrived in multiple big spots like Porter has. And Siva, whose presence on the court is invaluable, has underwhelmed when it comes to a statistical stand point.

And while you can still formulate an argument for the stated players above, the only player I would be okay with receiving the award over Porter is Jack Cooley. While Cooley’s rebounding prowess has cooled off a bit (he was the only player in the country pulling down more than 20% of both available offensive and defensive rebounds for a while, but his offensive rebounding has slipped to 18.6% - still second best in the nation), he still is the only player in the Big East averaging a double-double. And yet he still goes un-talked about and seen as underrated somehow.

But Cooley does not possess that one shining moment that Porter has. In Notre Dame’s biggest game of the year to date (their five overtime thriller vs. Louisville), Cooley fouled out with more than five minutes to go in regulation. The Irish almost played an entire game without him and still won. In Georgetown’s biggest game of the year to date, Porter dropped 33 points at Syracuse and singlehandedly willed the Hoyas to victory.

In the games leading up to the ‘Cuse showdown there were whispers beginning of Porter even creeping into the National Player of the Year race, and upon that performance he firmly cemented himself in that discussion. He further proved is worthy-ness last night when he converted the winning basket in double overtime at Connecticut – a strong but fluent drive to the rim that finished with a layup with 8 seconds remaining.

Porter is averaging 18 points and 7.5 rebounds in conference play and has Georgetown on a 10-game winning streak. The Hoyas, now 12-3 in the conference, who were picked to finish 5^th in the preseason, now have a one game cushion with three to go. There are a bunch of factors that go into team success, and as a team Georgetown has become great defensively (currently second in the Big East behind Louisville), but if it weren’t for the play of Porter on the offensive end, this team would not be sitting at 22-4. And while the Syracuse game will likely be his defining moment, he has put the team on his back multiple times throughout the season and has been very successful doing so.

Otto Porter for Big East Player of the Year is a lock (but please vote to the left and leave a comment below for who you think it should/will be).

Twitter:  @soupTOOnuts

Player and Rookie of the Week [week of 2/18 - 2/24]

The Georgetown Hoyas swept the individual awards this week, and rightfully so.  Each player finished with a career high in points in an individual game; a feat that one player accomplished in one game while his teammate did it in another.  One was just a little bit more important than the other…

Player of the Week:

Otto Porter

Otto Porter finished with 33 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 steals in the Hoyas enormous win at Syracuse on Saturday afternoon.  Porter played all 40 minutes and pretty much singlehandedly willed Georgetown to a 57-46 victory in their last conference game at the Carrier Dome.  Otto had been slowly creeping his way into the National Player of the Year discussion, and his performance over the weekend put him smack dab in the middle of it.

Porter also accumulated 11 points and 3 rebounds in an easy win over DePaul earlier in the week at home.  He banged his knee and ended up only playing 20 minutes, as the fate of the game was pretty much determined fairly early into the second half.

Rookie of the Week:

D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera tallied a career high 33 points in Georgetown’s win over DePaul in the middle of last week.  That was the best freshman scoring performance for Georgetown in 17 years. He finished 10 of 12 from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range.  He also made 8 of his 10 free throw attempts while chipping in with 3 rebounds in the 34 minutes of playing time he got.  Georgetown tends to struggle from the field for longer than desired stretches (including Satruday – everyone but Porter struggled), but if Smith-Rivera can become more consistent the Hoyas will become less prone to erratic offensive performances.  

Twitter:  @soupTOOnuts

Player and Rookie of the Week [week of 2/11 - 2/17]

Player of the Week:

Otto Porter

Otto Porter has led the Georgetown Hoyas on a seven-game winning streak, including three wins over ranked opponents.  In two wins last week over Marquette and on the road at Cincinnati, Porter finished with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 16 points, 7 rebounds respectively.  Early in the season the verdict was out on the Hoyas and it looked as if they were going to be a middle of the pack Big East team this year, but led by Porter, Georgetown is tied for first in the conference with six games to go.

Rookie of the Week:

Omar Calhoun

Calhoun is the youngin’ in the talented trio of guards – with Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright - that make the Huskies go.  It would have been easy for the talented freshman to withdraw from UConn before even playing a game given their postseason ineligibility, but he stuck to his word and is now the third leading scorer on the team (behind Napier and Boatright), averaging 11.5ppg. He has consistently gotten better as the season has progressed and he had his best week of the season yet last week, finishing with 15 and 16 points against Syracuse and Villanova respectively, including multiple big shots against their home upset victory over the Orange.  

Twitter:  @soupTOOnuts

Wooden Award Finalists from the Big East

The 25 Wooden Award finalists were announced on Thursday night, and the Big East has five representatives.  Of the five candidates, none are a real surprise.  If there was a surprise it's the absence of Louisville point guard, Peyton Siva (the Big East pre-season Player of the Year).  Siva continues to improve as this is his fourth year on the team, and he has developed into an upper-echelon point guard, but he has been out-done statistically by his teammate Russ Smith.  However, this list is not set in stone as players can be added and removed as the season progresses.   

The Wooden Award is given annually to the nation's most outstanding player.  Below are the five current finalists (in alphabetical order) from the Big East and what they have done to date and what needs to be done to win the award.

Michael Carter-Williams

12.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 9.6 APG and 3.2 SPG

MCW is one of the most dynamic point guards in the country as he leads the nation in assists, but it is his defense that is equally impressive, but doesn’t get talked about (he’s fourth in the nation in steals per game).  However, when he struggles so to have the Orange.  If he can become more consistent, especially in shooting, he could lead Syracuse to a Big East season title, conference tournament championship and a deep run in March, all en route to a Wooden Award for himself.

Jack Cooley

15.2 PPG and 11.2 RPG

Jack Cooley is the only player in the Big East averaging a double double.  Actually, he is the only player in the Big East average double digit rebounds, which is more than two full rebounds over the next (Eugene Teague at 8.6 RPG).  Moreover, Cooley is the only player in the nation to pull down more than 20% each of available offensive and defensive rebounds.  Don’t expect this pace to cool down any time soon, but it will likely take some monster games in the Big East tournament for Cooley to get some serious looks at the Wooden Award.

Sean Kilpatrick

17.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.0 APG and shooting 34% from 3

Kilpatrick has struggled a bit recently, but when he gets hot, he’s as hot as they get.  While he did have an 8-12 game from 3 earlier in the season, it is imperative for him to think ‘get to the basket’ first for Cincinnati to have success.  In the three games that the Bearcats have lost Kilpatrick got to the line a total of three times.  He will have to turn up his points per game (which means becoming more of a slasher!) and hit a couple game winning shots if he is to win the Wooden Award.

Otto Porter

12.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 2.8 APG

Porter’s numbers don’t blow you away, but when you watch the Hoyas play (which can be painful at times) you see how important he is to the team’s success.  First and foremost, Porter needs to get Georgetown back on the right track, but if he’s going to be considered a serious contender for the Wooden Award he will have to start taking over games, which he is more than capable of, and score more.

Russ Smith

19.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.0 APG and 2.6 SPG

Oh has Russ Smith been playing extra Russdiculous this year.  He may be the most fun player in the country to watch for combined pure entertainment value and actual basketball skill.  And this year he has cut down on the amount of negative ridiculousness that he has pulled in the past.  But in all seriousness – he is one of the favorites in the nation to win the Wooden Award and he just has to keep doing what he is doing.   

Players who could make their way into the discussion:

Peyton Siva – great point guard who is likely the most important piece on one of the best teams in the country.

Gorgui Dieng – if he hadn’t missed a month due to a broken wrist, he would have made the finalist list, guaranteed.

C.J. Fair – the more aggressive he gets, the better chance he has to become one of the best wing players in the nation.

Tray Woodall – the Pitt Panthers aren’t really being talked about right now, but when they do gain some recognition the conversation will start with Woodall.

Shabazz Napier – Uconn isn’t eligible for any post season play, but that hasn’t stopped Shabazz from being one of the most electrifying scorers in the college basketball.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Recapping the Jimmy V Classic

By:  Shane McCarthy

The Jimmy V Classic has been a yearly staple in New York City since 1995.  Each year it consists of two games played in a double header format, almost always consisting of four upper-echelon teams.  It’s great basketball for a great cause. 

Texas 41, Georgetown 64: The Hoyas were coming off one of the ugliest games in the history of the sport, a 37-36 victory over Tennessee on Friday night.  While the same stingy defense showed up again, thankfully their skunk of an offense didn’t.    Texas has displayed its struggles on the offensive end since the start of the season, and Georgetown ended up being an awful matchup for them (it took the Longhorns over four minutes to score their first points).  The Hoyas forced a whopping 21 turnovers, many of which led to uncontested easy baskets in transition. 

In the end Georgetown only surrendered an impressive 41 points, but it was the 64 they scored on the offensive end that was welcomed.  Three players finished in double figures, led by Otto Porter who had 14.  Porter hit many difficult shots, namely multiple turnaround fade-aways that were impossible to defend.  He’s clearly a great player, but it’s Georgetown’s disciplined nature on both ends of the floor that makes this team as good as they are.  I’d only expect this team to get better.

Connecticut 65, NC State 69:  The story for UConn all year is going to be their lack of size.  Their guard play is outstanding.  You can’t ask for much more in the back court than Shabazz Napier, Ryan Boatright and Omar Calhoun.  Napier should probably shoot more, while Boatright needs to play a bit smarter, but this trio isn’t the problem.  The Huskies have no inside presence and will consistently get out-muscled down low against teams with formidable big men.   

That’s what NC State did on Tuesday night.  They pounded the ball down low from the very start of the game, and even though it was close throughout, it paid off at the end.  C.J. Leslie and Richard Howell finished with double doubles for the Wolfpack as they relentlessly got the ball into the paint for easy buckets or tip-ins.  While NC State never enjoyed a large lead, they maintained their slim advantage down the stretch while UConn went cold and got sloppy.  UConn lead 20-9 early making five three pointers during that run, but it proved unsustainable on this night.  The Huskies will win a fair share of games this year, but if they are going to beat high-level competition it will be because of lights-out shooting.  

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

Big East Preview: #7 Georgetown Hoyas

Previewing all 15 teams from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

The Hoyas are missing a lot of fire power from last year’s squad, but that doesn’t mean this is going to be a down year.  Having one of the best coaches in the nation in conjunction with one of the best players in the conference, means they will still be a respectable force in the Big East. 

Who’s Back:

Otto Porter –F– Soph – 29.7 Min, 9.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 apg

Markel Starks –G– Junior – 24.4 Min, 7.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.6 apg

Greg Whittington –F– Soph – 20.1 Min, 4.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 0.9 apg

Nate Lubick –F– Junior – 18.4 Min, 3.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.0 apg

Jabril Trawick –G– Soph – 11.4 Min, 3.4 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.5 apg

Mikael Hopkins –F– Soph – 6.8 Min, 2.4 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.4 apg

Moses Ayegba –C– Junior – Returning from injury 

Incoming Recruits:

D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 3, 210

ESPN’s 58^th ranked player and 10^th ranked Shooting Guard

Rivals.com’s 32^nd ranked player and 8^th ranked Shooting Guard

Stephen Domingo – [Small Forward] – 6 foot 7, 200

ESPN’s 77^th ranked player and 9^th ranked Small Forward

Brandon Bolden – [Center] – 6 foot 10, 200

ESPN’s 28^th ranked Power Forward

Bradley Hayes – [Center] – 6 foot 11, 250

ESPN’s 56^th ranked Center

Who’s Out:  Jason Clark, Hollis Thompson and Henry Sims

Outlook:

Georgetown will be entering the 2012-13 season with a new look for the second year in a row, as they replace three veteran starters – Clark, Thompson and Sims.   Fortunately there are pieces already in place that got valuable playing time last year.  And there are talented incoming recruits that will make an immediate impact.

However, the Hoyas are going to need improvements in the front court if they want to repeat the success of last year.  Hopkins, Lubick and Whittington all got playing time last year, but their performance was average.  Early indications point to Whittington making the leap this year and blossoming into a good low post player.  After playing half of every game last year, he should be better prepared for what to expect. 

Conversely, Georgetown should be just fine in the back court and on the wing.  But they do lack a true point guard.

Markel Starks struggled a bit in his first season of seeing extended playing time, by turning the ball over far too often.  With Jason Clark now gone, he may be more comfortable in his role.  However, if last year was any indication – his role is not point guard.  He has a knack for scoring, but he will need to cut down on the giveaways.  And without any other viable options to run the point, the Hoyas better hope he has improved.

Expect incoming freshmen D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera and Stephen Domingo to see the court early and often.  Both are ESPN top-100 recruits who are known for their scoring.

But make no mistake about it; this is Otto Porter’s team.  CBSSports.com recently compiled a list of the top 50 wings in the country, Porter was ranked 5^th.  This is what Jeff Borzello had to say about Porter - “His numbers don't jump out at you, but Porter is an ultra-efficient player who makes the most of his opportunities. He's versatile and perfect for the Hoyas' offense. With more minutes this season, Porter could take a major leap in production.”  Porter should be a force and is definitely a candidate for Big East Player of the Year.

Georgetown will have a different look this year, but a drop-off is not expected.  The program is in great hands with Whittington and Porter.  These two should thrive in JTIII’s system and lead the Hoyas to a plethora of victories.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preseason Player of the Year Candidates

By:  Shane McCarthy

Before the conference preseason awards are dished out at Big East Media Day this Wednesday (October 17), I thought it would be useful to look at the likely candidates and pick a winner.

Last year’s Big East Preseason Player of the Year was awarded to Pittsburgh guard Ashton Gibbs.  The season for Gibbs and the Panthers did not go anywhere close to planned.  Pittsburgh finished in the bottom quarter of the league and Gibbs ended up on the Big East Honorable Mention Team come season’s end. 

Those will not be the expectations for the group of candidates below.  The players are listed in alphabetical order. 

Jack Cooley – [Notre Dame] Senior, Forward

Cooley averaged 12.5 PPG and 8.9 RPG last season, earning him Big East Most Improved Player and All-Big East Second Team honors.  Expectations are high for the Irish this season and much of their success will depend on Cooley’s high-motor work ethic in the paint. 

Vincent Council – [Providence] Senior, Guard

Council has morphed into an elite guard in the Big East and his coach, Ed Cooley, went as far this summer to proclaim him THE best guard in the conference.  That's high praise and not at all biased.  But Vincent does deserve a look as he was on the court for almost every minute of the Friars’ games last year (averaging 38.7 per) and averaged 15.9 PPG and 7.5 APG – earning him All-Big East Third Team honors for a team that won only four games in the conference.  Many think of Providence as a cellar dweller in the Big East, but there is potential to surprise this year, and if they do – Vincent will be at the center of that movement.

Gorgui Dieng – [Louisville] Junior, Center

Louisville’s defensive dominance that came to form as the season progressed had a lot to do with the up-tempo press attack they took on, but it also had a lot to do with the development of Dieng.  Gorgui was a raw player on both ends of the floor last year, but another year under the tutelage of Coach Pitino should mold him into an elite big-man.   Expect him to average a double-double and be at the top of the nation in blocks.  If he is not the Big East Player of the Year, expect him to at least be the Defensive Player of the Year in the conference. 

Otto Porter – [Georgetown] Sophomore, Forward

Georgetown, seemingly an elite program year after year, was actually picked to finish in the bottom half of the Big East last year.  The Hoyas ended up surprising the preseason coaches’ picks and finished 12-6; good for 4^th in the conference.  A lot of that success had to do with the instant impact of Porter.  Not only is he a skilled big man on both ends of the floor, he also possesses excellent range.  Porter could very well be the best all-around player in the conference. 

Peyton Siva – [Louisville] Senior, Guard

If Louisville is to get back to the Final Four, a lot of their success will depend on Siva.  The Cardinals are loaded with talent all over the court, but it’s the play and leadership of their true point guard that is necessary to make a deep run.  Siva’s play doesn’t fill up the stat sheet, but it is the type of play that wins games. 

The Pick:  Peyton Siva

He is likely the most important player on a team with national championship aspirations.  He should be the favorite – at least for the preseason pick.       

Honorable Mentions:

Anthony Collins – [South Florida] – Sophomore, Guard

D’Angelo Harrison – [St. John’s] – Sophomore, Guard

Sean Kilpatrick – [Cincinnati] – Junior, Guard

Cleveland Melvin – [DePaul] – Junior, Forward

Brandon Triche – [Syracuse] – Senior, Guard

Tomorrow I will take a look at the candidates for Preseason Rookie of the Year. 

Twitter: @shane_t_mac