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

Big East Preview: #6 Cincinnati Bearcats

Previewing all 15 teams from #15 to #1 

By:  Shane McCarthy

After a seemingly out of nowhere run to the Big East Championship game and Sweet 16, Cincinnati will be looking for a repeat performance, and then some. However, they will have to do it without two important pieces from last year’s squad.

Who’s Back:

Sean Kilpatrick –G– Junior – 34.5 Min, 14.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.1 apg

Cashmere Wright –G– Senior – 31.2 Min, 10.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.6 apg

JaQuon Parker –G– Senior – 26.6 Min, 9.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.3 apg

Justin Jackson –F– Junior – 21.1 Min, 5.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.1 apg

Ge’Lawn Guyn –G– Soph – 10.1 Min, 2.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.6 apg

Cheikh Mbodj –C– Senior – 9.7 Min, 1.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.1 apg

Jermaine Sanders –F– Soph – 8.5 Min, 1.7 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.5 apg

Kelvin Gaines –C– Soph – 8.5 Min, 0.8 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 0.1 apg

Jeremiah Davis III –G– Soph – 7.9 Min, 2.5 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 0.5 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Shaquille Thomas – [Small Forward] – 6 foot 6, 185

Rivals.com’s 81^st ranked player and 23^rd ranked Small Forward

He was redshirted last season

Incoming Transfers:

Titus Rubles – [Forward] – 6 foot 7, 207

A junior college transfer from Blinn College, Titus is a tall slashing-type player who will see the floor plenty this upcoming season.  He averaged 14.5 ppg and 9.8 rpg during the 2011-12 season, earning him a NJCAA All-America Honorable Mention. 

David Nyarsuk – [Center] – 7 foot 1, 230

Averaging 9.8 ppg and 8 rpg for Mountain State in the NAIA last year, David will immediately be available for the Bearcats this season.  His size will help replace that of Yancy Gates and he gives the team added depth to an already strong and deep front court.  “If he was a junior college player,” coach Mich Cronic said, “he’d have been the No. 1 player in the country.”  

Who’s Out:  Yancy Gates, Dion Dixon, Octavius Ellis

Overview:

The foundation of Cincinnati Bearcat basketball is built on defense.  Last season they allowed 61.5 points per game, 5th best in the conference.  They also ranked 3rd in the conference in turnover margin, with a +3.11 figure.

Expect the tenacious attack to continue, but I’m not sure they will have as much success without Yancy Gates holding down the middle.  Gates was a terrorizing force who could control the low-post on his lonesome and forced opponents to game plan around him.  He was lost to graduation and without an obvious replacement – the Bearcats may find it difficult to repeat last year’s performance.

Justin Jackson and Cheikh Mbodj are the returning candidates who are in position to benefit the most from the departure of Gates.  But neither has shown much in the past to justify a jump in production.

That is why it is going to have to be a collective effort.  The addition of junior college transfer Titus Rubles was a huge victory for the program.  Rubles, in conjunction with Jackson, Mbodj and Nyarsuk, should provide the size and athleticism to survive in the low-post in the Big East.  And it helps that JaQuon Parker is an extremely scrappy player who can hold his own down low, despite his size.

While questions remain about how the front court will look and what type of production we should expect, there are no such questions about the back court.  That back court is so skilled, that it allows Coach Cronin to go to a smaller lineup when needed.  Something they did from time to time last year, and a move they could go to more often this year.

Cashmere Wright, a senior, ran the point with great efficiency last year and finished with an assist-to-turnover ratio better than 2-to-1.  And Sean Kilpatrick, a junior, is one of the most lethal shooters in the nation.  This combo alone will give opposing teams headaches, and that’s not even accounting for Parker, Ge’Lawn Guyn, or Jeremiah Davis III. Cincinnati will also be welcoming redshirt freshman Shaq Thomas, who should be productive as he gets his feet wet.  The Big East has some talented back courts (i.e. Louisville and Notre Dame), but I don’t think Bearcats fans should feel at a disadvantage when matched up against any of them.

Cincinnati was very steady last year - they only lost back-to-back games once, a three game losing streak in late January.  But they never got the attention they deserved (outside the infamous brawl against Xavier) until they knocked off Syracuse to reach the Big East title game.  There is the obvious question about replacing Gates, but Cronin has done a great job of improving this team every year.  A similar season to last year’s, led by the back court seems reasonable.  But if the front court ends up surprising, advancing past the Sweet 16 is not out of the question.  

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 Preview: #8 Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Previewing all 15 teams in the Big East from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

You have to go all the way back to the 2001-02 season to find the last time Rutgers finished with a .500 record in the Big East.  Last year was another tough season to endure, but fortunately for Rutgers fans - Mike Rice has the Knights on a promising path as he enters his third season as head coach.

Who’s Back:

Eli Carter –G– Soph – 29.8 Min, 13.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.1 apg

Dane Miller –G/F– Senior – 28.8 Min, 7.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.2 apg

Myles Mack –G– Soph – 26.6 Min, 9.8 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.1 apg

Jerome Seagears –G– Soph – 25.8 Min, 7.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 apg

Mike Poole –G/F– Soph – 22.1 Min, 6.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.2 apg

Austin Johnson –C– Senior – 16 Min, 4.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.4 apg

Derrick Randall –F/C– Soph – 11.3 Min, 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 0.1 apg

Malick Kone –G/F– Soph – 9.7 Min, 3.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.4 apg

Kadeem Jack –F/C– Soph – 8.3 Min, 1.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 0.0 apg

Greg Lewis –F– Soph – 5.9 Min, 0.6 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 0.3 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Logan Kelly – [Guard] – 6 foot 2, 200

Incoming Transfers:

Wally Judge – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 9, 250

In the class of 2009, Wally was the 15^th ranked player by ESPN and 18^th ranked player by Rivals.com.  He sat out last season at Rutgers after transferring from Kansas St., where it wasn’t working out.  He is extremely athletic and a former McDonald’s All-American, and will provide a sizable body upfront who will be looking to live up to the hype and get Rutgers back to relevance. 

Vincent Garrett – [Guard] – 6 foot 5, 210

Garrett, a junior college transfer from Lee College in Baytown, Texas, brings a scoring touch to Rutgers.  He averaged 16 ppg last year to earn all-region accolades at Lee College.  

Who’s Out:  Gilvydas Biruta 

Outlook:

 

The Big East punishes youth, and the story for Rutgers is very similar to that of St. John’s.  Both teams were incredibly young last year, thrown into the fire, and expectedly struggled to find success.

And the similarity with St. John’s doesn’t end there.  Not only are the Knights expected to have more success due to a year’s experience, but they are getting necessary aid from new comers, and more specifically – an improved front court.

The addition of Wally Judge will likely have the biggest impact.  He's a top 100 recruit who underperformed expectations at Kansas St. and is looking forward to a fresh start.  The Knights lacked physicality in the post, a strength of Judge's.  A change of scenery tends to be beneficial for highly touted recruits, something the Knights are willing to roll the dice on.  Judge's impact alone can be the difference for Rutgers getting to the next level.

Beyond Judge, the Knights will be looking for Randall and Jack to step up in the front court.  As freshmen, they were relatively unproductive.  But with a year's experience, the Knight faithful are hoping they are better prepared for the grueling Big East.

Rutgers is deep at guard, led by Eli Carter.  Expect him to expand on last season's success and lead the Knights in scoring.  Dane Miller has relatively underwhelmed in his 3 seasons thus far, but his size at wing makes him a matchup problem.  Even so, you cannot under estimate senior leadership on the floor.  The rest of the back court will be made up of Mack, Seagears, Poole, Kone and Garrett.  Playing time could turn into a hot-hand situation from game to game.

After two years at the helm, Mike Rice has gotten modest improvements.  This year he will be blessed with a deeper, more skilled squad.  It's been quite some time since Rutgers has been relevant, but year 3 of his tenure is looking promising.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #9 St. John's Red Storm

Previewing all 15 teams in the Big East from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

Last year the Red Storm were extremely young, had a very short rotation and were without their fearless leader.  This year the Johnnies are still young, albeit with a year of experience, have a deeper bench and most importantly, have Coach Lavin back.

Who’s Back:

D’Angelo Harrison –G– Soph – 35.4 Min, 16.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.0 apg

Phil Greene –G– Soph – 31.3 Min, 7.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.9 apg

God’sgift Achiuwa –F– Senior – 29.9 Min, 9.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 0.3 apg

Sir’Dominic Pointer –G/F– Soph – 29.8 Min, 6.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 apg

Amir Garrett –F– Soph  - 26.9 Min, 7.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.3 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Chris Obekpa - [Center] – 6 foot 8, 225

ESPN’s 78^th ranked player and 16^th ranked Center

Rivals.com’s 58^th ranked player and 15^th ranked Center

JaKarr Sampson – [Forward] – 6 foot 8, 209

Felix Balamou – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 4, 185

Christian Jones – [Forward] – 6 foot 7, 228

Incoming Transfers:

Jamal Branch – [Point Guard] – 6 foot 3, 172

In the class of 2011 Jamal was ESPN’s 51^st ranked player and Rivals.com’s 65^th ranked player.  He was one of the top point guards in his class and a very good defender.  Jamal is transferring from Texas A&M and will not be eligible to play this season until the second semester. 

Orlando Sanchez – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 9, 205

Transferring from Monroe College, Orlando provides the Johnnies with an interior presence who will contribute on both ends of the floor. 

Marco Bourgault – [Guard/Forward] – 6 foot 6, 210

Marco, a transfer from Monroe College, averaged 10.8 PPG last season and is eligible immediately.

Who’s Out:  Moe Harkless

Outlook:

It goes without saying that last season was a difficult year for St. John’s.  Undoubtedly, a lot had to do with the absence of Steve Lavin.  These teams spend countless hours every day together and become family-like.  Whenever a member has to go through something as serious as cancer, it is going to have an effect on the whole.

Fortunately, Coach Lavin has been declared cancer free and he is in the process of regaining his strength and stamina.  The game of basketball has to be put into perspective, but having Lavin back on the bench makes St. John’s a better team.

Last year’s normal rotation was primarily five freshmen and a junior.  A six or seven man rotation that heavily involves that many freshmen is a difficult recipe for success.  St. John’s had a good recruiting class, but it wasn’t Kentucky good. And even without their coach, they still remained competitive in the conference by winning six games.

Although the Storm will be missing the Big East Rookie of the Year, Moe Harkless, they should be improved.  This team is still very young, but the four sophomores returning were all given a large serving of playing time and valuable experience last year.  That should help; as should the new comers.

Guard play was solid last year, and should remain that way with the return of Harrison (St. John’s leading scorer last year and 7^th in the conference) and Green, to go along with the arrival of Balamou, Bourgault and Branch.  Branch is a true point guard, a role the Red Storm lack, but he will not be eligible until the second semester.

Conversely, it was the front court where St. John’s struggled.  However, the influx of Obekpa, Sampson, Jones and Sanchez should help mightily. Obekpa was a great land, and he could develop into one of the best defensive big men in the Big East.

This is another highly touted recruiting class for Coach Lavin, but as already stated, this team remains young - probably one of the youngest in the nation.  However, the difference this year is that there are formidable options to come off the bench and provide quality play, a serious detriment to last year’s squad.  But the most important difference from last year: Coach Lavin is back. 

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #10 Villanova Wildcats

Previewing all 15 teams in the Big East from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

Just as the college basketball community was caught off-guard by the success of South Florida last year; it was just as surprising to witness the disappointment of Villanova. Could that be a one year anomaly? Or should we expect a repeat of that dismal performance this season?

Who’s Back:

Mouphtaou Yarou –F– Senior – 27.5 Min, 11.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 0.5 apg

Maurice Sutton –C– Senior – 13.7 Min, 3.6 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.4 apg

JayVaughn Pinkston –F– Soph – 25.9 Min, 9.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.1 apg

James Bell –G– Junior – 23.0 Min, 7.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.3 apg

Ty Johnson –G– Soph – 17.7 Min, 3.3 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 2.0 apg

Darrun Hilliard –G– Soph – 18.1 Min, 4.8 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 1.0 apg

Achraf Yacoubou –G– Soph – 10.6 Min, 2.2 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 0.3 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Ryan Arcidiacono – [Point Guard] – 6 foot 3, 180

ESPN’s 46^th ranked player and 6^th ranked Point Guard

Rivals.com’s 57^th ranked player and 7^th ranked Point Guard

Daniel Ochefu – [Center] – 6 foot 10, 230

ESPN’s 54^th ranked player and 12^th ranked Center

Rivals.com’s 42^nd ranked player and 10^th ranked Center

Mislav Brzoja – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 5, 210

Incoming Transfers:

Tony Chennault – [Guard] – 6 foot 2, 195

Chennault is a Junior transferring from Wake Forest and will be eligible right away.  He started all 31 games at point guard last year, averaging 9.0 ppg and 2.8 apg.  

Who’s Out:  Maalik Wayns, Dominic Cheek 

Outlook:

Villanova struggled to score from the field last year, ranking last in the conference with a 41.2% FG percentage. They also allowed the third most points per game in the conference – that being 70.6 ppg.

Those two statistics go hand-in-hand because their lack of scoring caused them to struggle on the defensive end as they failed set up their three quarter press that they are accustomed to. Without being able to set up the press and shift into their traditional defense past half court, the opposition was able to exploit them for favorable scoring opportunities in transition.

Villanova isn’t necessarily labeled as an elite Big East team, but they tend to finish in the mid to upper tier of the conference on a regular basis. And popular belief would suggest that they will likely return to that area this upcoming season.

However, a bounce-back season is a bit difficult to predict after losing their two leading scorers (Wayns and Cheek with 17.6 and 12.5 ppg respectively) who left early to pursue their professional careers.

The squad entering the 2012-13 season is a compilation of unproven players who are either new-comers or have been too inconsistent in the past – making it difficult to be optimistic about the Wildcats this year.

Ryan Arcidicono and Tony Chennault will likely split time at the point, but the former is an incoming freshman while the latter is an incoming transfer. Jay Wright has praised each (especially Arcidicono), but practicing in July is different from playing at the Carrier Dome in January.

JayVaughn Pinkston, Maurice Sutton and Mouphtaou Yarou all showed flashes in the front court last year, but will one or all of them be able to put together a full season of above average play?

And will Ty Johnson live up to the hype of a top-100 recruit after battling through injuries in his freshman campaign?

Now Jay Wright is an excellent coach who has some pieces to work with, but will he get competent play from more than one or two guys game to game? The combination of last year’s result and the loss of Cheek and Wayns would suggest ‘no’, but the encouraging thing about all sports is that the past does not necessarily indicate future results. New players arrive, players improve over the offseason and lucky bounces they didn’t get last year reverse in the next.

Villanova will be better than the disaster that took place last season, but as I mentioned in earlier posts – the overall quality of the Big East is also going to improve this year. With that, I can see the Wildcats getting to .500 in the conference as the best case scenario. 

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac