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

Big East Preview: #11 South Florida Bulls

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

By:  Shane McCarthy

To say that South Florida was a pleasant surprise last year is a vast understatement. They more than doubled their win total from the previous year (10 to 22) and quadrupled their conference win total (3 to 12). That is unprecedented for a team that had been a perennial bottom feeder in the mighty Big East since joining the conference in 2005.

Who’s Back:

Anthony Collins –G– Soph – 32.7 Min, 9.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 5.2 apg 

Victor Rudd Jr. –F– Junior – 27.7 Min, 9.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.3 apg

Toarlyn Fitzpatrick –F– Senior – 25.5 Min, 8.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 0.9 apg

Jawanza Poland –G– Senior – 22.0 Min, 8.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.8 apg

Shaun Noriega –G– Senior – 11.9 Min, 3.6 ppg, 0.5 rpg, 0.3 apg

Jordan Omogbehin –C– Redshirt Freshman – 7-3 291

Incoming Recruits:

JaVontae Hawkins – [Small Forward] – 6 foot 5, 202

ESPN’s 33^rd ranked Small Forward

Rivals.com’s 117^th ranked player and 25^th ranked Small Forward

Zach LeDay – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 7, 223

ESPN’s 52^nd ranked Power Forward

Incoming Transfers:

Musa Abdul-Aleem – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 5, 221

As member of Georgia Perimeter College last year, Musa was named Freshman Player of the Year in the Georgia Collegiate Athletic Association.  He averaged 14.7 ppg and 5.5 rpg and was named team MVP.  Musa was a highly recruited JUCO transfer who has deep range and excellent slashing ability. 

Martino Brock – [Guard] – 6 foot 5, 205

During the 2010-11 season at South Alabama, Brock was seventh in scoring in the Sun Belt Conference with 14.2 ppg and fourth in steals with 1.7 spg.    He was forced to sit out last year per NCAA transfer rules.

Kore White – [Forward] – Senior – 6 foot 8, 241

During two seasons at Florida Atlantic, Kore averaged 8.0 ppg and 4.8 rpg.  He will be immediately available this season to provide front court depth for the Bulls.

Who’s Out:  Augustus Gilchrist, Ron Anderson Jr., Hugh Robertson, Blake Nash

Overview:

The Bulls are coming off an extraordinary season in which they reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1992 and only third time in the history of the university.  And if that wasn’t exciting enough – they not only got their first ever tournament victory (two actually), but they fell two possessions short after a late 10-0 run by Ohio of reaching the Sweet 16.

Last year was a fun ride for South Florida and their fans to say the least, but I do not expect that success to spill over to the upcoming season.

Not to take anything away from the Bulls, and all the credit to them, because they were able to take advantage of a downtrodden Big East conference last year.  But they did struggle against the top of the conference.

South Florida finished tied for 4^th in the conference with Georgetown and Cincinnati, and behind Notre Dame, Marquette and Syracuse.  Against these five teams they went 1-4.  They were 11-2 against the rest of the conference, including two wins each over Pittsburgh and Villanova.  In years past those would have been great wins, but Pitt and Nova had abnormally poor seasons last year.

But the Bulls had no control over their schedule or the quality of their opponents.  They took care of business and beat teams they should have beaten (and even defeated Louisville at Louisville) to earn a Tournament berth.  However, even the selection committee was skeptical as they placed them in the quasi ‘play in’ game early in the week.  Nonetheless, they proved doubters wrong by beating California, followed up by Temple, before losing a close one to Ohio to prove to the country that they belonged.

This year I do not see them repeating last year’s success. Not because they got worse, but because the rest of the conference is going to be better.  The Big East was still one of the most difficult conferences in the nation last year, but some of the usual contenders (Connecticut, Pittsburgh and Villanova) were far from their usual self’s.

Even though the Bulls lost three starters, they still have a solid core in Anthony Collins, Victor Rudd and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick.

We should expect this team to be able to defend at a high level again, but will they be able to score? Scoring 59 points per game with a menacing defense may have worked last year, but my intuition tells me that can only work once in a while.  

This is where incoming transfers Musa Abdul-Aleem and Martino Brock will be looked upon – helping in the scoring department.  And this team will likely go as far as Anthony Collins takes it.  Otherwise, it seems likely to expect the status quo.

Maybe South Florida will prove me wrong by morphing into an up-tempo team that can fill the basket.  Every year is different, and this team is a bit deeper and more versatile than last year's.  But why drastically change something that worked so well last year?  Maybe Coach Heath is thinking the same way I am and knows that they must score a lot more than last year.  And that this year’s team is poised to do just that with Collins, Rudd and the transfers.

If that's the case, and they somehow don't have a significant drop-off on the defensive end, then my outlook is likely off.  But this is a prediction piece, and I predict that they will play a similar style to last year.  With that, they are due for a regression as the overall talent pool in the Big East is slated for an improvement.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac  

Big East Preview: #12 Connecticut Huskies

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

By:  Shane McCarthy

After going through a season in turmoil, the Huskies are prepping to start the 2012-13 season without their Hall of Fame head coach and four starters from a year ago.  The sense of déjà vu mid-season seems likely.

Who’s Back:

Shabazz Napier –G– Junior – 35 Min, 13.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.8 apg

Ryan Boatright –G– Soph – 30.1 Min, 10.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.0 apg

Tyler Olander –F– Junior – 17.6 Min, 4.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.2 apg

DeAndre Daniels –F– Soph – 12.1 Min, 3.0 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.5 apg

Niels Giffey –F– Junior – 11.7 Min, 2.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.4 apg

Enosch Wolf –C– Junior – 1.3 Min, 0.3 ppg, 0.8 rpg, 0.0 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Omar Calhoun – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 5, 195

ESPN’s 32^nd ranked player and 7^th ranked Shooting Guard

Rivals.com’s 39^th ranked player and 10^th ranked Shooting Guard

Phillip Nolan – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 9, 210

ESPN’s 23^rd ranked Power Forward

Rivals.com’s 118^th ranked player and 21^st ranked Center

Leon Tolksdorf – [Small Forward] – 6 foot 8, 220 

Incoming Transfers:

R.J. Evans – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 3, 210

R.J., a transfer from Holy Cross, will have one year of eligibility as he will be a graduate student at UConn.  He was named Patriot League Rookie of the Year for the 2008-09 season and averaged 12.5 ppg and 5.0 rpg during his career at Holy Cross.

Who’s Out:  Jeremy Lamb, Andre Drummond, Alex Oriakhi, Roscoe Smith

Overview:

When it comes to sports, I had always been of the view that talent will prevail no matter the circumstances.  I stuck with UConn last year given the fact that their front and back court was better than almost every team they played on a game to game basis. 

I’m also an avid NFL fan, and didn’t think much of the Saints going to a second interim coach being a huge detriment.  I mean they were still going to roll out Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham and a plethora of other stars to run up the scoreboard on Sundays. 

But UConn ended up being very average last year as they suffered through a roller coaster season, barely snuck into the NCAA Tournament, and quickly exited after being handled with ease by Iowa St. 

The Saints are also enduring a disastrous season compared to the juggernaut they have been in recent years. 

With those two most recent examples, I am finding it difficult to be bullish on the Huskies for the 2012-13 season.

They lost their legendary coach to retirement, two starters to the lottery and two starters who transferred.  I acknowledge that they still have a talented back court with Napier, Boatright and Calhoun, but they have little to no talent in the front court. 

This is without mentioning the fact that they are not even eligible for postseason play of any sort.  A team in turmoil with nothing to play for?  I hope this team shows up on a nightly basis to play for pride, their school and their teammates, but the motivation factor worries me. 

At this point there is no way of knowing how good of a coach Kevin Ollie will be.  I hope he picks up right where Calhoun left off, and that the Huskies remain a powerhouse of the Big East.  But last year they were 3-5 with Calhoun away from the team and will be depending mightily on their guards to win games. 

It’s difficult to be overly optimistic about UConn when they are essentially starting from scratch with so many changes from last year.  I want to believe that talent and tradition will prevail, but that thinking has burned me recently.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac