2020-2021 Big East Conference Discussion

[hoyaboya]

Dan Hurley continues to push UConn further up the AAC’s pecking order, and next year should be another year of growth in Storrs. The Huskies will lose Christian Vital to graduation, but they will have no shortage of firepower in the backcourt. James Bouknight will lead a number of preseason all-breakout lists, and the return of Alterique Gilbert will provide for a steadying presence, but when it comes to a bucket-getting role, look no further than R.J. Cole.

The Howard transfer brings a great pedigree to UConn, and while he might not average over 20 points per game like he did each year at the MEAC program, he will be a serviceable and consistent shot-maker who will make the Huskies a tough out and potentially lead them back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.

There was some backlash for Villanova’s lack of involvement in the 2020 class. The Wildcats took a shot at five-star guard Jeremy Roach, but after finishing in second for the now Duke-bound recruit, Villanova decided to sit tight for the remainder of the recruiting cycle. That goes to show how much confidence the Wildcats have in Caleb Daniels, a 6-foot-4 scoring guard that came to the Main Line via Tulane. In his two years in New Orleans, Daniels never shot worse than 34 percent from the perimeter but it was his final season - when he averaged over 16 points, five rebounds and three assists - that placed him among the best in the sport.

Daniels is the ideal do-it-all guard that can play each spot along the perimeter in Villanova’s guard-heavy offense. Playing next to Collin Gillespie, Bryan Antoine and Justin Moore next year, the Wildcats may boast one of the top backcourts in the game.

basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/evans-seven-transfers-who-will-make-biggest-impacts-next-year

[hoyas315]

1. AAC – R.J. COLE

Dan Hurley continues to push UConn further up the AAC’s pecking order, and next year should be another year of growth in Storrs. The Huskies will lose Christian Vital to graduation, but they will have no shortage of firepower in the backcourt. James Bouknight will lead a number of preseason all-breakout lists, and the return of Alterique Gilbert will provide for a steadying presence, but when it comes to a bucket-getting role, look no further than R.J. Cole.

The Howard transfer brings a great pedigree to UConn, and while he might not average over 20 points per game like he did each year at the MEAC program, he will be a serviceable and consistent shot-maker who will make the Huskies a tough out and potentially lead them back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2016.

[hoyaboya]

I am not willing to go that far, primarily because UConn wasn’t even an elite team in the AAC, and the Big East is a step up from that.

UConn should fight for an NCAA Tournament berth next year, though, which is definitely a step in the right direction. The Huskies have improved every season under Dan Hurley and that trend should continue into next season. As long as James Bouknight returns, R.J. Cole gets his usual buckets, a healthy Akok Akok sees the floor and Andre Jackson fills in appropriately, I could see the Huskies fighting for a top-five finish in the league.

Creighton has the chance to enter next season as a national title contender, Villanova is always going to be Villanova, while Butler, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, Seton Hall and Xavier create a super strong middle-half. Either way, UConn is on the right path and it looks as if the best is yet to come with Hurley residing over the program.

basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/twitter-tuesday-memphis-pitt-zion-harmon-uconn

[hoyaboya]

[DFW HOYA]

The number of Big East coaches with more than two years and a conference record of .200 or below.

Fred Hill, Rutgers (4 years, 13-59)
Oliver Purnell, DePaul (5 years, 16-80)
Dave Leitao, DePaul (5 years, 18-72)

In the bizarro world of DePaul, Leitao would get an extension for winning two games more than Oliver Purnell.

[Bigs"R"Us]

That’s when you’re comfortable being in the basement. Expectations diminish and apathy sets in.

[daveg023]

Local article about UConn and the Big East next year.  It looks like this writer has us 2nd to last:


In a college basketball world that is all about transfers these days, UConn enters the most exhilarating yet daunting transfer portal of all.

The Huskies will “transfer” from the American Athletic Conference to the Big East next season. Or return to the Big East, UConn’s rightful home. Of course, UConn never really left the Big East — the conference left UConn seven years ago — but that’s a whole ‘nother story.

Bottom line: UConn is back in the Big East. Fans are ecstatic, as they should be. UConn is an original Big East member, and it’s back in a league with historic rivals Georgetown, Villanova, St. John’s and Providence. Syracuse, Pittsburgh and Louisville, of course, are no longer there. Been that way for a while now. The Big East isn’t exactly the Big East of old. Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and Pearl Washington aren’t walking through that door. Heck, neither are Roy Hibbert, Gerry McNamara or DeJuan Blair.

The league is no longer the monster it was 30, 20, even 10 years ago. But it is still a bear. The Big East was the No. 3 in the nation per kenpom.com this past season, largely because of its overall depth. Its last-place team (DePaul) won at Iowa and Minnesota and beat Texas Tech at home.

The Big East may not have the same overall depth next season, but should be strong again. The league will likely have two teams (Creighton and Villanova) among the top 10 in the preseason AP Top 25 and others (Xavier, Providence) that could easily be ranked at some point in the season. Could UConn be one of those latter teams? It’s certainly possible.

For now, let’s take an early look at the Huskies’ competition next season in the Big East.

VILLANOVA

UConn is already all too familiar with the Wildcats after playing a three-game home-neutral-away series the past three seasons. Villanova won all three, the first two by 20-plus points. But the Huskies are getting closer. They led by four with five minutes left before falling 61-55 at Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 18. Afterwards, Dan Hurley proclaimed: “People better get us now. Because it’s coming.”

It won’t get any easier next season. When Jay Wright was asked what he’d tell his seniors after the coronavirus canceled the NCAA tournament, he noted, “We don’t have any seniors.” Indeed, the Wildcats lose no one from a team that finished in a three-way tie for first (with Seton Hall and Creighton) atop the Big East standings at 13-5. Talented forward Saddiq Bey may go pro, but even if he does, Collin Gillespie, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Jermaine Samuels (who torched UConn for 19 points) form an impressive foundation. Wright has also been the Big East coach most enthusiastic about UConn’s return to the league.

CREIGHTON

The Bluejays should be a preseason top 10 team, especially if leading scorers Ty-Shon Alexander and Marcus Zegarowski return. Alexander (16.9 points per game) is expected to at least go through the NBA Draft process. Zegarowski (16.1 ppg) may have done the same, but a torn meniscus in his right knee suffered in Creighton’s final regular-season game will sideline him for 3-4 months and almost certainly pave the way for the point guard’s return next season. If both are back, Creighton will boast perhaps the best backcourt in the country.

XAVIER

The Huskies dropped a double-overtime heartbreaker to Xavier back in November at the Charleston Classic. The Musketeers lose Bloomfield’s Tyrique Jones (14 ppg, 11.1 rpg) to graduation, but if Naji Marshall (16.8 ppg) eschews going pro, he and Paul Scruggs (12.7 ppg) should lead a formidable lineup. Xavier also boasts the league’s No. 2-rated recruiting class, led by four-star point guard Dwon Odom.

PROVIDENCE

The Friars were one of the hottest teams in the country down the stretch this season, making up for some puzzling early-season losses. They will lose two of their top players (Alpha Diallo and Luwane Pipkins) to graduation, but return perhaps their best all-around player in guard David Duke, who averaged 12 points per game while providing lockdown defense. Along with ultra-talented A.J. Reeves, 6-10 Nate Watson and some promising newcomers, most recently Syracuse transfer Brycen Goodine, PC should be up near the top of the league standings. Coach Ed Cooley and Hurley have had friction in the past when Hurley was at the helm at Rhode Island, and Cooley has expressed his displeasure with UConn returning to the league. So, this could turn into the sizzling border rivalry that Friar fans have always wanted and UConn fans have largely sneered at over the years.

SETON HALL

Tough to expect the Pirates to repeat this past season’s magic, which had them ranked in the top 10 for four weeks and in position to win the league title outright before faltering down the stretch. Big East Player of the Year Myles Powell graduates, as does Bridgeport’s Quincy McKnight, one of the nation’s best defenders, and 7-footer Romaro Gill, who was named the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year. But Sandro Mamukelashvili, who missed part of this season with a broken wrist, is back, along with wing Jared Rhoden, and coach Kevin Willard is scouring the transfer market. And, of course, this is Dan Hurley’s alma mater, which will make things interesting.

ST. JOHN’S

Mustapha Heron, the talented guard who grew up in Waterbury and West Haven, sadly had his career curtailed due to an ankle injury in early February, and the Red Storm never quite got going this season. But with leading scorer LJ Figueroa back, along with point guard Rasheem Dunn and forwards Julian Champagnie and Marecellus Earlington, better days could be ahead for coach Mike Anderson & Co.

MARQUETTE

No team suffers a bigger loss than the Golden Eagles. Markus Howard, the nation’s leading scorer (27.8 ppg) and all-time leading scorer in Big East history, graduates — and can’t really be replaced. Second-leading scorer Sacar Anim also graduates, though the future has promise: Marquette boasts the top-rated incoming recruiting class in the league, led by a trio of four-star recruits.

BUTLER

Butler did it this season with defense that had it ranked for much of the year and a lock for the NCAA tournament. Things could get trickier next season, as leading scorer and First Team All-Big East guard Kamar Baldwin graduates. Second-leading scorer Sean McDermott is also gone, though coach LaVell Jordan brings in a good recruiting class with five three-star players.

GEORGETOWN

It’s been a tumultuous past couple of years under Patrick Ewing, with multiple players (including former UConn commit James Akinjo) leaving the program. The Hoyas actually played better for a while with a depleted roster, but wound up losing their final seven games to finish 15-17 overall and 5-13 in the Big East. If everyone returns, Mac McClung (15.7 ppg), Jahvon Blair and Jamorko Pickett is a nice foundation, but it could be do-or-die time for Ewing.

DEPAUL

At one point this season, the Blue Demons were 12-1, with wins at Iowa, at Minnesota and against Texas Tech, and were sitting just outside the AP Top 25. Soon after, the Big East happened, and DePaul lost 15 of its final 19 games. Stunningly, it was reported a week ago that athletic director Jean Lenti Ponsento was planning on offering coach Dave Leitao a contract extension. Not surprisingly, nothing’s materialized yet, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see a new coach at the helm at the start of next season.

[Bigs"R"Us]

That’s about right, we will finish between 8-10 out of 11 teams.

[hoyazeke]

I don't know why I allow writeups like this to upset me. No mention of Wahab or our recruiting class but Butler's 3* get mention...if Butler, Quette, SH, or StJs finish ahead of us then I will join the Ewing must go mob.....

[hoyalove4ever]

There are lots of moving pieces here- all of this analysis is premature.

[hoyainla]

Mar 18, 2020 18:47:26 GMT -5 Bigs"R"Us said:

That’s when you’re comfortable being in the basement. Expectations diminish and apathy sets in.

📞: Hello this is the Georgetown Athletic Department how can we help you?

[wponds]

Marquette, Seton Hall, Butler, Providence, and possibly Xavier are all going to lose their best players and scorers from this year. I expect Villanova and Creighton to be good again, but after that anything is possible. My expectations for us aren't great at this point in time, but I just think it'll be hard to predict the specific order from 3-11 at this point

[gojeffgoroyunder7]

Mar 19, 2020 12:38:46 GMT -5 wponds said:

Marquette, Seton Hall, Butler, Providence, and possibly Xavier are all going to lose their best players and scorers from this year. I expect Villanova and Creighton to be good again, but after that anything is possible. My expectations for us aren't great at this point in time, but I just think it'll be hard to predict the specific order from 3-11 at this point

Completely agree. Outside of Creighton and Nova, none of these teams scare me in the least bit. A trio of Mac, Q and Jamorko combined with our recruits thus far, and I think we'll be more than competitive in this league, certainly with the ability to finish in the top 5. This doesn't even take into account who else we'll be adding. Stay tuned and keep the faith.

[DFW HOYA]

Mar 19, 2020 12:38:46 GMT -5 wponds said:

Marquette, Seton Hall, Butler, Providence, and possibly Xavier are all going to lose their best players and scorers from this year. I expect Villanova and Creighton to be good again, but after that anything is possible. My expectations for us aren't great at this point in time, but I just think it'll be hard to predict the specific order from 3-11 at this point

DePaul is always a safe pick for #11. They've finished last four straight seasons and 10 of the last 12.

And where we are today, Georgetown and St. John's are safe picks for somewhere between 8 and 10.

[EtomicB]

Not sure where to put this so I stuck it here...

When it was done right, this offense was fun to watch...

[bigelephant]

Lots of fun to watch.

[hoyalove4ever]

Having Jeff Green really helped.

[hoya9797]

Mar 19, 2020 14:31:42 GMT -5 EtomicB said:

Not sure where to put this so I stuck it here...

When it was done right, this offense was fun to watch...

When that was clicking, it was unstoppable. I miss that.

[hoyas315]

[bostonfan]

Mar 20, 2020 8:02:02 GMT -5 hoyas315 said:

When Gilbert has been able to stay healthy he is a very good point guard. He can score but is not really a shoot first type of guard. Not sure if he could transfer to Georgetown with UConn joining the Big East next year, but if he could he would give you a veteran PG to help run the team.