SB Nation - Scottie Reynolds

Tonight's Picks

SFBE.NF — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:24:10 -0000

Ouch! GMU's Sherrod Wright had a 3 pointer at the buzzer, which barely covered the spread and gave us a paltry 1 for 3 start. Like they say, you win some and you lose some. Tossing some back on the table, we're back at it again:

#3 Villanova (-13.5) over St. Joes: Villanova should cruise past St. Joes in this lopsided Big 5 matchup. Phil Martelli's bunch has lost four straight and their isn't much light at the end of the tunnel. Watch for Villanova's backcourt, mainly Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher, to dominate from beyond the arc.

#4 Kentucky (+2) over #12 UConn: More appointment television coming to you live from Madison Square Garden. Kentucky proved it can hang with the big boys after toughing out its victory over UNC and UConn proved the opposite with their loss to Duke earlier this year. I'll take the Wildcats with Patrick Patterson and John Wall all day long.

WI-Green Bay (+5) over #23 Wisconsin: Wisconsin is definitely the better team in this matchup, but the Phoenix already have eight wins worth of experience going into this game. I like this spread for Green Bay over the Badgers because of the home court advantage in this cheese state rivalry.

Prediction Time: Maryland-Villanova

Ben Broman — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:31:28 -0000

More photos » by Michael Perez - AP

16 days ago: Villanova's guard Scottie Reynolds (1) drives past Drexel's guard Jamie Harris (12) in the first second of a men's NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009, in Villanova, Pa. Villanova defeated Drexel 77-58. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

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It's the championship of OOC play and there's absolutely nothing else going on today, so it's time to go on record and pick a result for Maryland's game against Villanova tomorrow.

On the one hand, Villanova was a Final Four team last year and is currently ranked #3 in the nation.

On the other hand, they got to the Final Four with two starters they don't have now, and are missing a third in suspended Reggie Redding.

Jordan Williams will be at an advantage for once in this season against Maurice Sutton, and Maryland matches up well with the shorter Wildcats. Of course, Maryland doesn't really have an answer for ultra-quick, foul-drawing PG Scottie Reynolds or solid post player and rebounder extraordinaire Antonio Pena.

I'm confident that Maryland will stay close, but this team is one of the best in the country. I'm calling for an 8 point Nova victory.

What say you?

Poll

What will be the outcome of tomorrow's game?

Comfortable Maryland victory (12+ margin)

10 votes

Close Maryland victory (1-11 margin)

152 votes

Close Villanova victory (1-11 margin)

123 votes

Comfortable Villanovavictory (12+ margin)

61 votes

346 votes | Poll has closed

First Look at Villanova-Maryland

Ben Broman — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:47:38 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

about 1 month ago: Villanova head coach Jay Wright watches his basketball team practice after their NCAA college basketball media day event in Villanova, Pa., Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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Villanova's Maryland's must-win game this year, this year's version of Michigan State. Ranked at #3 in the nation, it's easy to be intimated by the Wildcats. But really, should the Terps be?

This is a very good team, I'm not doubting that. But remember that, before that Final Four run last year, they were down by 11 to American in the second half in the first round. This year has seen some ups and downs, too: they only beat George Mason - who would go on to lose to Tulane and George Washington (although they beat Indiana by 3) - by one, and had an unconvincing victory over Dayton.

They're good, but not they're untouchable. Believe it or not, Maryland's actually ranked higher in the Pomeroy rankings; Villanova's at 51. Maryland's also higher in both offensive and defensive adjusted efficiency rankings. It's too early for those types of rankings to be all that accurate, but it's encouraging nonetheless.

The matchup of the day will be Greivis Vasquez-Scottie Reynolds, a battle royale between two premier senior PGs. Reynolds is leading Nova in minutes and points, and its no secret who the leader of the Terps is. Reynolds is a bit of a chucker, but he's quick, and quick guards not named Ty Lawson usually give Vasquez fits. If the Vasquez of old (that is, last year) shows up, it'll be highly entertaining. If the Vasquez of this season shows up, Nova will probably have an advantage in the PG category.

One big plus for the Terps against Nova is that Villanova lacks a dominating inside game, meaning the freshman bigs shouldn't be overwhelmed entirely. They probably faced one of the best post players they're going to play already in Yancy Gates; Villanova's premier post player, Antonio Pena, shouldn't provide a greater challenge. In the absence of Mouphtaou Yarou, Maryland will go up against Maurice Sutton, and that's actually a favorable matchup.

Sutton is a freshman three star center that some scouts didn't even think was as good as Jordan Williams; it's uncommon for Maryland to have an advantage in the post, but that might be the case here. When he's not on the floor, it'll likely be a four guard set for the 'Cats, and that's pretty good for Maryland, who runs the same set.

That's not to say they don't rebound well - they're sixth in the country, actually - but it's an effort and technique game for them moreso than size, so Maryland won't be at an immediate disadvantage. Pena's one of the best rebounders in the nation, but they're thin outside of him.

They're a little difficult to get a read on. Defensively is where they've made their living, but it's been against poor teams that they've been able to outclass athletically. They're definitely above-average on that side of the floor, but perhaps not they're not quite as dominant as they showed against, say, Drexel.

They give up a lot of trips to the FT line, so Maryland will need to take better advantage of their opportunities from the stripe than they have so far this year (Jordan Williams, I'm looking at you). At the same time, they get to the line a lot, thanks in large part to the aggressiveness of Reynolds; not giving him free points should be a key point. I wouldn't mind seeing Sean Mosley and Adrian Bowie match up with him almost exclusively defensively. He can ruin a team when he gets in the lane.

I haven't seen much of Villanova except for the second half against George Mason, which probably wasn't the real Wildcats. I'm also yet to see a real encouraging, definitive scouting report on them - maybe they turn it on, but I think they're overrated at #3 right now. It'll still be an uphill battle for Maryland, but, after looking around at them, I feel much better about this matchup.

Actually, I'm yet to find one real reason to be afraid of Villanova other than the fact that they went to the Final Four last year, and even that they did with Reggie Redding, Shane Clark, and Dante Cunningham, none of whom they have this year (Redding's out til mid-December).

That said, Maryland will probably lose by 20. But I'm encouraged right now.

BtB 2009-10 Big East Preview

Chris Dobbertean — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:19:46 -0000

The Big East had a BIG season last year, but not quite the monster year many predicted. At the end of the year, the conference only qualified eight teams for the NCAAs, instead the nine or ten many had predicted. Louisville earned the tournament's overall number one seed, while UConn and Pitt joined them on the top line. The Huskies were the only one of this group to make it to Detroit, but the 3 seed in the East region, Villanova, knocked off the Panthers to join Connecticut at Ford Field.

Graduation and the NBA Draft sapped some of the star power from the conference during the offseason, and teams like Pitt and Marquette, look to be in rebuilding mode because of it. Louisville, whose summer included personnel losses and revelations about Rick Pitino's personal life, will be a contender but not quite the power of last year. UConn and Syracuse also lost significant personnel, but have some exciting recruits coming in to fill the voids. Two teams who fell flat last year, Georgetown and Notre Dame could be back, while Cincinnati, St. John's, and Seton Hall may be waking from a long slumber.

But the two teams who appear to be head and shoulders above the rest are the two who lost the least, Villanova and West Virginia. They'll start with the biggest targets on their backs, and they'll take plenty of shots in the early season, particularly in tournament play. Both play in loaded fields this November, the Wildcats in Puerto Rico; the Mountaineers in Anaheim.

More on all 16 teams in the largest league in the land after the jump.

Here's a recap of last year's Big East standings.

Big East Conference Standings

(updated 4.5.2009 at 12:15 AM EDT)

	Conf		Overall
	W	L	W	L
Louisville Cardinals	16	2	31	6
Connecticut Huskies	15	3	31	5
Pittsburgh Panthers	15	3	31	5
Villanova Wildcats	13	5	30	8
Marquette Golden Eagles	12	6	25	10
Syracuse Orange	11	7	28	10
West Virginia Mountaineers	10	8	23	12
Providence Friars	10	8	19	14
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	8	10	21	15
Cincinnati Bearcats	8	10	18	14
Seton Hall Pirates	7	11	17	15
Georgetown Hoyas	7	11	16	15
St. John's Red Storm	6	12	16	18
South Florida Bulls	4	14	9	22
Rutgers Scarlet Knights	2	16	11	21
DePaul Blue Demons	0	18	9	24

Now, here are my picks for 2009-10, presented in reverse order. If a team name appears in red, click it to go to that schools SBNation site, your source for more in depth analysis.

DePaul (last NCAA: 2004) The Blue Demons defeated a league opponent once only last season, bursting Cincinnati's bubble in the first round of the Big East tournament. The pressure is definitely on Jerry Wainwright at the moment, but this team doesn't look like it will improve much. The foundation is good, even with swingman Dar Tucker's departure for the professional game, as 6-10 Mac Koshwal is a beast inside for Wainwright, as he averaged over 12 points and nearly 10 boards a game last year, and Will Walker averaged nearly 15 points a game in the backcourt. But the rest of the squad lacks scoring punch and experience. Ohio State transfer Eric Wallace, Oregon State transfer Eric Wallace, and returnees Devin Hill (3.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg) and Mario Stula (1.7 ppg) will have to produce more to make up for the loss of Tucker, while Jabari Currie (5.3 ppg, 1.8 apg) and Jeremiah Kelly (4.3 ppg, 2.4 apg) will need to help Walker out more in the backcourt. DePaul will play Northern Iowa in the Paradise Jam, then East Carolina or Tennessee in their second game. They'll also head to Tampa to take on Mississippi State in the Big East/SEC Invitational.

Providence (last NCAA: 2004) The Friars won 10 Big East games in Keno Davis' first season at the helm, but ended up in the NIT. Providence's schedule is a big reason for their failure, as they defeated Cincinnati and Rutgers twice, and were swept by Villanova, making their victory total a bit suspect. Providence should drop significantly this season, as they lost four starters off an already disappointing team. Senior point guard Sharaud Curry (11.7 ppg, 4.2 apg) is the lone returning starter, so at least the offense will be in good hands. Production will have to come from 6-5 wing Marshon Brooks (10.6 ppg) and 6-4 Brian McKenzie (4.6 ppg), along with JC transfer Kyle Wright and freshman Duke Mondy, both of whom lit it up at their previous level of competition. 6-9 JC transfer Russ Permenter and 6-8 freshmen Kadeem Bates and James Still will join two redshirt freshmen, 6-6 Jamine Peterson and 6-8 Bilal Dixon, on an all new frontline. How quickly that group can adjust to the rigors of the Big East will determine how well PC can do this season. The Friars don't participate in a tournament this year, but they travel to Alabama and host former Big East member Boston College.

South Florida (last NCAA: 1992) The Bulls should be better this year, but the question is whether that will show up in the standings. Stan Heath returns three starters from a team that won only four Big East contests a season ago, including guard Dominique Jones (18.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 3.9 apg) and 6-10 forward Augustus Gilchrist (10.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg). Both of those players will receive significant help in their particular units, as Ohio State transfer Anthony Crater will take some of the playmaking pressure off Jones (as will a bigger role for senior Chris Howard, who averaged over 4 assists a game last year) and 6-11 JC transfer Jarrid Famous will combine with Gilchrist to form one of the more intimidating frontlines in the conference. 6-4 guard Mike Mercer (8.5 ppg, 33.3% from 3) returns to the team for his final season after head coach Stan Heath booted him in January for disciplinary issues. USF's freshmen, heavy on guards and wings, includes Joe Dumars' son, Jordan. The Bulls will play in the Charleston Classic before Thanksgiving, where they'll play Davidson on Day 1. A matchup with either La Salle or South Carolina awaits on Day 2. USF will also face San Diego and San Francisco in Las Vegas before Christmas.

Rutgers (last NCAA: 1991) The Scarlet Knights once again struggled in the Big East, winning only two games in the conference in '08-09. Fred Hill's team should face another tough year despite the return of 6-3 sophomore guard Mike Rosario (16.2 ppg) and an improving frontline featuring imposing shotblocker 6-9 Gregory Echenique (8.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.4 bpg) and 6-11 center Hamady Ndiaye (5.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg). 6-7 Jonathan Mitchell, a transfer from Florida, and 6-6 sophomore Patrick Jackson, a rarely used freshman, are expected to contribute as well. While Rutgers is set at shooting guard thanks to Rosario, JC transfer James Beatty will likely replace Anthony Farmer at the point, though junior Mike Coburn (4 ppg, 2.1 apg), last year's backup, will see plenty of time there as well. The Scarlet Knights will make the short trip to Atlantic City, where they'll face UMass in the semifinals of the Legends Classic. They'll play either Florida or Michigan State on the following evening. A December 28 trip to North Carolina also looms large.

Marquette (last NCAA: 2009) The Golden Eagles appear due for a fall in Buzz Williams' second year at the helm. Jerel McNeal, Wesley Matthews, and Dominic James, Marquette's starting backcourt of a season ago, have all graduated. And while 6-6 F Lazar Hayward (16.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg) is back, that's a lot of production Williams will have to replace. Jimmy Butler (5.6 ppg, 3.9 rpg), another 6-6 forward, should move from the sixth man role to the starting lineup, but he needs to show more offensive consistency. Two-time Wisconsin HS Player of the Year Jeronne Maymon, yet another 6-6 forward, will be expected to contribute immediately, as will 6-7 shot blocking machine Erik Williams. Marquette's all-new backcourt features two JC All-Americans, 6-3 Dwight Buycks and 6-1 Darius Johnson-Odom, and 6-1 Canadian freshman Junior Cadougan, the heir apparent to James. Maurice Acker (2.8 ppg, 1.8 apg), who replaced James when he went out with a broken foot, is also back for the Golden Eagles. Marquette plays in the Old Spice Classic this year, where they open with Xavier. They'll then play either Michigan or Creighton in what has to be called that tournament's Midwestern half of the bracket.

Pittsburgh (last NCAA: 2009) The Panthers will be in full rebuilding mode this season, as Jamie Dixon lost four starters from a season ago. However, the one starter who is back, senior guard Jermaine Dixon (8.4 ppg, 2 apg), is out until November thanks to a broken foot. Reserves Gilbert Brown (5.4 ppg), Brad Wanamaker (5.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg), and Ashton Gibbs (4.3 ppg, 43.9% from 3) will have to take on a greater role, but replacing Levance Fields at the point is the biggest issue for Pitt. Ultimately, Gibbs and Centenary transfer Chase Adams (14.6 ppg, 4.5 apg) will have to shoulder the load. The frontcourt was decimated thanks to the departure of DeJuan Blair, Sam Young, and Tyrell Biggs. 6-10 center Gary McGhee (1.2 ppg, 1.5 rpg in roughly 6 minutes per game) will see a lot more time this season, as will 6-6 swingman Gilbert Brown (5.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg), but 6-9 freshman Dante Taylor, a McDonald's All-American, could become the most exciting frontcourt player for the Panthers this season. Pitt will travel to Kansas City for the CBE Classic, where they'll open against Wichita State. Big 12 power Texas or now-perennially-rebuilding Iowa awaits on the second night.

Seton Hall (last NCAA: 2006) Bobby Gonzalez not only brings back four starters from a season ago, led by offensive force Jeremy Hazell (22.7 ppg), he has several transfers coming in to provide much needed depth. The Pirates' solid backcourt, featuring Hazell, starting point guard Eugene Harvey (12.5 ppg, 4.5 apg), and backup PG Jordan Theodore (5.9 ppg, 2 apg) receives a major reinforcement in the form of Missouri transfer Keon Lawrence (11 ppg, 2.3 apg in '07-08). An emerging frontline, featuring 6-6 Robert Mitchell (14.7 ppg, 8 rpg) and 6-9 John Garcia (8 ppg, 7 rpg), will be even better thanks to the presence of 6-8 New Mexico State transfer Herb Pope, who averaged more than 11 points and almost 7 boards a game in his single season in Las Cruces. Melvyn Oliver, a 6-11 sophomore who weighs in at an immovable 340 pounds and 6-6 Memphis transfer Jeff Robinson will also see some minutes. Seton Hall won't participate in a tournament this year, but they'll still get some time in the sun. They'll travel to Cancun to take on Virginia Tech on the second day of 2010.

St. John's (last NCAA: 2002) Last season, Norm Roberts' Red Storm won 16 games, 6 in the Big East, during a campaign that was plagued by injuries. St. John's hasn't quite been able to shake the injury bug yet, as their best player, 6-7 senior F Anthony Mason, Jr. (14 ppg, 4.3 rpg) will be out until at least late November with a hamstring injury. He only played three games last season thanks to a torn tendon in his right foot. When he returns, he'll join 6-6 junior D.J. Kennedy (13 ppg, 6.6 rpg) and 6-8 junior Sean Evans (10.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg) to form a quality frontcourt. 6-3 junior Paris Horne, who led the Red Storm in scoring a season ago (14.6 ppg), and 5-9 PG Malik Boothe (6.4 ppg, 4.4 apg) will anchor the backcourt, with sophomore Quincy Roberts (5 ppg) and freshman PG Malik Stith, as the supporting cast. St. John's will participate in the Philly Hoop Group Classic over Thanksgiving weekend at the Palestra, where they'll face Siena and Temple.

Notre Dame (last NCAA: 2008) The Fighting Irish have a chance of improving on last year's disappointing 21-win NIT campaign thanks to the return of 6-8 Luke Harangody (23.3 ppg, 11.8 rpg), a player who has numerous school and conference records within reach. In the backcourt, point guard Tory Jackson (10.6 ppg, 4.9 apg) returns, but perimeter sharpshooters Kyle McAlarney (15 ppg) and Ryan Ayers (11.1 ppg) will be sorely missed. Mississippi State transfer Ben Hansbrough, brother of Tyler, will be called on to make up some of that production, though he's just as likely to score inside, as he can really drive to the basket. Unfortunately, another player who would've fit in immediately, 6-8 Purdue transfer Scott Martin, will miss the year with a knee injury. That means 6-8 junior Tyrone Nash (3 ppg, 3.6 rpg) will have to take on a greater role. Ultimately, a lack of depth will keep the Irish from rising too high in the standings, but they should be competitive for an NCAA bid. Notre Dame will participate in the Chicago Invitational Challenge, where they open with Northwestern. The second day the Irish will face either Iowa State or Saint Louis.

Cincinnati (last NCAA: 2005) Thanks to four returning starters and a couple of key newcomers, Mick Cronin's team should be able to improve on last year's 18 wins (8 in the conference), and with the losses other Big East teams suffered, they should get back to the Dance. The Bearcats' strength will be their backcourt, led by all-Big East pick Deonta Vaughn (15.3 ppg, 4.7 apg). He'll receive more help than he had last year, as PG Cashmere Wright is back after missing all of last year with a knee injury and Larry Davis (6.8 ppg) also returns from an ankle injury. 6-9 Yancy Gates (10.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg), who was one of the league's top freshmen last season anchors the frontcourt, which will also feature 6-11 Oklahoma State transfer Ibrahima Thomas (8.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) when the fall semester ends. However, the arrival of 6-6 New Yorker Lance Stephenson gives the Bearcats a second legit star. New York State's all-time leading scorer averaged nearly 29 points a contest last year, so he should provide an instant boost to a team that was weak on the offensive end last season. Cincy will play in Maui this November, where they open with Vanderbilt. If they win that, a semifinal with Maryland would likely await.

Georgetown (last NCAA: 2008) The Hoyas were touted as a Final Four team by some last year, but struggled with consistency throughout the season. DaJuan Summers left early for the NBA, which is a major blow, and Jesse Sapp, the senior point guard and defensive specialist who saw a lot more action than anticipated last year, graduated, but John Thompson III has plenty of talent returning to improve on last season's 16-15 mark. Chris Wright (12.5 ppg, 3.8 apg) is back to run the point after showing well in his first league campaign. He missed all of the previous conference season with an ankle injury. At the 2 spot, Austin Freeman (11.4 ppg, 2 apg) will be expected to improve his production in Summers' absence. The frontcourt is anchored by conference Newcomer of the Year Greg Monroe (12.7 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg), but those expected to start alongside him, sophomore PF Henry Sims and freshman SF Hollis Thompson are relatively inexperienced. That means reserve Julian Vaughn (1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg), who was expected to contribute more in his first year after transferring from Florida State, and occasional starter Nikita Mescheriakov (2.7 ppg, 1.5 rpg) may see quite a bit more time than anticipated. The Hoyas won't participate in a tournament this season, but they will head west to take on Washington in the Wooden Classic (not UCLA, which would make sense) and up to New York to face Butler in the Jimmy V Classic.

Louisville (last NCAA: 2009) Rick Pitino was the center of a lot of unwanted attention this offseason thanks to some well-publicized off the court issues. On the court, the Cards the news was also negative, as the team's two leading scorers and rebounders from last season, Earl Clark and Terrence Williams, are now in the NBA. The cupboard is far from bare for Pitino, however. He has a backcourt led by seniors Edgar Sosa (7.3 ppg, 2.3 apg) and Jerry Smith, a gifted shooter who averaged almost 8 points a game while shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc. Junior Preston Knowles shot even better from outside, 43 percent, as the sixth man last year. The Cards will need their production, along with that of 6-4 freshman sharpshooter Mike Marra and McDonald's All-American PG Peyton Siva, to replace some of the production that left with Clark and Williams. The frontcourt should be a strength, thanks to the return of 6-9 Samardo Samuels (11.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg), though he'll need to be more consistent. Samuels will be challenged by having to do more of the dirty work on the glass, as he was only the third leading rebounder on last year's team. 6-9 sophomore Terrence Jennings should also provide more punch this season, as he averaged 4.2 ppg and 2.9 rpg in only about 12 minutes worth of action as a freshman. Tony Delk, a 6-4 swingman, who averaged less than a bucket a game last year, should also see more time. Besides the traditional game with Kentucky, Louisville will play Arkansas in the Hall of Fame Showcase in St. Louis before they play home games against three mid-major opponents in the same event.

Syracuse (last NCAA: 2009) The Orange lost their three leading scorers--NBA first rounder Jonny Flynn, his Niagara Falls High School teammate Paul Harris, and Eric Devendorf--off a squad that reached the Sweet 16. But don't expect Jim Boeheim's squad to fall too far down the Big East pecking order. Two regular frontcourt starters--6-9 C Arinze Onuaku (10.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.4 bpg) and 6-9 F Rick Jackson (8.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.6 bpg)-return, as does part-time starter Andy Rautins (10.5 ppg, 36.6% from 3). The newcomers are even more intriguing. 6-7 F Wesley Johnson, who averaged over 12 points and almost 8 boards as a freshman and 12+ points and 4 boards as a sophomore at Iowa State, will fill Harris' spot in the frontcourt. 6-4 freshman Brandon Triche will replace Flynn at the point. The Orange have some talent on the bench, as 6-1 sophomore guard Scoop Jardine returns after sitting out last year injured, 6-7 sophomore Kris Joseph will provide some depth up front, but he'll have to be more consistent than he was as a freshman. 6-8 freshman James Southerland should see some time off the bench because of his ability to shoot. Syracuse makes the short trip to New York City for the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, where they'll face California in the semifinals, then either Ohio State or North Carolina. They'll travel to Tampa to take on Florida in the Big East/SEC Invitational and host Memphis in the Dome.

Connecticut (last NCAA: 2009) Jim Calhoun lost three starters off a Final Four team, Hasheem Thabeet, A.J. Price, and Jeff Adrien, but don't expect UConn to fall too far. PG Kemba Walker (8.9 ppg, 2.8 apg) got a lot of experience off the bench in '08-09 and will be ready to fill Price's shoes at the 1 spot. Freshman Darius Smith should also see some time at the point and maybe even at the 2 spot, thanks to his scoring ability. Jerome Dyson (13.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.1 apg) returns from a torn meniscus to provide more toughness to the backcourt. In the frontcourt, SF Stanley Robinson (8.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg) needs to show more consistency, while 6-9 senior Gavin Edwards steps into a starting role for the first time. Calhoun has some impact youngsters on his frontline, including 6-10 Ater Majok and high school teammates Alex Oriakhi and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel. If the younger frontcourt produces as the season goes on, UConn could go on another long March run. Of course, the ongoing investigation surrounding Josh Nochimson could still lead to some distractions during the season. Schedule-wise, the Huskies will host the North regional of the NIT Season Tip-Off. That should result in the first of two trips to MSG for them, as they also face Kentucky in the Big East/SEC Invitational.

West Virginia (last NCAA: 2009) The Mountaineers bring back the bulk of a team that disappointingly lost to Dayton in the first round of last year's NCAAs. Bob Huggins' frontcourt features two players who will challenge for national honors this year, 6-7 senior Da'Sean Butler (17.1 ppg. 5.9 rpg) and 6-9 sophomore Devin Ebanks (10.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg)-a player who really came on in the second half of last season. PF Wellington Smith (5.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg), a 6-7 senior, should up his performance now that he's recovered from a stress fracture in his leg, while 6-8 sophomore Kevin Jones (6.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg) is another solid reserve player for the Mountaineers. The backcourt will be new as JC transfer Casey Mitchell will be the starting shooting guard and Alex Ruoff's replacement at point guard is a real question mark. Darryl Bryant (9.8 ppg, 2.7 apg), Ruoff's heir apparent, was suspended by Huggins over the summer. Joe Mazzulla (5.6 ppg, 3.7 apg), another player who had to deal with off the court issues last year, is another option. His minutes depend on how well he's recovered from the severe shoulder injury he suffered early last season. The Mountaineers will play in the 76 Classic in Anaheim, where they'll open with Long Beach State. A matchup with either Clemson or Texas A&M awaits on the day after Thanksgiving.

Villanova (last NCAA: 2009) Leading scorer Dante Cunningham (16.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and swingman Dwayne Anderson (9 ppg, 6.2 rpg) may be gone from last year's Final Four team, but there's enough quality on the roster to ensure that the Wildcats remain near the top of the league. Sixth man Corey Fisher (10.8 ppg, 2.8 apg) should move over to the point full-time, while senior Scottie Reynolds (15.2 ppg, 3.4 apg) will continue to help with the playmaking, even in a more offensive role. The frontcourt corps of 6-5 Corey Stokes (9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg), 6-5 Reggie Redding (7.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg), and 6-8 Antonio Pena (5.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg) will be joined by several newcomers. 6-11 redshirt Maurice Sutton, 6-6 Duke transfer Taylor King, and 6-7 freshman Isaiah Armwood will see considerable minutes, while 6-10 Mouphtaou Yarou, a high school teammate of Armwood, will give the Wildcats an inside dimension they haven't had in years. Nova will play in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off before Thanksgiving. They'll open with George Mason before facing either Dayton or Georgia Tech on the second day.

The Wildcats will hold the Big East's auto bid in my 2009-10 Final Preseason Bracket, which I will release on November 9. There will undoubtedly be a few of their conference brethren joining them.

To wrap up this preview, here is my preseason All-Big East team, featuring the best returning players from last season.

Preseason All-Big East Team

Player of the Year: Luke Harangody, 6-8 F, Sr. (Notre Dame)

Remainder of the Team
Da'Sean Butler, 6-7 F. Sr. (West Virginia)
Devin Ebanks, 6-9 F, So. (West Virginia)
Greg Monroe, 6-11 F, So. (Georgetown)
Scottie Reynolds, 6-2 G, Sr. (Villanova)

Poll

Who is your pick to win the Big East this season?

Cincinnati

7 votes

Connecticut

9 votes

DePaul

1 votes

Georgetown

24 votes

Louisville

13 votes

Marquette

0 votes

Notre Dame

1 votes

Pittsburgh

6 votes

Providence

0 votes

Rutgers

2 votes

St. John's

1 votes

Seton Hall

1 votes

South Florida

0 votes

Syracuse

10 votes

Villanova

18 votes

West Virginia

19 votes

112 votes | Poll has closed

Your obligatory Big East primer

SFBE.NF — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:26:57 -0000

Based on last year's Conference RPI ratings, the Big East finished fourth overall. But when you put two teams in the Final Four (Nova, UCONN), another two in the Elite Eight (Louisville, Pitt), have the top overall team coming into the tournament (Louisville again), and host one of the greatest games of attrition in college basketball history (Cuse-UCONN), you shouldn't let Jerry Palm and the like tell you otherwise. Common sense whispered in my ear and said this was the best conference in college basketball last season. It's odd though...seven months removed from that epic season, the Big East isn't facing as much of a hangover as you would expect.

West Virginia will be a lot of fun to watch. Devin Ebanks and Da'Sean Butler know how to score on their own terms, and Bob Huggins knows how to win...on his own terms.

Villanova is going to run, and run until their opponent concedes defeat. They have a great balance of experience and young guns in Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek. The majority of their rotation will consist of guards, but I have always been a believer that having talented guards is remarkably more important in college basketball than having a solid front court.

UCONN is UCONN. They remain freakishly athletic, and you can't blindly discount a Jim Calhoun team until they prove their mediocrity on the court.

Syracuse loses 55 percent of their scoring but will ease into the season with their, as expected, paltry non-conference schedule (Colgate and Cornell and Columbia!!!). Oh Jim Boeheim you're so wise. Meanwhile, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris will get to watch all of this from afar, wondering what was in that sticky stuff they smoked last spring, which told them to "go pro."

And of course there's still Luke Harangody, who is bound to break at least a few scoring records this season and is a leading candidate for all those national player of the year awards.

Yup, the Big East is still our favorite conference. So much so that even your dreadful Providence-Depaul match-up is something we can stand to watch.

A breakdown is after the jump.

Tourney teams (in order of conference finish)

1.      Villanova
2.      West Virginia
3.      UCONN
4.      Syracuse
5.      Georgetown
6.      Notre Dame
7.      Louisville
8.     Cincinnati

*and maybe, just maybe, Seton Hall sneaks in here

All Conference Team

Jerome Dyson, UCONN
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova
Da'Sean Butler, West Virginia
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati

Most overrated - Louisville's backcourt. Karen Sypher.

Most underrated - Cincinnati. Stanley Robinson.

Notable non-conference match-ups:

12/6 - Villanova vs. Maryland
12/9 - UCONN vs. Kentucky (MSG)
12/12 - Georgetown vs. Washington
1/1 - West Virginia @ Purdue
1/2 - Louisville @ Kentucky

Five story lines to keep tabs on:

Cincinnati. Has Mick Cronin finally turned the corner? He has three scoring threats in Deonta Vaughn, Yancy Gates and Lance Stevenson. The Bearcats may breakout this season.

Guard U. How will Jay Wright handle a team that has three bonafide guards, two elite incoming guards, and a Reggie Redding who is suspended for the fall semester but will spend most of his time on the wing once he returns.

Luke Harangody. For the few who play fantasy college basketball, he's your number one pick. With transfer Scott Martin tearing his ACL last month, the Irish are now even that much thinner. Gody currently ranks 8^th on the programs all-time scoring list, and if he just replicates his 23.3 ppg output from last season, he will supplant Austin Carr as the most prolific scorer in Irish history.

Louisville. How do they hold up now that they are down this season and their in-state counterparts have catapulted back into the Final Four picture?

Depaul. Do they win a Big East game this season? They're 2-28 in their last 30 Big East regular season games dating back to January 2008.

Preseason Q&A with Philly.com's Jonathan Tannenwald

SFBE.NF — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:07:22 -0000

We thought we were done with these, but Jonathan Tannenwald from Philly.com (yes, the Soft Pretzel Logic guy) went to the Big East Media Day and went "A-HA! Basketball! Syracuse! Billy Edelin! Oh shit...that damn guy from the blog! I gotta get back to him!" And he followed through. Jonathan talks about guard-centric Villanova, the Palestra, and shows the A-10 some love.

1. Where could we find you this summer? On the beach, on the golf course, or in a gym filled with DI prospects? I was definitely on the beach a lot. I also took a cross-country train trip (for the second straight summer), from Philly to Chicago to Seattle to L.A. (last year I went from Philly to San Francisco by way of the Rocky Mountains, which is spectacular).

While in Seattle I saw the Sounders play FC Barcelona. I'm really into soccer as well as college sports, and that was one of the best atmospheres I've ever seen in person. For soccer or much of any other sport, to be honest.

2. Quickly, your reflections on last year. Was a thin NBA draft just proof that the 2008-2009 college basketball season lacked excitement and raw talent? For me, the college basketball season did not lack excitement. That's in part because of Villanova's run to the Final Four - okay, it was in large part due to that. It got people talking about college hoops in Philly quite a bit, which was really nice considering how much the Eagles dominate the local sports media landscape.

But in general, I don't care much about or for professional basketball. A college basketball season is exciting for me in and of itself. Even when it's 20 degrees in February and I'm walking down Thayer Street in Providence, R.I., after the Penn-Brown game, I'm pretty happy.

I'm lucky. I get to spend a lot of my winter nights in the Palestra. I'm supposed to be objective about this stuff, but there's no better place to watch a basketball game. Just about anyone who's been there will tell you the same thing.

3. What do you expect from Kentucky? How many years until they play for a national title? And, when his tenure is over, will John Calipari leave the program in good hands, or in disarray like he did with Memphis and UMASS? From Kentucky I expect a lot of loud shouting by their fans. Obviously they're at a fever pitch already, and if they get off to a good start it won't get any quieter. I haven't seen John Wall in person or on film, but I've read reports that he is as good as advertised.

It won't surprise me if they make a really deep run. They have a combination of upperclassmen and talented freshmen that seems to be a good mix. And Calipari can coach. That much is for certain, even if we don't know what the freshmen will do.

4. How does Jay Wright handle all the talented guards on his roster this year? Will there be an odd man out? I don't envy the situation Jay Wright finds himself in with the backcourt. I talked to him, Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher at Big East Media Day, and they all said they didn't think it would be a problem. Winning certainly takes care of a lot of that, and Wright showed he could manage the situation pretty well last year. He also hasn't been afraid to let players go from the program if they don't buy in, with Malcolm Grant a recent example.

Wright may have inadvertently acquired some latitude with this when Reggie Redding was suspended for the semester after being caught with marijuana. Obviously, Wright would rather have Redding on the team, as would anybody. But it's something to keep in mind.

The other thing worth noting is that most of Villanova's new players this season are coming into the front court, most notably Mouphtaou Yarou and Taylor King. The preseason hype is that Yarou is the big guy Wright has needed to finally get the program over that last big hurdle, and there can't be many hurdles left if they made the Final Four with last year's squad.

The freshman guards are big names, Dominic Cheek and Maalik Wayns. But I would expect them to play second-fiddle to the upperclassmen for a while. As they're both from relatively close to Philly (Cheek is from Jersey City and Wayns is from Philly itself), I would think they knew what the situation would be coming in.

5. Outside of The Palestra, what is your favorite venue in college basketball? I'm going to split that question in two parts, if I may. My favorite non-Palestra venue in the country is Allen Fieldhouse, because it's so historic and so loud. It edges out Maryland's Comcast Center, an arena that proves you can create a modern facility without compromising the atmosphere that makes college basketball what it is.

My favorite arena that I've been to is probably Yale's John J. Lee Amphitheater. It's built into one side of Yale's athletics center, which looks like a big Gothic cathedral. The inside of the arena has a pressed ceiling and semi-cylindrical wooden bucket seats.

It also has balcony-style seating behind the baskets, and bleachers for the students right along courtside. When the place is packed, it gets really, really loud.

I took some pictures of the place for my blog the last time I was up there. I don't think I can let you use them because my company owns the rights to them and is really picky about that stuff, but you can definitely link to it.

6. Your premature surprise team of the season... I would pick Dayton or Temple but I know too much about them to consider them surprising. So I'll go with Marquette. With Lazar Heyward back, I didn't expect them to be picked 12th in the Big East. St. John's is picked higher than the Golden Eagles. As young as Buzz Williams' team is on the whole, I expect them to do better than that.

7. My premature Final Four picks... I have no idea. I don't even like picking Final Fours on Selection Sunday until I've gone all the way through the bracket. But I'll give you four teams I think can get there: Kansas, West Virginia, Michigan State and Villanova.

8. Because of the name of our blog, we ask all journalists who come on here and give us the time of day to name their favorite forgotten college basketball player. Name a few of your favorites who never established themselves at the next level. My forgotten player has to be Penn's Ugonna Onyekwe. A player with athleticism and skill way above the usual Ivy League level, and there hasn't been anyone like him in the league since. He led the Quakers to Ivy League titles in 2002 and 2003, and an outright Big 5 championship in ‘02 (4-0 record) as well. Granted, it was a down year for some of the other programs in the city, but that's still an accomplishment for Penn.

Onyekwe had a legit shot at being a lower NBA pick. But he struggled at the draft camps, and ended up in Europe. He's done pretty well there from everything I've read. He comes back to Philadelphia every once in a while, and very few people recognize him - especially among the current students.

7. Finish this sentence: I like using twitter because...I like using Twitter because it's a great way to get my content out there, and it‘s an even better way to engage in great conversations with fellow college basketball writers and fans. It's why I created the Big Dance widget, and I'm hoping to find other ways to use the platform throughout this season.

Georgetown Picked by Coaches to Finish Fifth in Big East

Hire Esherick — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:43:14 -0000

Results of the Preseason Big East Coaches' Poll were released this morning and not surprisingly, Villanova was picked to top the conference for the 2009-10 season. Full results of the poll are listed below:

Team	Pts.
1. Villanova (10)	218
2. West Virginia (5)	215
3. Connecticut (1)	185
4. Louisville	179
5. Georgetown	161
6. Syracuse	152
7. Cincinnati	135
8. Notre Dame	132
9. Pittsburgh	119
10. Seton Hall	110
11. St. John's	82
12. Marquette	78
13. Providence	52
14. USF	44
15. Rutgers	43
16. DePaul	15

Luke Harangody (Notre Dame) was named Preseason Player of the Year for second straight season. Harangody joins Patrick Ewing as the only other player to receive the honors more than once (Ewing was picked three times).

Greg Monroe (Georgetown), Lazar Hayward (Marquette), Da'Sean Butler (WVU), Scottie Reynolds (Villanova), and Deonta Vaughn (Cincinnati) join Harangody on the Preseason All Big East Team. Monroe is the only underclassman, the other five are seniors.

Jerome Dyson (UConn), Kemba Walker (UConn), Jeremy Hazell (Seton Hall), Dominique Jones (USF), Samardo Samuels (Louisville), and Devin Ebanks (WVU) were named to the All Big East Second Team.

Stanley Robinson (UConn) and Arinze Onuaku (Syracuse) received All Big East Honorable Mention honors.

Lance Stephenson (Cincinnati) was named Preseason Big East Rookie of the Year.

Spies Like Us: Kenner League Recap and Pics

CasualHoya — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:06:24 -0000

Special thanks to Air Crawford for the following thoughts and pics from Saturday's Kenner League action:

Was not impressed with Monroe, who still has no right hand to speak of. I think he scored like two baskets and one was a putback. Jeff Green, man that guy plays so effortless its crazy how smooth his game is. Chris Wright is ready, and it was really weird seeing him and Scottie Reynolds running things for the same team.

The Tombs problem is Freeman right now, he's trying to be a one man show, he dribbles the ball for a century it seems on every possession, and then either drives to the hoop or shoots a jumper. My man Tyler is all hustle on D, he barely touched the ball on the offense other than getting rebounds. I think your Kenner Championship team is going to be Chris Wright's team DCX.

Julian Wright looks like he is ready to play. At one point he got into it with Freeman because Freeman wasn't passing the ball. In one of the pics I sent it is Freeman and JT.Jr, sitting down for a chat. My MVP so far this year and most improved player is my man Jason Clark. As a side note that guy James Gist is a beast but of course its summer league so you never know. And somebody needs to tell Austin to play some defense for a change.

Man oh man.

Check out some casual pics after The Jump...

Our own Mock Draft: The Best Off-Season moves

SFBE.NF — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 01:20:56 -0000

There's a lot of guessing going on with who will go where and when and why during Thursday's NBA Draft. No need for that here. It's a fairly crappy draft, and outside of the top three, many of the players look the same to us. We have deferred this analysis for others, sticking solely to our game and what we have seen develop so far this off-season.

____

5) FIU takes a gamble and hires Isiah Thomas as their new coach

On the surface it sounds funky: a two-faced, franchise killing, ass-grabbing NBA has-been will not only coach, but attempt nurture and develop boys into young men. Then you realize that Florida International wasn't really on the college basketball radar before, and you give them the benefit of the doubt.

Thomas is apparently deferring his first-year salary and donating it back to the school, so FIU can only make money here as there's sure to be a boost in apparel and ticket sales.

Heck, there was a recent rumor flying around that Lance Stephenson was being courted by the Golden Panthers. We know that it may soon become his only choice, but regardless attention is always a good thing, and this commuter school will surely get some during Thomas' tenure.

4) Scottie Reynolds looks to create a legacy and returns to Villanova

We really like Scottie Reynolds, and frankly just didn't want to see him go. It was wise of him to at least test the waters, but with his return he can keep the eccentric, guard-centric Wildcats in check next season as they seek a return trip to the Final Four.

Reynolds has been synonymous with the program since he stepped onto campus, suiting up in all of the 106 games he's been eligible to play in - starting in many of them. Plus, I hear the chilling on the end of the Milwaukee Bucks bench making the league minimum sucks, so why the heck not stay?

3) Alabama gets smart and hires Anthony Grant

With the signing of Grant, That Guy Kentucky Hired, Bruce Pearl and Billy Donovan, the SEC is going to be pretty damn interesting for years to come. Grant was a mid-major coach waiting to make a splash on the BCS scene. He's a no non-sense guy who doesn't eff around, and is more than suitable to be the man to clean up the mess Mark Gottfried left in Tuscaloosa.

Now, the most pressing question to the matter --- who comes out of The Octagon the victor: Grant or his football counterpart Nick Saban?

2) Comcast signs on with ESPNU and ESPN360

"It's about time" said the large television markets of Boston, Philadelphia and others. Many living in cities where Comcast had secured a monopoly were deprived of the great ESPNU and additional online content from the worldwide leader. But fret no more. A deal was announced in May and will be implemented in time for the start of College Football. Your friends that curl up on the couch enjoying the luxuries of Verizon Fios and even Time Warner Cable, can't laugh at you now.

1) The University of Kentucky goes all in

There's three parts to this: Kentucky realized it wasn't getting anywhere with Billy Gillispie. Then the school went all in with John Calipari, a guy who craves attention almost more than his new bosses, and finally, but quickly, the coaching change yielded some high returns with the signings of DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, Eric Bledsoe, and of course John Wall.

This is the most important move not only for this upcoming season, but for maybe the next 10 years, as the balance of power could once again shift back into Lexington. Calipari is already bringing in the personnel to effectively run the dribble drive, and he's already proven to show he can coddle/coach a blue-chip point guard.

Way Too Early Preview of the Big East

Hire Esherick — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:49:58 -0000

If the pre-season polls are any indication, no one has any idea what to expect from the Big East in the upcoming season. Andy Katz has Georgetown ranked in the top 20 in the nation whereas Adam Zagoria thinks Georgetown will barely crack the top 10 in the Big East. NBE Basketball Report picks Georgetown as 6th in the Big East while this yahoo picks Duke as #2 in the country (that has nothing to do with Georgetown or the Big East but I felt the need to mention it). So I have decided to join in on the madness.

If you hadn't figured out by my previous posts, I think freshmen are overrated. They get all the hype at the beginning of the season, but by the end it is the upperclassmen that carry the team. And I am not talking about Conference USA or Pac-10 freshmen, where the competition is the equivalent of a badminton team, I am talking about the Big East, real basketball. Freshmen do not lead Big East teams to the top of the standings. Take this nugget as evidence; since the 2005-06 season when the Big East expanded to 16 teams, the highest regular season finish for a team that also had the Big East Rookie of the Year was 6th (Marquette in 2006). The average finish for the team of the Big East Rookie of the Year has been 8th. With this in mind, I offer my Big East rankings for the 2009-10 season.

1. Villanova - Scottie Reynolds returns and Corey Fisher will have a breakout year. Nevermind the fact that they have three five-star recruits and All-American transfer Taylor King.

2. West Virginia - Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks are best combo in Big East.

3. Connecticut - lost a ton, but still have a lot. Kemba Walker, Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson keep Uconn near the top.

4. Louisville - they are here because I don't have the stomach to put Georgetown as fourth. And Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings are still there.

5. Georgetown - inexperienced bench, talented starting five. People say the season depends on Hollis Thompson, I say it depends on Henry Sims; his ability to take pressure off of Greg Monroe will be the key to the season.

6. Pittsburgh - the cockroach of the Big East, never goes away.

7. Syracuse - nothing will make up for the loss of Jonny Flynn, Paul Harris and Eric Devendorf. Expect Andy Rautins to miss a few games while visiting BFF Cheddar Bob in Slovenia.

8. Cincinnati - brings back essentially the same team in a much weaker conference.

9. Seton Hall - see above.

10. St. John's - lost no one. This would be the best finish for Norm Roberts, who was hired at the same time as JT3. How he has kept his job is nothing short of a miracle.

11. Notre Dame - the return of Luke Harangody means nothing, the overrated Brey will be on the hot seat after another disappointing finish.

12. Rutgers - Mike Rosario has a breakout season.

13. Marquette - lost its three best players, nothing will fill the void.

14. South Florida - lost best player, Jesus Verdejo, who also happens to have the greatest name ever. Nothing hits the spot better than Jesus Wine.

15. Providence - lost five of the eight main players from last year's overachieving team.

16. DePaul - lost the only good player from an 0-18 team. Expect negative wins from this squad this season.

Good talk.