SB Nation - Marquette Golden Eagles

In a Perfect World (Conference Realignment)

Evan Pfaff — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:30:13 -0000

by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Could a University of Houston QB be soon hoisting the Big 12 Championship trophy? (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Today the Big Ten conference issued a statement that they are exploring the possibility of expanding.

Every few years we hear the same rumblings and every few years there are articles published about what realignment would look like. But not since Penn State was admitted into the Big Ten has anything official been released. With that, below is the definitive article on the topic.

And even though this is a basketball blog, I will focus on the BCS aspect of realignment to argue my points. I will discuss basketball, though, and all points held for football can loosely translate over to hoops as well.

Currently there are six BCS conferences and those 6 all get automatic BCS-bowl bids. Those conferences are Big East, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10, ACC. Of those six, three of the conferences have enough football teams to have a conference championship game (the Big East would have enough if more of their charter schools had D1 football programs).

Part of the BCS issue is that you have some conferences without 12 schools, who don't currently have conference championship games. Adding conference championship games will ultimately help the BCS by crowing, on a field, a true conference champ. This will help with BCS bowl bids, and especially the BCS championship game. (Think of a rule where you have to at least win your division to get a BCS bid.

The other BCS issue is of the non-BCS schools and where they should lie. My realignment program take that into account.

Without further ado, after The Jump is the Big12Hoops.com Realignment plan.

MIZZOU MOVES TO THE BIG 10.

Why is this good for the Big 10? By admitting Mizzou into the Big 10, the Big 10 would secure a coveted TV market, namely St Louis. They would also get a share of the Kansas City TV market. By expanding westward, revenues from the Big 10 Network and apparel sales would grow. The Big 10 would also secure a 12^th team and legitimize a conference championship game. The divisions would be as follow:

Big 10 East: Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Purdue, Penn State

Big 10 West: Mizzou, Illinois, Northwestern, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa

Under this scenario all regional rivalries remain in tact

Why is this good for Mizzou? The Big 12 seems to forget about schools not named Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas (basketball). There is no television network, so Mizzou's games are generally only regionally shown. There is Big Monday for basketball, but that is mainly reserved for Texas and KU. Under this, Mizzou's football games could be carried on the Big 10 Network and basketball games will be tied into the Big 10 ESPN deal. All this leads to a major recruiting advantage in both revenue generating sports.

Mizzou also has a rival in Illinois that would heat up instantly and the heated rivalry with Kansas will replace the Illinois basketball and football games on the schedules. Instead of St Louis, though, the KU games will be played at the Sprint Center and Arrowhead in KC.

But what about... Iowa State? The Cyclones seem to also be a natural fit and could easily add fuel to the rivalry with in-state foe Iowa Hawkeyes. The problem is that the Big 10 gains little from that arrangement. They are already pretty entrenched in the Hawkeye State and the addition of ISU wouldn't help their regional or national reputation.

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON JOINS THE BIG XII

Why is this good for the Big 12? The University of Houston is a large campus, in a region of Texas that is currently underdeveloped with college sports. Houston is the 4^th largest city in the country, and by planting a team there, the Big 12 will get even more Texas viewership.

The big question would be on alignment, since there will now be 5 Texas schools. My proposal is for

Big 12 "North": Nebraska, Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State

Big 12 "South": Texas, Houston, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Baylor, Colorado

The division names will have to be rebranded, but adding Colorado to the South is acceptable because Coloradoans joke that there are more Texans in the state than natives.

Why is this good for Houston? Historically, the Cougars have had a good football team, and have won a basketball national championship. Having a Big XII logo on their court will increase their recruiting presence in the city and state and potentially turn them into powerhouse.

But what about... TCU? TCU would be a good choice, if they were bigger. Their 8000 student just wouldn't cut it if the conference wishes to remain the BIG 12. Houston's enrollment is approximately 30,000 students. Commuter school or not, Houston would help retain the "Big" in Big 12.

BYU AND UTAH GO TO THE PAC-10

Why is this good for the Pac-10? By including Utah and BYU into the Pac-10, the conference will have the 12 schools needed for an automatic conference championship games. Both programs have historically legitimate football and basketball programs, and they will bring their rivalry with them. Geographically, they are far enough West to warrant admission into the conference.

The division would be as follows

Pac-10 North: Washington, Washington State, Oregon, Oregon State, BYU, Utah

Pac-10 South: Arizona, Arizona State, California, Stanford, UCLA, USC

Why is this good for BYU and Utah? Both recruit well from the West, and inclusion into the conference will aid that. And by coming over as a pair (and as rivals) they bring legitimacy to the expansion eastward.

But what about... geography? The state of Utah doesn't border any states of current Pac-10 members, and that may cause some issues, but distance isn't really something the conference has ever regarded. Consider that Tucson, AZ to Seattle, WA is 1100 miles, or 400 miles farther than Tucson to Provo, UT.

ADD MORE TEAMS TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST

Why is this good for the Mountain West? As it stands under this scenario, the Mountain West is down to 7 members (the current 9, minus BYU and Utah). To get up with the big boys, the MWC needs to add 5 schools. The 5 that should move to the MWC should be: Boise State, Nevada, New Mexico State, Rice, SMU.

There is already talk of Boise coming over to the MWC, so that is a no brainer. The others are coming over as "rivals" to existing MWC schools. Nevada will face UNLV, New Mexico State will pair with New Mexico, Rice and SMU will pit against TCU is a three-way battle for Texas.

Having 12 schools will allow the conference to host a championship game, matching the winners of each division, which would be as follows:

MWC North: UNLV, Nevada, Air Force, Wyoming, Colorado State, Boise State

MWC South: San Diego State, New Mexico, New Mexico State, TCU, Rice, SMU

Why is this good for the 5 programs? The shift from either the C-USA or WAC will legitimize the programs (see the next point). All will also enter the new MWC with a foe. Everyone wins.

But what about... the MWC still remaining relatively minute as compared to their BCS brethren? Why would these schools shift from one conference to another, just for shits and giggles? See next point.

ADMIT THE MOUNTAIN WEST INTO THE BCS

Why is this good for the BCS? Controversy will mainly be avoided. By admitting the redesigned MWC into the BCS you are accepting the current BCS gate crashers. You are bringing in the current at-large schools causing heartache and giving yourself another conference champion that the country can latch onto.

Why is this good for the MWC? Why isn't it good for the MWC?

But what about... the C-USA and WAC? These two conferences are now in shambles. What to do? See next item.

MERGE THE C-USA AND WAC

Why is this good for the two conferences? Because of the success of some of their schools, and regional ability to move, the Conference USA and WAC are currently left in shambles (under this proposal). Essentially afterthoughts as they are, now they are left with 15 schools between them. They could either split them up 8 and 7 or combine forces and form a 15 league mega conference. In terms of basketball, as we have seen with the Big East, and their 16 school hoops conference, too many schools doesn't water down the pool.

But what about... regionality? The C-USA is currently a conglomerate of throw-ins from around the country. Under this plan, that would just increase to a truly national conference. The members of it would be: Fresno St, Hawaii, Idaho, La Tech, San Jose St, Utah St, UTEP, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, Cent Florida, ECU, Marshall, Memphis, Southern Miss

Using the scenario outlined above, 18 schools will change conferences. This sounds like a lot, but as you can see many will be moving as groups and either with or to a rival.

But what about the Big East? Well, the Big East is the one conference I am leaving alone. In their football world, they are lacking the 12 members to create a championship game. But when you include their basketball members, they are a 16-team powerhouse.

One final thought. I reserve the right to claim this entire scenario null and void if Notre Dame ever decides to join the Big 10. If that were to happen, I would still endorse some shifting, but nothing to the extent of this proposal. More on that if a Notre Dame to the Big 10 rumor starts getting some legitimate traction.

Blue Christmas coming early?

Adam Hoge — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 07:05:41 -0000

More photos » by Andy Manis - AP

Just two days after returning home to play the Badgers at the Kohl Center, Jeronne Maymon left the Marquette basketball team. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

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Maymon's departure from Marquette, UW's interest in JUCO guard leaves door open for Memorial star to reconsider Badgers

Consider it another bizarre chapter in the recruitment of one Madison's best high school basketball players ever. On the same day rumors started to swirl about a fourth recruit being added to Bo Ryan's 2010 class, Vander Blue's best friend -- and one of his biggest reasons for choosing Marquette -- left the Golden Eagles' basketball program.

Just hours after Marquette announced the departure of freshman Jeronne Maymon, fans from Madison to Milwaukee were wondering just one question: Will Vander Blue still go to Marquette?

In a somewhat shocking event, Maymon -- the former Madison Memorial star who was named Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball last season -- decided to leave the Marquette men's basketball program Monday, just 10 games into his career.

"We want to thank Jeronne for his contributions to the program while he was here and wish him the best of luck in the future," head coach Buzz Williams said in a statement Monday.

Maymon and Blue -- the senior standout at Memorial who decommitted from Wisconsin over the summer before signing a letter of intent with Marquette last month -- are very close friends. Blue cited Maymon as a big reason why he chose the Golden Eagles.

That's why it is no surprise that many fans are wondering how this news will affect Blue, but the early indications from his family point to him honoring his commitment to Marquette.

"The Blue family has no comment on (Maymon's decision to quit the team)," Rita Blue, Vander's mother, told Wissports.net. "It has nothing to do with Vander or myself, and it has no direct affect on Vander at all. Vander is going to Marquette. End of story."

Still, when a guy already waffled on his college choice to begin with, it's hard to believe that this is really the end of the story.

So could Blue end up in Madison afterall?

Maybe, but there are two big problems: 1) Vander already signed his letter of intent to attend Marquette. He could be granted a release from his scholarship, but why would Buzz Williams grant the release if Blue was going to end up with the Badgers? And 2) As of right now, Wisconsin doesn't have any scholarships available for next season after Evan Anderson, Josh Gasser and Duje Dukan signed letters of intent with Wisconsin in November.

Believe it or not, the second issue might be easier to fix than you may think. Rivals.com reported Monday that Wisconsin is very interested in adding junior college point guard Lazeric Jones (John A. Logan CC), who played his high school ball at Simeon High School in Chicago.

"I'm not 100 percent sure I have an offer from Wisconsin yet," Jones told Rivals.com. "I've been in touch with the Badger coaching staff for a few months now. We've been working on setting up a time where I can take an unofficial visit up there. Obviously, I'll be waiting until the late signing period."

Jones' comment about not being sure if he has a scholarship offer is very interesting. He can't have an offer because Wisconsin doesn't have one to offer right now, unless the coaching staff knows something we don't. The late signing period isn't until April and a lot can happen between now and then. A current player could transfer or leave the program before the season is over. And let's not forget that fall semester grades come out soon and we've seen players transfer during winter break because of academic problems or other reasons (DeAaron Williams and Mickey Perry).

What we do know is that the interest in Jones is serious and mutual. He will visit Wisconsin within the next two weeks, according to a source. He already has offers from UCLA and Nevada and will make a visit to UCLA Dec. 20.

But the big news here is that if Bo Ryan is already considering a junior college transfer, that means there is a real possibility of a fourth scholarship opening up. And the way Vander Blue's recruitment has gone, if there is even the remote possibility of an open scholarship at Wisconsin, Blue's name is going to be linked to it no matter what his mother says.

But will Maymon's departure make Blue think twice? And would he be granted a release from his scholarship?

There are way too many questions right now, but if Bo Ryan's phone rings and Vander is on the line, he has to listen, right?

Badgers earn bragging rights in win over Marquette

Jbharris87 — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:14:01 -0000

More photos » by Andy Manis - AP

Jason Bohannon blocks a shot from behind during Wisconsin's 72-63 victory over Marquette Saturday at the Kohl Center. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

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MADISON, Wis. -- After a stunning overtime loss to UW-Green Bay Wednesday night, the Wisconsin men's basketball team suddenly found itself in danger of dropping two straight games to in-state rivals.

The upset loss three days ago appeared to have no ill effect on the collective psyche of the Badgers, however, as they raced to a 17-point first-half lead and held on to preserve a 72-63 victory over Marquette at the Kohl Center.

Junior forward Jon Leuer said the loss to a smaller system school motivated the team as it prepared for the Golden Eagles.

"That one definitely stung a bit," Leuer said. "We wanted to get that taste out of our mouths. We were just looking forward to getting back on the court."

The Badgers got off to a hot start, shooting 58 percent from the field in the first half. They led by nine at the break and then kept pace with Marquette throughout the second period to win by the same margin.

Golden Eagles head coach Buzz Williams said he believes his team's approach during the first few minutes sealed its fate.

"We didn't handle the excitement in the right way initially," Williams said. "You can't play from behind against a great team."

Wisconsin senior point guard Trevon Hughes said his team's attitude heading into the game was not at all similar to the overconfidence with which it approached Green Bay.

"We had a lot more energy today," Hughes said. "We knew we had to win this game."

Leuer was nothing short of dominant against an undersized Marquette roster. He finished with 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting, with 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. He only saw the bench for two minutes.

Leuer said using his size advantage was part of the script.

"We definitely knew that we wanted to get the ball inside," Leuer said. "The guards did a great job of getting us the ball down low."

Head coach Bo Ryan credited Leuer's improvement as a player with his increased role in point production.

"He worked hard to get open in the post, he cut hard, and he is stronger this year," Ryan said. "He's getting in position a little better and he gets rewarded because his teammates know that he can do something with [the ball] when he gets it."

As for Leuer's teammates, Wisconsin's guards were again effective, as they have been most of this season. Ryan employed a three-guard lineup at times, which has been a common occurrence this year. Jordan Taylor came off the bench and was on the floor simultaneously with Hughes and Jason Bohannon for several stretches.

The results were positive. Hughes and Taylor scored 13 points apiece and combined for five assists. Hughes continued to drive to the basket and get to the charity stripe, where he attempted 12 free throws.

Ryan was particularly impressed with Taylor, which has been demonstrated by the sophomore's significant playing time in big games this season, and the young guard never turned the ball over Saturday.

"He's as tough-minded as any player I've ever coached," Ryan said. "He doesn't waver. He knows what needs to get done. He's going to take care of the ball."

The performances of Leuer and of the three guards were all part of a solid offensive day for the Badgers, who turned the ball over just seven times. Wisconsin has now scored at least 70 points in each of its last five games. Three of those games were wins over Maryland, Duke and, now, Marquette. That is an encouraging trend, considering many wondered where the Badgers' scoring would come from this season. They have answered their critics thus far, averaging 71.7 points per game.

Forward Lazar Hayward led the scoring for Marquette, with 21 inefficient points on 8-of-21 shooting. Hayward scored 15 of those points in the second half and also led the team with 12 rebounds. He never sat and was one of only two Golden Eagles in double figures.

Wisconsin got Marquette in foul trouble early. Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom both fouled out in the waning minutes of the game, while Maurice Acker committed four infractions and three other Golden Eagles played with three fouls each. The Badgers made more free throws (23-of-33) than Marquette attempted (21).

"You can't let a team attempt 33 free throws," Williams said. "I don't know if you can win on the road or at home, regardless of the opponent, doing that."

Hughes said the disparity in foul shooting is something Wisconsin needs to see more of as the season progresses.

"That's Wisconsin basketball, trying to make more free throws than opponents attempt," Hughes said.

The Golden Eagles shot 41 percent from the field and put up 32 points in each half. They were never able to take the lead, much less make any kind of game-changing run, despite cutting into the Badgers' edge several times. It wasn't enough to overcome the early hole they had dug for themselves. The opening minutes featured poor shot selection by Marquette, and the Badgers pulled down 20 defensive rebounds, many of them easy collections of Golden Eagle bricks.

"We got them to take some tough shots," Leuer said. "Any time you're doing that, you give yourself a good chance to be successful."

This was the first of five straight home games for Wisconsin, which hopes to head into Big Ten play on New Year's Eve with ten wins, including top-of-the-resume victories over Arizona, Maryland, Duke and Marquette.

With the way this team has played against top competition in the early going, there is every reason to believe it will dispatch Cal Poly with considerable more ease than the football team did on the gridiron last year, when the Mustangs come to the Kohl Center Wednesday night.

-Jake Harris

Barry Alvarez's Big Ten Expansion Talk Has A Logistical Problem

Oops Pow Surprise — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:00:20 -0000

For years, the Big Ten has been struggling with just what the hell to do about the whole "11 team in the conference" thing. It's made the BXI a bit of an anomaly, being that it's the only I-A conference without either a conference championship game (SEC, Big XII, MAC, C-USA, ACC) or a round-robin schedule (Big East, Pac-10, MWC, WAC, Sun Belt). After all, when it comes to automatic bowl bids, you'd want the conference to, y'know, pick the right team, right?

Well... maybe not. As Jim Delaney will be more than happy to remind you, the Big Ten has this funny habit of sending two teams to the BCS nearly every single season--and grabbing more of that filthy BCS lucre. So until a championship game nets as much money as a second BCS bid (a little under $5 million for the conference for the second team) or the conference slips enough to stop consistently sending the second team, the impetus isn't exactly strong to expand.

Barry Alvarez didn't get that memo, though; according to ESPN, he's priming Wisconsin for the prospect of having another baby in the family:

Speaking to Wisconsin's athletic board on Friday, Alvarez, the former longtime Badgers football coach, said the conference already has investigated possibilities for expansion "from all over the country." And though he places no timetable on the search, Alvarez thinks conference commissioner Jim Delany will respond to a group of athletic directors and coaches who want expansion.

"I have a sense he is going to take this year to really be more aggressive about it," Alvarez told the board. "I just think everybody feels [expansion] is the direction to go, coaches and administrators."

All of this makes lots of sense; when teams miss two fellow conference members a year on a weird rotating schedule. A 12-team, two-division setup would simplify matters dramatically and eliminate any prospect of a 2002 scenario (and yes, we know OSU won the title; Iowa would have smoked that Buckeye team).

But if it were that cut-and-dried, it would have happened already. And there's one screaming bulletproof bitchgoblin of a problem in front of the prospect of expansion: logistics.

Here's a map of the Big Ten members:

There's a pretty obvious geographic division inherent in this setup; we've used the modern power of "Computer Internet" to make it more conspicuous:

Yeah. That's five to the west, six to the east. Moreover, there's really no moving that line east without disrupting the Michigan or Indiana rivalries. That's straight out of the question; Jim Delany may be ambitious, but he's far from an idiot.

Thus a problem: the most natural candidates for expansion are teams like Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Rutgers. Cincinnati or Kentucky if we're drunk enough to tell ourselves they'll work on academics. And they're all on the east side of that divide. That line might as well be a Berlin Wall. Go ahead, try to add any of those teams and show us where the new line is.

On the west, though, there aren't nearly as many possible candidates; moreover, they're basically all in the Big 12. So unless we want to bump Marquette or Wisconsin-Green Bay to I-A (err, FBS or whatever)--and what fun that'd be--it's time to start thinking about a little old-fashioned thievin'.

Iowa State is probably right out; they're a decent academic school, but they don't do much in terms of adding media attention. Further, their only real potential rival would be Iowa, and that gets its own special treatment already.

There's probably no way Nebraska leaves, and the two Kansas schools are likely too far away.

But what about Missouri? They've already got some bad blood with Illinois, and I kind of think the Iowa-Missouri thing could get real entertaining, real quick. Something about states that border Iowa that make them hate us. Feels fun. It brings the St. Louis media market into play, and a little less so Kansas City. St. Louis is probably more than enough. They're ranked as the #102 university in the country; not great, and it'd be the worst in the Big 10 Which Is Actually 12. But it's hardly an embarrassment, and merely aligning with the BXI could prop that ranking up to the standards of the rest of the conference.

Of course, that all depends on whether Missouri actually, y'know, wants to leave the Big XII. The Big 10 would have to make the case that it's in the school's best interest to join our conference instead and make it convincing enough that Delany doesn't have to go through the embarrassment of Missouri triumphantly announcing that they're staying in "the best conference in the land" or whatever they'd declare the Big XII to be in that scenario. Frankly, none of us have the stomach for that.

Philosophically, the case has already been made for expansion, and emphatically so. I don't think anyone's going to argue against a 12th team because 11 would be better than 12 for a conference. That's all settled. I just can't figure out who, aside from Missouri, would make any sense from a purely practical standpoint.

Or we could just say "screw it" and add Cornell.

[UPDATE: I'm fanposting it above this, but just to have it in the article: there's some good, interesting reaction from the Missouri POV over at Rock M Nation. Varied responses, as you might expect. Go check it out.--OPS]

NC State 77, Marquette 73 -- Cue The Happy Dance

Akula Wolf — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:44:09 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

Heart. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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Four Factors	NC State	Marquette
eFG%	59.8	44.7
Turnover Rate	17.5	21.9
Off Reb Rate	32.3	46.5
FT Rate	35.7	27.3

	Pts	Poss	OFF_EFF	DEF_EFF
MU	73	68.5	106.5	112.4
NCSU	77	68.5	112.4	106.5

Box Score

Wow:

NCSU Offense	OFF EFF	eFG%	TO%	OR%	FTR
1st Half	79.6	41.1	25.5	33.3	7.1
2nd Half	140.2	78.6	10.8	30.8	64.3

-- State hit 20-of-28 field goal attempts in the second half, including 4-of-4 from outside, and took great care of the basketball. Needless to say, they were crazy-efficient at the offensive end, averaging 1.4 points per trip. And they would've been even better than that had they hit more free throws.

-- The Macrowave woke up in a huge way, scoring 17 points on 8-10 shooting in the final 20 minutes, while Javi was a perfect 4-4 from the field en route to a 12-point half. I think those were two of the finest halves those guys have ever put together.

-- Josh Davis hustled his way to 9 points, 6 boards (4 offensive), and 2 steals in 16 minutes. Dennis Horner carried the Wolfpack through the first half and Farnold Degand provided a nice spark in his first game back.

-- It was a good defensive effort save the rebounding. Turnovers were a huge key in the second half; State forced a few early miscues to help get the rally going, and Marquette ended up with 10 second half turnovers to the Pack's 4. Between the poor shooting and 27% turnover rate, the Golden Eagles averaged less than a point per possession in the 2nd.

Previewing Marquette

Akula Wolf — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:31:06 -0000

More photos » by Phelan M. Ebenhack - AP

26 days ago: Michigan's Eso Akunne, left, fouls Marquette's Lazar Hayward, center, as teammate Anthony Wright helps during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Old Spice Classic tournament in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. Marquette won 79-65. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

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2009 Scouting Report / 2009 Game Plan
2009 Stats
2010 Roster
2010 Schedule

Marquette Offense '08-'09

Four Factors	Percent	Nat'l Rank
eFG%	51.2	85
Turnover Rate	16.5	11
Off Reb Rate	34.8	97
FTA/FGA	45.4	12

NC State bested Marquette in three of the four factors in their meeting last season but lost a close game thanks to a -8 turnover margin. This year's Golden Eagles profile about the same--their offense takes good care of the ball, while their defense steals the ball with great frequency--so the first step in avoiding the same outcome is keeping that margin closer to zero.

The second step is finding some way to slow the versatile Lazar Hayward. Marquette figured to take a performance hit after the departures of Jerel McNeal, Dominic James, and Wesley Matthews, three experienced, effiicient, and heavily-involved contributors a year ago. Instead they've hardly missed a beat in the early going, thanks largely (very largely) to Hayward's efforts, who has essentially told Buzz Williams, hey no sweat, I'll still do my thing and I'll replace one of those other guys on top of it.

	ORtg	eFG%	%Poss	%Shots
Hayward '09	114.1	53.0	24.0	27.2
Hayward '10	111.7	48.6	35.7	44.7

Remember, the average player uses 20% of his team's possessions and takes 20% of the shots. Hayward is pulling double duty, averaging 26 field goal attempts per 40 minutes, and has somehow managed to handle that efficiently, which is fucking insane. I suspect he is a robot. If he keeps this up in conference play, there's no way he is of this earth.

Anyway, my team of scientists here at BTP world headquarters has concluded that you will want to keep an eye on this dude.

Starters

David Cubillan (6-0, 175) -- After a dreadful year as a reserve in 2009, Cubillan's handling the move into the starting lineup about as well as could be hoped. But he hardly got a shot in edge-wise last season (13% of the shots) and that hasn't changed, so he probably won't be a significant factor.

Darius Johnson-Odom (6-2, 200) -- A juco transfer who played his high school ball at Wakefield in Raleigh. He's the only starter aside from Hayward taking more than 20% of the shots and he's been outstanding from three (15-30).

Dwight Buycks (6-3, 190) -- His value extends well beyond the court, as his last name, pronounced "bikes," allows for such headlines as Marquette Rides Buycks To 76-58 Win Over NC State.

Jimmy Butler (6-6, 215) -- Absurdly efficient with a really light workload a year ago, Butler's upped his involvement in the offense considerably this season and remains absurdly efficient. He does the majority of his shooting inside the arc and does it well, he's an excellent offensive rebounder, and he earns frequent trips to the free throw line.

Lazar Hayward (6-6, 225) -- In addition to all that fancypants scoring, which he likes to do from all over the floor, Hayward rebounds well at both ends of the floor, never turns the ball over, and oh yeah, has doubled his assist rate in '10.

Bench

Maurice Acker (5-8, 165), Jeronne Maymon (6-6, 250), Joseph Fulce (6-7, 205). Acker got heavy minutes as a freshman at Ball State in 2006 but found himself buried behind McNeal and James once he got to Marquette. Shot poorly as a freshman, well as a sophomore, poorly as a junior, and well again to this point in his senior year. Who knows with this guy. You're up, you're down, Maurice! Makes me want to pull my hair out, so I shaved my head.

Maymon and Fulce aren't likely to be too involved with the scoring.

Marquette Defense '08-'09

Four Factors	Percent	Nat'l Rank
eFG%	50.9	252
Turnover Rate	21.1	122
Off Reb Rate	30.7	85
FTA/FGA	30.1	38

The Golden Eagles lost several tall guys after the 2008 season and did not start a player taller than 6-6 in 2009, and not surprisingly their interior D went right out the window. Marquette opponents hit 50.3% of their twos. The Eagles defense held it together by forcing turnovers and limiting both offensive boards and free throw attempts.

Florida State Overcomes 17 Point Deficit to Defeat Marquette in Old Spice Classic Championship

TrueCubbie — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:29:03 -0000

It wasn't pretty but they got the job done and earned a tournament championship. For the second year in a row, the Seminoles won their OOC championship. Last year they defeated the like of Cincinnati and California in the Global Sports Challenge in Las Vegas. If you have access to EPSN360, try and check out this game; it will show you the character of this team.

This was the fourth game in six nights for the Seminoles. The previous three games were low scoring affairs against teams that played a consistent full court press that certainly drained the legs of the Seminoles. It showed. The Golden Eagles out hustled the Seminoles, grabbing loose rebounds and playing press man to man defense. They collapsed on anyone in the post and were over playing the ball.

At the half, Marquette led 30 to 18 and the Seminoles had 13 turnovers. Alabi and Reid combined for 6 turnovers in the first half. Neither team shot well in the first half, shooting in the high 20/low 30% mark. Each time the Seminoles would show life, Marquette would respond and extend their lead. Alabi was ineffective on the offensive end in the first half due to Marquette's defense. He wasn't able to get great position and put the ball on the floor too far away from the basket. This allowed Marquette's smaller guards to force turnovers. Defensively, he continued to shut down the paint. However, Alabi wasn't able to contribute to breaking the press. Too often, he was caught in the middle of the court with no one to pass to. Granted, he should not be the one who ends up with the ball in that situation. Given the limited effectiveness of the big men on offense and how they were being beat off the dribble and run around by Marquette, Hamilton went small.

With about 11:50 to go in the second half, the Seminoles started to claw their way back into the game. Derwin Kitchen hit a huge three point shot that seemed to spark the Seminoles offense. This started the exhausting effort to get back into the game. The Seminoles capitalized on the fact that Marquette started to get tired. The Seminoles showed new life on defense and Jordan Demercy played a long stretch of minutes and had an energizing dunk off a no look Loucks pass.

By the end of the game, both teams looked absolutely exhausted. Marquette only played 8 players. Florida State went 9 deep. However, all the time during this run, Solomon Alabi was on the bench. Plus, Chris Singleton had to sit out due to foul trouble until the last few minutes of the game. The turnovers by the Seminoles big men was the blessing in disguise. As Marquette's legs wore out, they missed more and more, allowing Alabi and Singleton to grab key rebounds.

The last minute of play was back and forth play that led to Solomon Alabi making up for his relatively quiet tournament. With 25 seconds to go, the Seminoles were down by one. As they set up in the half court offense, Alabi established good position on the low block and received a nice inlet pass. Marquette was late to double on Alabi, allowing him to land a nice turnaround jumper to put the Seminoles up 57-56. If Marquette had doubled, he had the height advantage to find the defender. Given his good position and that they didn't double, he had the option to hit the game winner. Alabi had two key baskets down the stretch and the fact that he rested for most of the second half gave him a significant advantage. He turned very quickly to make the last shot. In the first half, he was slow to turn and felt compelled to put the ball on the floor. Not this time.

With 11.9 seconds to go, Marquette had one last possession that resulted in an errant pass into Marquette's bench. A couple of inbounds plays later...Seminoles win. Chris Singleton earned player of the game. He had an outstanding tournament. During the tournament, he averaged 15 points and 7.6 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block per game. In the championship game, he had 18 points and 10 rebounds with four steals.

The Seminoles were able to endure through this game and earn the victory, showing their heart to fight through a huge deficit to a team that was playing great defense. As exciting as this win was, the Seminoles still have a lot of work to do. They have proven that they can go small and be effective. Snaer who had a very quiet stat sheet played a very nice game especially on the defensive end. He, unfortunately, missed a number of wide open looks from behind the arc and rushed a number of shots around the basket. He played a deceptively large roll in helping the Seminoles win this tournament. Like the rest of this team, there is work to be done.

The Seminoles get two days off before they head to Columbus, Ohio to take on a very good Ohio State team. With this victory, FSU has the opportunity to beat an SEC, Big East and Big Ten team in the off-season. Ohio State is a very balanced team and it will be a hostile crowd in Columbus.

The Seminoles earned this victory tonight. Congrats to Coach Hamilton and the rest of the Seminoles for winning the Old Spice Classic Tournament. Well done.

NCAA Basketball Stats

RPI WATCH: 11/27/09

BracketCat — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:00:26 -0000

Five future K-State opponents were in action yesterday, as the holiday tournaments kicked into overdrive.

Find out who knocked off a ranked team, who won the battle between two future opponents and who flopped again in Alaska after the jump.

If for some reason you absolutely need to know up-to-date numbers, I get them here.

Current Kansas State RPI = 30

Current Kansas State SOS = 50

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Dayton

Solid Wins (RPI 51-100) = Loyola

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (3-1) | RPI = 54
Western Illinois (2-3) | RPI = 125
Boston (1-4) | RPI = 141
Ole Miss (4-1) | RPI = 76
No. 18 Dayton (2-2) | RPI = 32
IUPUI (5-1) | RPI = 56
Fort Hays State (3-0)
Washington State (4-0) | RPI = 164
Xavier (3-1) | RPI = 140: Loss to Marquette (71-61)
UNLV (4-0) | RPI = 3
Alabama (3-1) | RPI = 76: Win over Baylor (79-76)
UAPB (0-3) | RPI = 166
Cleveland State (3-3) | RPI = 201
South Dakota (2-3)
Missouri (3-0) | RPI = 283
Texas A&M (4-0) | RPI = 27: Win over No. 19 Clemson (69-60)
Colorado (4-2) | RPI = 127
No. 3 Texas (4-0) | RPI = 71
Oklahoma State (4-0) | RPI = 22
Baylor (4-1) | RPI = 146: Loss to Alabama (79-76)
No. 1 Kansas (4-0) | RPI = 50
Nebraska (3-1) | RPI = 126
Iowa State (5-0) | RPI = 187
No. 25 Oklahoma (2-3) | RPI = 192: Loss to Houston (100-93)
Texas Tech (6-0) | RPI = 94

RPI WATCH: 11/25/09

BracketCat — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:00:14 -0000

Quite a few of our conference brethren were in action last night — albeit largely against inferior competition — and a few of our non-conference opponents were, as well.

Updates from Tuesday's games can be found after the jump.

If for some reason you absolutely need to know up-to-date numbers, I get them here.

Current Kansas State RPI = 33

Current Kansas State SOS = 51

Great Wins (RPI 1-50) = Dayton

Solid Wins (RPI 51-100) = Loyola

Bad Losses (RPI 100 or greater) = none

Loyola (3-1) | RPI = 54
Western Illinois (2-3) | RPI = 125: Loss at Savannah State (52-48)
Boston (1-4) | RPI = 141
Ole Miss (4-1) | RPI = 76
No. 18 Dayton (2-2) | RPI = 32
IUPUI (4-1) | RPI = 75
Fort Hays State (3-0): Win at Nebraska-Kearney (75-60)
Washington State (3-0) | RPI = 140
Xavier (3-0) | RPI = 79
UNLV (3-0) | RPI = 1
Alabama (2-1) | RPI = 186
UAPB (0-3) | RPI = 166
Cleveland State (3-2) | RPI = 265: Loss to No. 5 Kentucky (73-49)
South Dakota (2-3): Loss to Marquette (93-68)
Missouri (3-0) | RPI = 283: Win over Chattanooga (99-56)
Texas A&M (3-0) | RPI = 135
Colorado (3-2) | RPI = 193: Loss to Arizona (91-87 in OT)
No. 3 Texas (4-0) | RPI = 71: Win over Pittsburgh (78-62)
Oklahoma State (4-0) | RPI = 22: Win over Prairie View A&M (80-58)
Baylor (4-0) | RPI = 60
No. 1 Kansas (3-0) | RPI = 46
Nebraska (3-1) | RPI = 126: Win over UMKC (70-48)
Iowa State (5-0) | RPI = 187: Win over Tennessee State (84-53)
No. 17 Oklahoma (2-1) | RPI = 65
Texas Tech (6-0) | RPI = 94: Win at Stephen F. Austin (63-61)

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