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College Basketball Preview - Big East Conference

Fri 4th, November 2011

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -

OUTLOOK: While conferences continue to shuffle the deck with current members and potential partners being herded around in a revolving door, one thing is for certain and that is the Big East, at least from a basketball perspective, will again be tough to bring down.

They said it couldn't be done, but of the 68 teams that comprised the 2011 NCAA Tournament, 11 were from the bountiful Big East Conference. Of the 16 programs in the league, all but five advanced to the biggest party of them all and at the end of the day one of them was still left standing as the UConn Huskies made an improbable, incredible and epic run for a third national title under head coach Jim Calhoun. If the rest of the league and the nation was stunned in March and April of this year, just imagine how they are feeling now that the Huskies are considered the heavy favorite to capture the Big East's regular-season title in 2011-12?

While coach Calhoun again has the huge bulls eye on his back, he is not alone in being the hunted as both Louisville and Syracuse also appear to have what it takes to make a serious run at history. All three schools definitely have one thing in common and that is easily recognizable coaches who tend to squeeze every last breath out of their players. The Cardinals have Rick Pitino and the Orange take orders from Jim Boeheim both of whom, along with Calhoun, deserve to be on a Mount Rushmore of Big East coaches.

Pittsburgh has the player that many consider to be the cream of the crop in the conference, but too many times the Panthers have been hyped far beyond what they deserve and this might again be one of those times, although you never know until the actual games are played.

Before the rest of the league members get their hopes up, believing "it" can happen to any one of them, they must remember that UConn had been under the microscope previously and that the Orange has brought home the trophy already, so experience has a lot to do with success in this league.

Even though only one team can claim to be the very best in the conference, as last year showed, there are plenty of NCAA party invitations to go around for the Big East.

CONFERENCE CHAMPION: Connecticut

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: 1. Connecticut; 2. Louisville; 3. Syracuse; 4. Pittsburgh; 5. Cincinnati; 6. Marquette; 7. West Virginia; 8. Notre Dame; 9. Villanova; 10. Georgetown; 11. Rutgers; 12. St. John's; 13. USF; 14. Seton Hall; 15. Providence; 16. DePaul

TEAM BY TEAM ANALYSIS:

CONNECTICUT: Nobody saw it coming and if they said they did they're bold-faced liars. The Huskies weren't expected to do much last season, especially with many of the other Big East members making plans to meet again in the NCAA Tournament, but there were glimpses of what could be when the team opened 2010-11 on a 10-game win streak. Mind you, most of those triumphs were blowouts against Vermont, Stony Brook, UMBC, Coppin State and the like, and as soon as the team first suited up against a conference foe is was shocked into reality. Connecticut was thumped at Pittsburgh and then had to go to overtime to take down USF, and that was reason enough to think that coach Calhoun was playing with smoke and mirrors. There were some minor success runs later in the season, but towards the end it appeared the Huskies were running on fumes, losing four of their last five regular season games. Then a funny thing happened at Madison Square Garden as the Huskies crushed DePaul in the first round of the Big East Tournament, knocked out Georgetown in the second, slipped by Pittsburgh next, survived an overtime scare versus Syracuse and finally kicked aside Louisville in the title game to give the then underdogs five wins in five days. Surely the Huskies had to be exhausted and were bound to bounce out of the NCAA Tournament rather early, but the magic lingered. Down went Bucknell, so too was Cincinnati dispatched, followed by San Diego State and Arizona in order to reach the Final Four. Now UConn had to be ready to give in, but it never happened as the team eeked out a one-point win over Kentucky in the semifinals and then stunned the nation with a 53-41 triumph over Butler in the title game to give coach Calhoun his third national championship. Even the casual observer knew of tournament MVP Kemba Walker as he led the team in scoring in every game from March on, finishing with 23.5 ppg. Walker may be gone, but the good news is that the Huskies have plenty of returning starters and countless lettermen who have already proven their tenacity and resolve as one of the most remarkable squads in college basketball history. More often than not, Jeremy Lamb was simply trying to exist in the world that Walker was creating, but along the way he found the opportunity to deliver 11.1 ppg, which makes him the top returning scorer for the Huskies. With defenses so focused on Walker, Lamb was able to find subtle breaks and exploit them to his advantage, something that might not be as easily done this year. Alex Oriakhi played the beast in the paint for the Huskies, responsible for 9.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per outing, adding 67 blocked shots as he dared opposing players to take their best shot down low where they were bound to get up close and personal with the center. Shabazz Napier (7.8 ppg) provided steady play coming off the bench as he dealt 124 assists and made 66 steals, although his mere 37 percent shooting from the floor is something to be worried about if the lack of accuracy carries over to this season. Roscoe Smith (6.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg) also brings quite a bit of experience after starting 33 games, although you have to wonder if he worked on his shooting since April when he finished with just 38.3 percent accuracy from the floor. Giving the Huskies a shot in the arm down low is incoming freshman center Andre Drummond who is an incredible, physical specimen who stands 6-11 and was courted by several other Big East programs before siding with the Huskies. Drummond, hasn't played a game yet and already he's being considered the next big thing in Connecticut basketball and has the attention of everyone else in the conference after being named the preseason Big East Rookie of the Year.

LOUISVILLE: Shocked and in awe. That's the only way to describe the Cardinals after they were escorted out of the NCAA Tournament last year by Morehead State in a narrow 62-61 final. Louisville played tough on defense of course, limiting the Eagles to just 36.8 percent shooting from the field, but with all of those missed shots the Cardinals left themselves open to Kenneth Faried who cleared 17 boards in the win for the underdog. Needless to say, this was not the way the season was supposed to end for the Cardinals and head coach Rick Pitino who once again had one of the most complete rosters in college basketball, but was caught looking ahead instead of on the task at hand. Pitino got the team to a 25-10 record overall and a tie for third place in the Big East standings, but anything short of a deep run into the postseason is always seen as failure for a program that has such a storied basketball history. In 2011-12, the Cardinals have to wonder if it will be the same story, playing well enough to make the Big Dance but never able to shake it on their own terms. The roster is piled deep with new players and last year's leading scorer, Preston Knowles (14.6 ppg) is no longer around, and yet the critics still believe Louisville to be one of the elite teams in the conference and the nation (must be that Pitino charm). Forward Kyle Kuric will feel the pressure of being a go-to guy on offense after averaging 10.8 ppg overall and a slightly better 12.6 ppg versus the conference, while guard Peyton Siva (9.9 ppg) tries to find new and improving players on his team with whom he can generate even more assists after handing out 182 a year ago. Even though it is still far too early to tell how he will fit into the plan when the real games begin, Pitino has to be encouraged with the development of sophomore Gorgui Dieng who could actually ring up a double-double on occasion if given enough time on the floor. Freshman Chane Behanan, a 2011 McDonald's All-American and a Parade Magazine Second Team All-American, has to be someone that the staff is taking a long hard look at as someone who can create mismatches. Pitino needs just three more wins to reach 600 for his career, something he should accomplish in short order.

SYRACUSE: As long as Jim Boeheim is the head coach of Syracuse, you can never count out the Orange no matter how decimated their roster might be from one year to the next. It really is remarkable how the legendary coach, now entering his 36th year with the program, is able to get his team pumped up and ready for the biggest challenges every year. Granted, the team didn't win the national title last year, or the year before that, but still opponents can't be comfortable seeing the school on their schedule because they know it will be a 40-minute grind at both ends of the floor. Coach Boeheim had this group undefeated right up to the middle of January and for some reason the Orange figured it was time to relax a bit after such a strong start and that turned into a four-game slide and six losses in a span of eight games. SU recovered and fought hard in the Big East Tournament, losing to UConn in overtime, before taking out Indiana State in the NCAA Tournament. With so many teams from the conference making the cut for the most notable postseason tourney, it only made sense that a team like Marquette would be there to trip up Syracuse (66-62). Despite losing Rick Jackson (13.1 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 86 blocks) the Orange still have quite a bit of firepower returning for 2011-12. Kris Joseph, a member of the preseason All-Big East First Team, was not only the leading scorer for the team with his 14.3 ppg, he was and is the sort of guy who can do a little bit of everything, from rebounding to passing and making steals, which means opponents are bound to have a tough time finding an adequate matchup to offset his efforts. As the little senior that could, Scoop Jardine (12.5 ppg, 55 steals) has boundless energy, the kind that can be infectious and carry a team to new heights. The Philadelphia native put up some impressive numbers a year ago and it will be tough to replicate his 205 assists over the course of 35 games, an average of 5.9 per game which was second in the conference and 20th nationally. Fellow guard Brandon Triche (11.1 ppg), like Jardine, has rarely seen a perimeter shooting opportunity that he hasn't liked. Now, he's not the sort of gunner that Boeheim has dealt with in the past, but he is someone who can fill up the basket rather quickly if you're not paying close enough attention.

PITTSBURGH: Every year is the year that the Panthers are supposed to get over the hump and represent the Big East on the biggest stage, but Pittsburgh consistently comes up short and never quite lives up to expectations. Under head coach Jamie Dixon, the Panthers made it to the NCAA Tournament of course, but the squad entered the postseason only after being dumped in the Big East Tournament by UConn, and that should have never happened. After defeating UNC- Asheville in the second round of the Big Dance, the Panthers were put out of their misery when the Butler Bulldogs registered a 71-70 decision at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. Ashton Gibbs, an All-Big East First-Team selection, was held to just 11 points in 36 minutes in the last game, so hopefully he's got a chip on his shoulder moving into the newest phase of his career. Named the Preseason Big East Player of the Year, Gibbs has had to live with that sub par effort all this time even though he led the team in scoring (16.8 ppg) and shot an incredible 49.0 percent from behind the three-point line. There are few players out there like Gibbs and you can bet that he's got something to prove moving forward. Also adding senior leadership for the Panthers in 2011-12 is Nasir Robinson, who was responsible for 9.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest last season, and he is someone who knows full well that he belongs in the paint on offense and should never be wandering out on the perimeter for any reason. Robinson, who attempted just two three-point field goals a year ago, connected on 54.8 percent of his field goal attempts, slightly better than his woeful 52.6 percent shooting at the charity stripe. Even though he was just a freshman and was coming off the bench in almost every game, Travon Woodall demonstrated that he was destined for more responsibility as he delivered 6.4 ppg and was second on the unit with 117 assists, with a mere 50 turnovers which means few players in the league control the ball as well as he does.

CINCINNATI: The Bearcats were nearly perfect in non-conference play last season, streaking out to a 15-0 mark heading into the second week of January, but that's when the specter of playing in the Big East caught up with the team and slowly the cracks began to show. Mick Cronin's crew made it into the NCAA Tournament and even managed to knock off Missouri (69-58) before going up against the UConn juggernaut that simply refused to go away. Coach Cronin pushed his crew to a 26-9 record overall and 11 wins in 18 tries versus the rest of the conference, good enough to earn UC a trip to the Big Dance for the first time since 1995, if you can believe that. The Bearcats may not be fully packing compared to some other teams in the league, but the team has to be pleased about bringing back eight lettermen and three starters from a year ago to try and move things along. Senior forward Yancy Gates is the go-to guy for the Bearcats, a tough and powerful performer down low who grinds out minutes at both ends of the floor. Gates led the team in scoring last season with 11.9 ppg and was also first on the glass with close to seven rebounds per contest, not to mention recording a team-best 43 blocked shots. Gates is a solid shooter close to the rim, hitting his field goals at a 51.1 percent clip, but his accuracy at the free-throw line is a much different story (.579) and that's something the 'Cats need to correct before it becomes an even bigger issue. Senior guard Dion Dixon (11.6 ppg) brings leadership to the backcourt and even though he's not the most accurate shooter from the floor (.415), he was still allowed to take just enough shots from three-point range to lead the group with 48 triples. Cashmere Wright (8.9 ppg) is the right man for the job when it comes to distributing the ball, his 138 assists last year giving him a nearly 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

MARQUETTE: A starter in 35 of the team's 37 games last season, Darius Johnson- Odom was a beast for the Golden Eagles as he averaged 15.8 ppg, thanks in large part to his 71 three-point baskets. If not for Johnson-Odom, Marquette would have had almost no perimeter offense whatsoever, considering the squad ranked third from the bottom and 270th in the nation with just 5.2 three-point baskets per outing. Head coach Buzz Williams lucked out as he and the Eagles made it into the NCAA Tournament, but once they got there they made believers out of the rest of the league as they topped Xavier and then took down Syracuse, before falling to North Carolina in the round of 16. Coach Williams has the luxury of bringing back Johnson-Odom, a preseason All-Big East First Team selection, but the program does have to deal with the loss of Jimmy Butler (15.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg), who gave the group some huge efforts in the paint and was capable of finding teammates in scoring positions rather often as well. Jae Crowder (11.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg), the third of the double-digit scorers from last season, is someone who can do it all when he sets his mind to it, from hitting the glass to draining three-pointers, or playing a brand of defense that has him blocking shots and making steals. Junior center Chris Otule (5.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg) took a back seat to teammates and when he was in games he couldn't always produce due to foul trouble. Nevertheless, having a huge body in the middle certainly makes opponents think twice about bringing the ball into the paint. If there is an area that needs to be addressed by coach Williams moving forward it would be his team's lack of defense as opponents were allowed to convert 35.8 percent behind the three-point line and 43.8 percent from the floor overall. While those numbers might not sound all that awful, the fact is they placed the Golden Eagles near the bottom of the league and in the Big East, defense tends to be a key ingredient to success.

WEST VIRGINIA: This could well be the final season in the Big East for West Virginia, the school accepting an invitation to join the Big 12 Conference, but nothing is quite set in stone yet. Remember, it was just last year that TCU was supposed to be joining the Big East, so it is best to take all of this potential movement with a grain of salt until further notice. But seeing as it might be a swan song for the Mountaineers, maybe head coach Bob Huggins can kick his kids into gear and get them to perform above and beyond to leave a lasting impression on their way out. Coach Huggins was able to get his squad into the NCAA Tournament again last season, the team beating Clemson before falling to Kentucky, and while the Mountaineers have lost a couple of key players in Casey Mitchell (13.6 ppg) and John Flowers (9.2 ppg, 6.2 rpg) the expectations are still rather high in Morgantown. Aside from Flowers, the only other player to started all 33 games for the team last season was Kevin Jones (13.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and he is back to guide the offense in the right direction. One of only two seniors on the roster, the other being Darryl Bryant, Jones may not be the most accurate three-point shooter on the team, but the fact that he can stretch defenses to the perimeter where he made better than 30 percent of his attempts, is an added bonus for sure. Bryant (11.3 ppg) is slightly better from the outside (.323) than Jones, but overall the point guard made just 33.4 percent of his field goals and that's not a very encouraging number for someone who intends to handle the ball most of the time. Not afraid to force the action, Bryant was a fixture at the free-throw line (124-of-150) where he converted more and had more overall attempts than anyone else on the roster. Deniz Kilicli (6.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg) started just 12 games a season ago, but showed enough offensive promise to be considered for far more action this year, at least until some of the youth begin to establish themselves.

NOTRE DAME: Tim Abromaitis is a Preseason All-Big East First-Team member and also the Big East Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, but all of that still doesn't keep the senior forward from having to sit out the first four games of the season due to NCAA violations that stem from him competing in preseason games a few years back. Head coach Mike Brey is taking the hit for that goof, and in all honesty it shouldn't be much of an issue with the team taking on the likes of Mississippi Valley State, Detroit, Sam Houston State and Delaware State in the first week. Last year, the Fighting Irish were unbeaten in the month of November and 2011-12 is setting up in the same fashion, even with a trip to Gonzaga on the docket at the end of the ride. While Notre Dame, which finished 27-7 overall last season and 14-4 versus the rest of the Big East in order to make it to the NCAA Tournament, waits on Abromaitis they'll ask Jack Cooley and Eric Atkins to assume a little more responsibility for sure. Cooley came off the bench in all 34 games for the Irish and made minor contributions, but the fact that he shot 65.5 percent from the field means he knows exactly where he needs to anchor himself in order to be effective. Atkins (5.8 ppg) saw some time in the starting lineup and used that experience to familiarize himself with his teammates, good enough to set him up for 110 assists which was second on the team behind only Ben Hansbrough (18.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 145 assists), who has moved on. Senior guard Scott Martin (9.7 ppg) has the potential to be a double-digit scorer, but the fact that he connected on just 64 percent of his free-throw chances has to be a concern moving forward.

VILLANOVA: For the last few years the Wildcats have blazed a trail through the non-conference schedule, only to have a couple of head-scratching moments in games against Big East foes. Those occasional lackluster efforts came against both high-powered opponents and bottom dwellers, so there was never any real rhyme or reason for what was going on. But last season Villanova didn't have just a few clunkers late in the season, the team in fact folded up and left town as it lost six of eight games to close out the month of February, dropped the season finale against Pittsburgh by double digits with a season-low 50- point performance. was stung by USF in the conference tournament (70-69) and then disappeared versus George Mason (61-57) during the NCAA Tournament in what was essentially a home game at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Head coach Jay Wright might always be impeccably attired on the sidelines, but there was no way the 'Cats could dress up their miserable ending and make it simply go away. The team has just one double-digit scorer back from last year's group in Maalik Wayns (13.8 ppg), his 148 assists going a long way in showing that he can direct the offense, although his 39.9 percent shooting from the field and 27.1 percent behind the three-point line left something to be desired. Mouphtaou Yarou is also a returning starter who delivered 8.4 points and tied for the team lead with better than seven rebounds per game. Dominic Cheek played close to 20 minutes per game and had his moments with 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per outing, but now he'll have to assume a much bigger role with the team if they hope to finish near the top half of the conference standings after going 21-12 overall and an even 9-9 versus the Big East in 2010-11.

GEORGETOWN: The Hoyas bulldozed the competition right up until Christmas last season, losing only a 68-65 road date at Temple along the way, but that early success didn't necessarily give you a true view of Georgetown's potential against the rest of the Big East. In fact, when it counted the most, the Hoyas came up small as they dropped four of their last five games in the regular season, bowed to UConn in the conference tournament and then succumbed to VCU in the NCAA Tournament. In the end the team was a respectable 21-11 overall, but just 10-8 in conference and those numbers might be hard to reach this time around. Head coach John Thompson III had three double-digit scorers to rely on last season, but only Jason Clark (12.0 ppg) is back for another go around. Lost are Austin Freeman (17.6 ppg) and Chris Wright (12.9 ppg, 153 assists) which means the Hoyas not only have to pick up for lost scoring punch, but also identify a new point guard to push the offense in the right direction. Along with Clark as the only seniors on the roster, Henry Sims (3.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg) will have to take his game to another level after playing minor minutes in a reserve role, while Hollis Thompson (8.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg) tries to pull double-duty as someone who can hit the glass and also provide the program with a viable three-point threat who knocked down close to 46 percent of his attempts a season ago. As a freshman Nate Lubick (4.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 42 assists) got his feet wet and learned what it was like to play a significant role for the Hoyas, but this time around he'll probably be thrown into the fire and be expected to survive with even more success.

RUTGERS: The Scarlet Knights played some inspired basketball last season, particularly in the month of December when they won all but one game, that loss coming against North Carolina at Madison Square Garden. Sure, head coach Mike Rice had reason to be proud of his guys in his first year at the helm up until that point, but then came the conference schedule and Rutgers became exposed. In the month of February, the tide turned and the Knights won just one of their seven outings, a one-point victory over an enigmatic Villanova program at home. Owners of the second-lowest scoring average in the Big East (66.3 ppg), the Knights couldn't get out of their own way at times and now coach Rice has to round them all up and start again. Rutgers had just one double-digit scorer a year ago and now he's gone which means someone like Gilvydas Biruta (9.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg) is now on the clock. Biruta made good on an impressive 52.9 percent of his field goal chances, rarely moving far away from the basket, but he'll have to temper his physical play and work on his passing in order to become a true threat in the paint for the program. Junior guard/forward Dane Miller (9.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg) can also be a force on the glass, but leaving him in during clutch situations, after he shot just 54.9 percent at the free-throw line, could be problematic. Kadeem Jack, who joined the team in January but had to sit out a semester, could be installed on the front line as well, while Myles Mack and Jerome Seagears will be the ones who will try to make the offense run efficiently as potential starting point guards.

ST. JOHN'S: Head coach Steve Lavin brought the thrill of St. John's basketball back to New York last season, as the team put up a record of 21-12 overall and tied for third in the Big East standings with 12 wins in 18 opportunities. Delivering the most wins in a season since 2002-03, the Red Storm made it to the NCAA Tournament before being taken out by Gonzaga. Even though the end of his first season with St. John's was bittersweet, it was all put into perspective when it was finally announced in April that coach Lavin had been diagnosed with an early stage of prostate cancer in the fall of 2010, but maintained his responsibilities as head coach while a physician-recommended course of active surveillance was followed. Lavin underwent surgery the first week of October and is expected to make a full recovery, so perhaps the Red Storm faithful can go easy on the program this year as it struggles to reload. Last year's team was primed with veterans, which means this time around the Red Storm has quite a bit of youth to mold. Junior Malik Stith is the only scholarship player back for the team after averaging a mere 3.3 ppg and playing barely 12 minutes per outing last year. Assuming the Red Storm again install an up-tempo approach at both ends of the floor, maybe having so many youngsters will give him plenty of bodies to switch out and keep the pressure on, although you can also expect to see countless teachable moments with those same youngsters. Nurideen Lindsey, a transfer from Redland JC could easily be installed as the starting guard for the team, while Norvel Pelle provides such an intimidating figure (6-10) that it would be senseless not to stick him in the middle right off the bat. Ironically enough, the Red Storm kicks off the season with a meeting against William & Mary as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer event, something that has become even more personal for coach Lavin and his kids.

USF: Stan Heath, who had one of the best starts for a college head coach in the history of Division I basketball when he led the Kent State Golden Flashes to a 30-6 mark in 2002, hasn't been quite as successful at the top man at USF, and the natives might be getting a big restless. Last season the team was just 10-23 overall, losing bouts to the likes of Saint Francis (NY), Georgia Southern and Liberty, although the team did stun a few people with a 60-59 overtime win against VCU, and also crushed Auburn (61-49), but the ambiguity of the non-conference effort was exactly the reason why fans had a tough time getting behind the Bulls. When it came to Big East play, USF logged only three wins, two of those against an inept DePaul team which earned just a single win in conference. Augustus Gilchrist was the only thing holding the Bulls together as he led the team with 13.4 ppg and was one of the top enforcers on the glass with six boards per outing. However, for someone who controlled so much of the action, Gilchrist had just 25 assists, against 74 turnovers, and that's the sort of ball-handling that opponents are bound to focus on moving forward. As a freshman Shaun Noriega (6.4 ppg) provided USF with a perimeter presence, knocking down a team-best 53 triples, converting at a 37.6 percent clip, but what does it say about Noriega that he made just 36.9 percent of his field goal attempts overall? Jawanza Poland (9.1 ppg) could be a significant contributor for the Bulls this year, but his poor shooting from the field (.356) was symbolic of the team's lackluster effort overall at just 41.6 percent, which was second-worst in the conference.

SETON HALL: Near the end of January, the Pirates walked into the Carrier Dome and proceeded to shred the Syracuse Orange in an awkward 90-68 decision, a win which snapped a three-game slide by Seton Hall and should have begun some encouraging play in the Big East. But as it turned out, it wound up as just one of seven conference wins for first-year head coach Kevin Willard. The Hall did have some excuse for the disappointing 13-18 season as leading scorer Jeremy Hazell missed 13 games in the middle of the campaign, but this time around they'll have to go without Hazell altogether which means coming to terms with losing 19.8 ppg and a quality three-point threat. But not only have the Pirates lost Hazell, also gone is Jeff Robinson (12.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg) who was the perfect interior counterpart for when Hazell was letting fly from the deepest reaches of the floor. Perhaps the loss of Robinson will allow Herb Pope (7.9 rpg) to stretch out a bit more in the paint, although having him on the floor in crunch time might not be the best option, seeing as how he converted just 54.8 percent of his free-throw attempts. Fuquan Edwin came on strong in his first year for the Hall, delivering 7.9 ppg and it is assumed that he'll grown into one of the better perimeter players in the league over time. Unfortunately, Seton Hall might need Edwin to grow up just a bit quicker after the team placed last in the conference and 286th in the nation in field goal percentage, converting just .413 during the 2010-11 campaign.

PROVIDENCE: The Friars cleaned up during the early, non-conference portion of their 2010-11 schedule, starting the season an impressive 9-1 and 11-2 before the kickoff of the Big East slate. Providence may have fooled a few people by showing so much success against the likes of Morgan State, Prairie View A&M and Sacred Heart, but the rest of the Big East knew better and called the Friars on it. What transpired was a disappointing 4-14 league effort and a spot near the bottom of the conference standings. Head coach Keno Davis was made the fall guy and after his dismissal the Friars brought in Ed Cooley, who had recently finished five years with the Fairfield Stags not too far down the road. A fiery competitor, Cooley is expected to promote a little more energy from his players as they try desperately to get off on the right foot. Unfortunately, the new regime begins only after Marshon Brooks, the Big East scoring champion (24.6 ppg), has moved on and is supposed to be part of the NBA, if that league ever gets its act together. Sticking around are Vincent Coleman (13.7 ppg) and Gerard Coleman (10.3 ppg), but without a major senior presence this group is again bound to struggle. With Council having handed out a team-best 189 assists, most of which probably went to Brooks, he clearly can orchestrate the offense, but his 39.3 percent shooting from the floor is not an encouraging stat for those times when he can't find an open teammate. Kadeem Batts, one of only two players to have started all 32 games last season, could be a three-point threat (47-of-152), but he too had issues from the floor overall at just 35.4 percent, the team near the bottom in the Big East with a collective 42.4 percent accuracy from the field.

DEPAUL: The Blue Demons have struggled ever since leaving Conference USA and trying to keep up with the established programs of the Big East. Last year the team generated a total of just seven victories overall and was a dismal 1-17 in league play. Head coach Oliver Purnell, who has a winning record at every other stop along his coaching career, took it on the chin in his first year and it again appears as through he and the Demons are destined to be bringing up the rear in the league standings. DePaul does bring back eight players from last year's group, four of whom started at least 18 games, but that's by no means a guarantee of any success this time around. Cleveland Melvin, the Big East Rookie of the Year, did have his moments as he generated 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest in his first year, and hopefully he can carry that forward. Brandon Young, a member of the Big East All-Rookie Team, was second on the unit in scoring with 12.6 ppg, but still DePaul was fourth from the bottom in the league when it came to point production with just 67.9 ppg. Tony Freeland (9.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg) will also be a key contributor on offense and might be a little more forceful in the paint, which is something the Blue Demons desperately need after they allowed foes to connect on 50.1 percent of their field goal attempts last year.