So who's the Big East favorite in 2014-15?

[MooseFriar13]

I may be completely wrong but I just feel that IF Kris Dunn can stay healthy, PC will be an improved team next year because of his ability to make plays for his teammates and his ability to defend on the perimeter. I know that it is hard to rely on Freshman but Chukwu paired with Desrosiers will be a formidable front court, and the added quality depth next year with Bullock (had a year to work on his game), Lindsay, Bentil, and whoever Cooley brings in as a back up for Dunn during the April signing period should be a huge positive for the Friars. Cooley will be able to experiment with his starting lineup to find what works the best during the OOC portion of the schedule, too. I think a big X factor for the Friars next year is how they shoot free throws next year. This year FT% was one of the best in the country and undoubtedly kept us in a lot of games. We lose Cotton and Batts who were very good free throw shooters. So hopefully, Lamomba, Dunn, Bentil, Lindsay, etc can all hit FT at a decent percentage.

[hoyahooligan]

I think providence will be better because they'll have a bench. That's huge.

[friars321]

Agreed. Yes SJ Hooper I think PC will be a better "team" next year. They will not have a single player as good as cotton, but they will have more good players. It was very difficult to play when they had to use guys 7 and 8 on the team. Next year foul trouble will not be an issue, no playing 3 on 5 on offense, defense will be better for 40 minutes because you won't have exhausted players trying to get stops at the end of a game, mental mistakes are cut down when you are not tired, Cooley will be able to get creative with personnel on offense and defense- he will have options when a player is under performing, and on and on. So yes I think they will be better because they will have more good players than they had last year. SJ will take a step back because they will not have as many good players in 2014 as they had in 2013.

[cu blujs]

CU will not be a play-in team next year. Granted, the senior class was pretty special in terms of chemistry and you don't replace a three time AA. But, the younger guys are much better athletes and hopefully won't break down by season's end the way Wragge and Gibbs did. CU can and will retool and be competitive, just with a different look. We will be a much better defensive and rebounding team (teams will not find it as easy to jump over us for boards). Although we may not have quite the fire power overall, we will have one of the best point guards in the league and sufficient scoring punch. We will have a much better, more-athletic defense, capable of creating turnovers and better rebounding. We will be very capable of competing and winning ball games. Except for a couple of down years after Altman's failed romance with Arkansas, CU was a top 50 program for more than a decade before Doug set foot on campus, and had several teams in those ten years go just as far in the NCAAs as any team Doug played on. We are getting better players in the last couple of years than we had in many of those years, and will continue to do so with the move to the Big East. So, write CU off if you must, but dont' be surprised come next March when these guys are right back in the hunt.

Also a little dissapointed in fellow Jays who are so quick to write off Artino. His scoring and rebounds per minute of playing time were better than anyone except Doug. He shot 67% from the field. His rebounds per minute were just about the same as Doug's. His offensive rebounds per minute were far and away better than anyone on the team except Devin. His screening, and his ability to role to the basket off the screen and finish are pretty good. He will need to hit the weights this summer and also work on his defensive footwork, but my opinion is that he is going to be pretty solid.

[Bluejay]

Also a little dissapointed in fellow Jays who are so quick to write off Artino. His scoring and rebounds per minute of playing time were better than anyone except Doug. He shot 67% from the field. His rebounds per minute were just about the same as Doug's. His offensive rebounds per minute were far and away better than anyone on the team except Devin. His screening, and his ability to role to the basket off the screen and finish are pretty good. He will need to hit the weights this summer and also work on his defensive footwork, but my opinion is that he is going to be pretty solid.

He's soft. In fact, Charmin toilet paper thinks he's soft. He shies away from contact, he oversells every time he is bumped (often leaving him out of position to make a play), and repeatedly gets outrebounded and has his shot blocked by much shorter opponents. He is a miserable rim protector, despite being almost 7 feet tall. I am also not particularly convinced that his basketball IQ is all that high. That isn't going to get it done in this league.

Every Creighton fan's hope has to be that Hanson has secured the starting role by conference season or else we are in big trouble.

[Irishdawg]

I think part of the reason that Artino shot so well is because teams were so keyed in on Doug and Wragge that it really opened things up for him on the block. I think he and Hanson will be a very solid pairing in the lane for the Jays, and I think Creighton, even without McDermott, Wragge, Manigat and Gibbs could still be an average to above average team in this league.

Is Zierden going to be able to be back soon for offseason workouts (heard he was doing pool workouts, but didn't know what the timetable on his recovery is)? Anyone else that the Jays have or will be coming in besides he and Chatman that can consistently knock down shots from the outside?

[hoyahooligan]

Very early preseason rankings

1. Nova
2. Georgetown
3. Xavier
4. Providence
5. Seton Hall
6. St. John's
7. Creighton
8.Butler
9. Marquette
10. DePaul

I could see Xavier and Providence flip flopping positions, Seton Hall and St. John's and Creighton and Butler. But I think this is what it looks like to me at this point.

[aughnanure]

Very early preseason rankings

1. Nova
2. Georgetown
3. Xavier
4. Providence
5. Seton Hall
6. St. John's
7. Creighton
8.Butler
9. Marquette
10. DePaul

I could see Xavier and Providence flip flopping positions, Seton Hall and St. John's and Creighton and Butler. But I think this is what it looks like to me at this point.

I guess I get why you have Marquette down at 9 (not sure who leaves/stays), but it does look like all our current players are staying, and that's a lot of 4 star guys ready to play (Du Wilson, Burton, Fischer, JJJ, Anderson, Taylor) to go along with Mayo.

If we can keep Hill and Cohen, no way Marquette finishes 9.

[hoyahooligan]

Very early preseason rankings

1. Nova
2. Georgetown
3. Xavier
4. Providence
5. Seton Hall
6. St. John's
7. Creighton
8.Butler
9. Marquette
10. DePaul

I could see Xavier and Providence flip flopping positions, Seton Hall and St. John's and Creighton and Butler. But I think this is what it looks like to me at this point.

I guess I get why you have Marquette down at 9 (not sure who leaves/stays), but it does look like all our current players are staying, and that's a lot of 4 star guys ready to play (Du Wilson, Burton, Fischer, JJJ, Anderson, Taylor) to go along with Mayo.

If we can keep Hill and Cohen, no way Marquette finishes 9.

I'm sure this list will change several times as the pieces fall. I mean heck it's already invalid with Obekpa leaving.

but I can't see you finishing higher than 6th. Last year's team's strength was it's front court and now you pretty much have stever taylor jr and no one else. But who know's I'm biased and not particularly fond of marquette. I also do not think highly of Wojo so that's another strike against Marquette.

[marquette]

I'm sure this list will change several times as the pieces fall. I mean heck it's already invalid with Obekpa leaving.

but I can't see you finishing higher than 6th. Last year's team's strength was it's front court and now you pretty much have stever taylor jr and no one else. But who know's I'm biased and not particularly fond of marquette. I also do not think highly of Wojo so that's another strike against Marquette.

Luke Fischer will be our starting center during conference play. Pierce will be a back up getting significant minutes if he decides to come. That's questionable, but I won't count him out until he asks for his release. STJ and Burton will probably split minutes at PF. I expect Burton to be much improved. We may still finish 6th or below, but we aren't completely deficient up front. We should also be slightly improved in our guard play. I fully expect Duane Wilson to be an upgrade over Derrick Wilson. Mayo can be great when he is on. Ahmed Hill, if he comes, should give us some 3 point range. We may be worse next season, but we may surprise and be a little better.