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

[marquette]

Burton at PF? 6'4 Deonte Burton?

And yeah I know you get Luke Fischer by semester break, but by then it'll likely be too late. I mean look at Marquette this year. They were toast by the time conference play started. And that's assuming you actually get great production from Fischer. He's a top 100 talent, but he's not a top 25 or top 50 can't miss guy. I know ESPN was very high on him, but no one else had him top 50.

Burton played a decent number of minutes at PF this season. Fischer isn't a freshman. He already has experience playing at Indiana and will have practiced with the team. A lot will depend on careful scheduling in the early going. We need to avoid the tougher teams early in the schedule, but be careful not to schedule such awful cupcakes that they kill our RPI like they did this year. I'm not saying we will be world beaters, I'm not even saying we will be better than this year, but to act like we don't even have a shot at being decent is a little ridiculous.

It's not like Fischer lit the world on fire at Indiana. Yes I know he got hurt in the preseason, but still. He's far from a proven commodity is my point. Marquette fans are pointing to him like it's guaranteed he'll come in and be an above average center in the BE.

Once again, I'm not saying we will be world beaters. I'm not saying we will win the league. I'm not even saying we will be top half. All I'm saying is there is potential to be better than this season (and potential to be worse). I'm ready to let it play out.

[Noonzy]

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.

Let's not forget about "The Dog" Henton.

[FriarFan4Eva]

Don't Sleep on The Friars...........Ed is building something special on Smith Hill.....Look for PC to challenge for the title again this year....This team is young but very talented with great leadership, Henton & Cooley.....It will take some time but by February & March this is a team no one will want to play !!!!

[Milloy]

Nova is the favorite, but I agree that Providence will be improved next year. Cotton and Batts are obviously losses but we are bringing in a ridiculous amount of talent.

Out:
Cotton
Batts
(3 others who weren't in our rotation)

In:
Kris Dunn (McDonalds All American)
Jalen Lindsay (Top 100 wing)
Ben Bentil (Top 100 PF)
Paschal Chukwu (Top 100 7'1" C)
Rodney Bullock (RS Freshman)
Junior Lomomba (RS Sophomore)
Plus at least 2 more guards in this years recruiting class

Dunn may be the best pure PG in the conference. They have two 7 foot shot blockers and a bunch of versatile 6'6"+ guys who can really defend. We can run out lineups where the shortest guy is 6' 5". PC will be an absolute nightmare defensively.

Cotton is a huge loss, but we have more than replaced his production- it will just be spread out amongst multiple guys. I think they finish 2nd behind Nova next year.

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

There will be no gimmes next year. It's hard to put teams on the bottom of the conference. Butler and Seton Hall will be much improved. Well, St. John's might be terrible.

[CTYankee10]

Providence will be good, but Bentil and Chukwu are not going to be game changers until 2 or 3 years out.

This is totally a guesstimate, but it's clear which teams have pieces returning.

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

Pre-Season first team (no order)
G- D'Vauntes Smith Rivera G'town
G - Darrun Hilliard Nova
G - Billy Garrett DePaul
G - Rysheed Jordan St. John's
F- LaDontae Henton PC
C- Joshua Smith G'Town (contemplated Stainbrook too)

[MooseFriar13]

Nova is the favorite, but I agree that Providence will be improved next year. Cotton and Batts are obviously losses but we are bringing in a ridiculous amount of talent.

Out:
Cotton
Batts
(3 others who weren't in our rotation)

In:
Kris Dunn (McDonalds All American)
Jalen Lindsay (Top 100 wing)
Ben Bentil (Top 100 PF)
Paschal Chukwu (Top 100 7'1" C)
Rodney Bullock (RS Freshman)
Junior Lomomba (RS Sophomore)
Plus at least 2 more guards in this years recruiting class

Dunn may be the best pure PG in the conference. They have two 7 foot shot blockers and a bunch of versatile 6'6"+ guys who can really defend. We can run out lineups where the shortest guy is 6' 5". PC will be an absolute nightmare defensively.

Cotton is a huge loss, but we have more than replaced his production- it will just be spread out amongst multiple guys. I think they finish 2nd behind Nova next year.

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

There will be no gimmes next year. It's hard to put teams on the bottom of the conference. Butler and Seton Hall will be much improved. Well, St. John's might be terrible.

well said

[Milloy]

Providence will be good, but Bentil and Chukwu are not going to be game changers until 2 or 3 years out.

That is exactly why I like Providence next year. Those guys don't need to come in and be game changers in year 1. Chukwu sits behind and learns from Desrosiers for a year, Bentil behind Henton, Lindsay behind Harris.

But to keep this from turning into a PC thread, I think there is a lot more talent in this league than people give it credit.

Burton came up earlier for Marq, that dude is going to be a complete beast. I don't care how short he is.

Butler and Seton Hall are legitimate this year. Maybe NCAA runs if everything breaks right. Butler started playing much better towards the ned of the year, and nobody can underestimate how devastating losing a guy like Roosevelt Jones at the beginning of the year was for them.

Seton Hall started putting it altogether. They have some big losses, but bringing in Whitehead and Delgado will keep them on an upward trajectory and save Willard's job.

GTown is back next year and will be competing for the conference title. Same with Xavier.

Marquette will be better as well I think.

Obviously everybody can't be better, so something has gotta give, but I just think the majority of the teams seem to be in good shape. Except St. John's I guess.

All-Big East (at the end of the year)

First Team:

Pinkston
Henton
Hilliard
Harrison
Garrett Jr
Smith-Rivera

Second Team:

Stainbrook
Jones
Jordan
Dunham
Dunn
Archidiacano

Honorable Mentions/Guys who I wouldn't be surprised made it:

Smith
Burton
Trawick
Whitehead
Blueitt
Mobley
Mayo
Chrabasz
Sina


All-Rookie Team:

Jalen Lindsay
Trevon Bluitt
Isaiah Whitehead
Isaac Copeland
Paul White
Ronnie Harrell

Player of the Year: Pinkston
Defensive Player of the Year: Desrosiers
Rookie of the Year: Whitehead
Coach of the Year: Brandon Miller


Fight for your players. Who did I leave out?

[CURx]

As a Creighton fan we have had our re-building cycles just like every other school and I am not going to argue with pretty much anyones thoughts on Creighton for next year. But it is absolutely wild being in a transition/re-building year and having Creighton picked in the 7-9 range in a league. Even in our bare-bones rebuilding years in the MVC we would still be in the 3-4 range on those years. Of course I hope we can do better than the 7-9 range as I think Creighton's goal for next year is to stay out of the Wednesday night games in NYC.

[Omaha1]

I'd be suprised if Austin Chatman didn't gain at least Hon. Mention next year. Plus, hearing good things about RS Jr transfer James Milliken who could be a key shooter for the Jays.

[R to the OB]

I'd be suprised if Austin Chatman didn't gain at least Hon. Mention next year. Plus, hearing good things about RS Jr transfer James Milliken who could be a key shooter for the Jays.

Agree and agree. I think that there will be a good battle between Zierden and Milliken for starting job at the 2.