nelsonmuntz
Point Center
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 46,782
- Reaction Score
- 40,016
1) Marquette (16-4 Projected BE record)) - Team to beat in the Big East. They have everything, shooting, inside play, rebounding, defense, speed, savvy, guts at crunch time. I think they are a little better than UConn right now but it will be close among the top 3 in the Big East.
2) UConn (16-4)
3) Creighton (15-5) - I think McDermott upgraded by losing Nembhard and Kaluma. Ashworth is really good, and Miller, Ferabello and King have improved a lot. I like this Traudf guy too. I would play King and Kalkbrenner together. King is so good, and he doesn't get more run because he can't shoot 3's, but he is such a plus player he just needs to be on the court more. The bench is better this season, and McDermott needs to use it so the team is fresh in March.
Gap
4) Providence (12-8) - Solid 7 to 10 seed. Really good defensively, the new players are blending in well, and Hopkins is a decent "go to" player for a 20ish win team. Oduro is really good too. This team is not as easily hateable with Cooley's "Clutch and Grab" defense and Flopapalooza gone.
5) St. Johns (11-9) - Looks decent. Soriano is off to a great start, and the mix and match roster is playing well, although Jenkins might need a yellow light on some of his shots. Utah and North Texas are solid wins. Assuming they get past BCU today, they are going to have a reasonable OOC record for a bubble team. I expect St. Johns to get better as the season goes on, and they should go 8-0 against the bottom of the league.
6) Villanova (11-9) - It is one thing to have a down year, but Neptune is blowing it this season with a Sweet 16 caliber roster. Imagine how angry this board would be if UConn had beaten UCLA and UNC, but lost to Pennsylvania, St. Josephs and Drexel. How is that even possible? I would not be shocked if Villanova won 14 games in Big East play. I also wouldn't be shocked if they won 7. The team looks like it is on the verge of falling apart in every close game, and that is on the coach.
7) Butler (10-10) - I think we got what we needed out of Butler, which is a solid non-conference performance and a computer ranking that will help the league. I think this is a savvy, veteran team that will also have trouble hanging athletically in the Big East. They were at those low majors for a reason. Matta and the veteran players seem to be having a calming effect on Posh Alexander, who is playing under control and looks a lot better on Butler. Most .500 teams are mediocre at both ends, but Butler is really good offensively, and weak defensively. They can score consistently on just about anyone. This means they can pull an upset, but they have trouble getting stops. Butler will be in some interesting games.
8) Xavier (8-12) - At the end of last season, Xavier expected two All-Big East caliber players in Freemantle and Hunter to come back this year, and instead, both players' careers may be done. I think some of the bad shots Xavier takes are because after Ousmane they are getting nothing inside. Claude is pretty good, and Olivari and McKnight are solid, but any time any of them goes to the rim there is help because the opposing team's forwards leave Xavier's bigs with impunity. Even in the Cincinnati games, Xavier's forwards must have got stuffed 4 times on dump offs that should have been easy dunks. I don't see Xavier playing in the postseason. I only have Xavier at 8 wins because the next three teams are so bad.
Gap
9) Seton Hall (5-15) - Can't shoot from outside and Bediako is the only inside threat SHU has and he is not playing or getting the ball enough. A team can't win at all in a major conference playing 5 guards that are mediocre at best from deep, and this team is not even that strong defensively anymore.
10) Georgetown (4-16) - bad, but there are flickers of light with this team. Played well and should have beat TCU. Could jump SHU.
11) Depaul (2-18) - This team is terrible, which makes an easy win over Louisville even more fun.
2) UConn (16-4)
3) Creighton (15-5) - I think McDermott upgraded by losing Nembhard and Kaluma. Ashworth is really good, and Miller, Ferabello and King have improved a lot. I like this Traudf guy too. I would play King and Kalkbrenner together. King is so good, and he doesn't get more run because he can't shoot 3's, but he is such a plus player he just needs to be on the court more. The bench is better this season, and McDermott needs to use it so the team is fresh in March.
Gap
4) Providence (12-8) - Solid 7 to 10 seed. Really good defensively, the new players are blending in well, and Hopkins is a decent "go to" player for a 20ish win team. Oduro is really good too. This team is not as easily hateable with Cooley's "Clutch and Grab" defense and Flopapalooza gone.
5) St. Johns (11-9) - Looks decent. Soriano is off to a great start, and the mix and match roster is playing well, although Jenkins might need a yellow light on some of his shots. Utah and North Texas are solid wins. Assuming they get past BCU today, they are going to have a reasonable OOC record for a bubble team. I expect St. Johns to get better as the season goes on, and they should go 8-0 against the bottom of the league.
6) Villanova (11-9) - It is one thing to have a down year, but Neptune is blowing it this season with a Sweet 16 caliber roster. Imagine how angry this board would be if UConn had beaten UCLA and UNC, but lost to Pennsylvania, St. Josephs and Drexel. How is that even possible? I would not be shocked if Villanova won 14 games in Big East play. I also wouldn't be shocked if they won 7. The team looks like it is on the verge of falling apart in every close game, and that is on the coach.
7) Butler (10-10) - I think we got what we needed out of Butler, which is a solid non-conference performance and a computer ranking that will help the league. I think this is a savvy, veteran team that will also have trouble hanging athletically in the Big East. They were at those low majors for a reason. Matta and the veteran players seem to be having a calming effect on Posh Alexander, who is playing under control and looks a lot better on Butler. Most .500 teams are mediocre at both ends, but Butler is really good offensively, and weak defensively. They can score consistently on just about anyone. This means they can pull an upset, but they have trouble getting stops. Butler will be in some interesting games.
8) Xavier (8-12) - At the end of last season, Xavier expected two All-Big East caliber players in Freemantle and Hunter to come back this year, and instead, both players' careers may be done. I think some of the bad shots Xavier takes are because after Ousmane they are getting nothing inside. Claude is pretty good, and Olivari and McKnight are solid, but any time any of them goes to the rim there is help because the opposing team's forwards leave Xavier's bigs with impunity. Even in the Cincinnati games, Xavier's forwards must have got stuffed 4 times on dump offs that should have been easy dunks. I don't see Xavier playing in the postseason. I only have Xavier at 8 wins because the next three teams are so bad.
Gap
9) Seton Hall (5-15) - Can't shoot from outside and Bediako is the only inside threat SHU has and he is not playing or getting the ball enough. A team can't win at all in a major conference playing 5 guards that are mediocre at best from deep, and this team is not even that strong defensively anymore.
10) Georgetown (4-16) - bad, but there are flickers of light with this team. Played well and should have beat TCU. Could jump SHU.
11) Depaul (2-18) - This team is terrible, which makes an easy win over Louisville even more fun.
