2011-2012 Big East Basketball Predictions
Written by James Zerfoss - Google +
Now is the time to sit back and enjoy what figures to be the second to last season for the Big East as a basketball super power. Thanks to the conference’s weak football programs, the conference could soon be no more. This year, conference features four legitimate top 10 teams and will try to duplicate last year’s record 11 NCAA Tournament teams.
Connecticut, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Louisville will all be tough and have a chance of finishing in the final top 10 poll. They should prove through the season the strength of the Big East. However the conference will need to achieve more tournament success this year to prove that it really is the top conference and deserves 10 or 11 teams in the tournament.
The conference will also feature 6 to 8 teams that will contend for NCAA tournament bids. With a lot of great coaches and great players it is time to sit back and enjoy the second to last season of the Big East as a basketball power.
1.Connecticut: The team will be more balanced this year without Kemba Walker. Andre Drummond will star as a freshman and will team up with Jeremy Lamb to lead the Huskies deep into the NCAA tournament once again.
2. Syracuse: The Orange feature one of the most talented teams in the league and should challenge Connecticut for first place. Look for Jim Boeheim to do another great coaching job this year.
3. Louisville: The team is deep and is lead by preseason All-Big East Second Team selection Peyton Siva. The backcourt features Siva, Chris Smith, Russ Smith, Mike Marra and Elisha Justice.
4. Pittsburgh: Never count out any Jamie Dixon led club and with Ashton Gibbs returning this team will try to finally get over the hump and make it to the Sweet 16. Freshman Khem Birch should contribute immediately.
5. Marquette: With a lot of returning talent the Golden Eagles will look to build on last year’s Sweet 16 appearance. Last year the Golden Eagles relied on Jimmy Butler to get the offense started. This year Marquette has the added luxury of having three players who can step up at any given time and score in forwards Jamil Wilson, Jae Crowder, and guard Darius Johnson-Odom.
6. Cincinnati: The team returns its top four scorers from a year ago and should make the NCAA tournament this year. Yancy Gates was the team’s leading scorer a year ago with 11.9 points. He will be joined by senior guard Dion Dixon 11.6, sophomore forward Sean Kilpatrick 9.7 and junior guard Cashmere Wright (8.9).
7. Villanova: The team lost a lot of contributors from last year’s team. However Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek should provide enough punch to get the team back to the NCAA Tournament.
8. Notre Dame: Notre Dame will look to prove people wrong again in 2011-2012 as many pundits don’t think they can overcome the loss of Ben Hansbrough. Jerian Grant will be the key to replacing the scoring that Notre Dame lost due to Hansbrough moving on. Tim Abromaitis will provide scoring, stability and leadership while Notre Dame tries to establish who will fill out the lineup.
Right now they are a 45/1 play to make the NCAA tournament. Based on Mike Brey’s past success at Notre Dame it seems that the Irish will once again surprise people and make the NCAA tournament despite being considered a long shot by many experts.
9. West Virginia: The team only returns four players from last year’s squad. However Kevin Jones and Daryl “Truck” Bryant return. Jones will need to perform at an elite level this year if the team is going to make it to the Big Dance. Bryant has scored over 1,000 points in his career.
10. St. John’s: The Red Storm lost nine seniors from last year’s team that made the NCAA tournament as a sixth seed. This year’s team is loaded with talent however it is inexperienced. Now the Red Storm will rely on nine newcomers to replace those seniors.
11. Georgetown: The team was upset last season in the first round of the NCAA tournament to VCU. That after being knocked off as a number three seed the previous year. The Hoyas will deal with replacing Austin Freeman and Chris Wright. Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson are the top returning players and freshman Otto Porter and Mikael Hopkins will also contribute.
12. Rutgers: Last year’s team was pretty good but finished 12th in the Big East. Incoming freshman Kadeem Jack will try to contribute immediately.
13. Seton Hall: The team will truly miss Jeremy Hazell. The most likely players to step up and be the team’s go to player are Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope. Last season the team beat four NCAA Tournament teams but the team now features six freshmen so the team may experience some offensive difficulties.
14. South Florida: South Florida returns six of its tops seven scorers from a year ago. That would be great except they lack a point guard and finished 3-15 last year in the Big East.
15. Providence: Ed Cooley takes over at Providence and will try to build the team into a perennial NCAA Tournament team. However he will have to do it without Marshon Brooks the Big Ten leading scorer last year who is now in the NBA.
16. DePaul: The Blue Demons are hoping to surprise people though I still predict them to finish last in the conference. People are excited about DePaul’s two outstanding sophomores Brandon Young and Big East rookie of the year Cleveland Melvin. Melvin averaged 14.3 points per game a year ago and Young 12.6 points per game.
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