Summer time means a look ahead to next season!
Each week moving forward, we will preview one conference in college basketball from soup to nuts.
Check below for this week’s breakdown on the Big East.
Big East Preseason Power Rankings
1. Creighton
Projected Starting 5:
G Ryan Nembhard
G Trey Alexander
G Baylor Scheierman
F Arthur Kaluma
C Ryan Kalkbrenner
Projected Bench: Rati Andronikashvili , John Christofilis, Devin Davis, Shereef Mitchell, Jasen Green, Ben Shtolzberg, Mason Miller, Frederick King, Francisco Farabello
Key Losses: Ryan Hawkins, Keyshawn Feazell, Alex O’Connell
Key Newcomers: Jasen Green, Ben Shtolzberg, Francisco Farabello (TCU), Frederick King, Baylor Scheierman (South Dakota State)
2. Villanova
Projected Starting 5:
G Caleb Daniels
G Jordan Longino
G Brandon Slater
F Cam Whitmore
C Eric Dixon
Projected Bench: Chris Arcidiacono, Nnanna Njoku, Angelo Brizzi, Trey Patterson, Brendan Hausen, Mark Armstrong, Justin Moore (injured)
Key Losses: Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels, Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree, Bryan Antoine
Key Newcomers: Cam Whitmore, Brendan Hausen, Mark Armstrong
3. Xavier
Projected Starting 5:
G Souley Boum
G Adam Kunkel
F Colby Jones
F Zach Freemantle
C Jack Nunge
Projected Bench: Jerome Hunter, Cesare Edwards, Kam Craft, Dieonte Miles, KyKy Tandy, Elijah Tucker, Desmond Claude
Key Losses: Paul Scruggs, Dwon Odom, Nate Johnson, Ben Stanley
Key Newcomers: Desmond Claude, Kam Craft, Souley Boum (UTEP)
4. UConn
Projected Starting 5:
G Tristen Newton
G Jordan Hawkins
G Andre Jackson
F Samson Johnson
C Adama Sanogo
Projected Bench: Richie Springs, Donovan Clingan, Alex Karaban, Hassan Diarra, Naheim Alleyne, Joey Calcaterra
Key Losses: Isaiah Whaley, Tyler Polley, R.J. Cole, Tyrese Martin, Rahsool Diggins, Jalen Gaffney, Akok Akok
Key Newcomers: Donovan Clingan, Alex Karaban, Tristen Newton (East Carolina), Nahiem Alleyne (Virginia Tech), Hassan Diarra (Texas A&M), Joey Calcaterra (San Diego)
5. Seton Hall
Projected Starting 5:
G Kadary Richmond
G Al-Amir Dawes
F Tray Jackson
F Alexis Yetna
C Tyrese Samuel
Projected Bench: Jamir Harris, Femi Odukale, Jaquan Sanders, Jaquan Harris, Dre Davis, Tae Davis, KC Ndefo, Abdou Ndiaye
Key Losses: Bryce Aiken, Myles Cale, Ikey Obiagu, Jared Rhoden
Key Newcomers: Jaquan Sanders, Jaquan Harris, Femi Odukale (Pitt), Al-Amir Dawes (Clemson), Dre Davis (Louisville), Tae Davis, KC Ndefo (St. Peter’s), Abdou Ndiaye (Illinois State)
6. St. John’s
Projected Starting 5:
G Andre Curbelo
G Posh Alexander
G Dylan Addae-Wusu
F David Jones
C Joel Soriano
Projected Bench: Rafael Pinzon, AJ Storr, Montez Mathis, O’Mar Stanley, Esahia Nyiwe, Drissa Traore, Kolby King, Mohamed Keita
Key Losses: Julian Champagnie, Aaron Wheeler, Tareq Coburn, Stef Smith
Key Newcomers: Andre Curbelo (Illinois), David Jones (DePaul), AJ Storr, Kolby King, Mohamed Keita
7. Providence
Projected Starting 5:
G Jared Bynum
G Devin Carter
G Noah Locke
F Bryce Hopkins
C Ed Croswell
Projected Bench: Alyn Breed, Jayden Pierre, Quante Berry, Corey Floyd Jr., Clifton Moore, Rafael Castro
Key Losses: Nate Watson, Justin Minaya, Noah Horchler, A.J. Reeves, Al Durham
Key Newcomers: Jayden Pierre, Quante Berry, Noah Locke (Louisville), Clifton Moore (La Salle), Devin Carter (South Carolina), Corey Floyd Jr. (UConn), Bryce Hopkins (Kentucky)
8. Butler
Projected Starting 5:
G Eric Hunter Jr.
G Chuck Harris
G Jayden Taylor
F Ali Ali
C Manny Bates
Projected Bench: Simas Lukosius, Jalen Thomas, D.J. Hughes, Myles Wilmoth, Myles Tate, Pierce Thomas, John-Michael Mulloy, Connor Turnbull
Key Losses: Aaron Thompson, Bryce Nze, Bryce Golden, Bo Hodges, Jair Bolden, Christian David, Ty Groce
Key Newcomers: Manny Bates (NC State), Jalen Thomas (Georgia State), Eric Hunter Jr. (Purdue), Ali Ali (Akron), Connor Turnbull
9. Marquette
Projected Starting 5:
G Tyler Kolek
G Kam Jones
F Zach Wrightstil
F Olivier Maxence-Prosper
F Oso Ighodaro
Projected Bench: Stevie Mitchell, David Joplin, Emarion Ellis, Keeyan Itejere, Ben Gold, Sean Jones, Chase Ross
Key Losses: Justin Lewis, Darryl Morsell, Greg Elliott, Kur Kuath
Key Newcomers: Ben Gold, Sean Jones, Chase Ross, Zach Wrightstil (NAIA transfer)
10. Georgetown
Projected Starting 5:
G Dante Harris
G Jay Heath (will require NCAA waiver)
G Brandon Murray
F Akok Akok
C Qudus Wahab (will require NCAA waiver)
Projected Bench: Ryan Mutombo, Jordan Riley, Malcolm Wilson, Denver Anglin, D’Ante Bass, Bryson Mozone, Amir Spears, Wayne Bristol Jr., Bradley Ezewiro
Key Losses: Aminu Mohammed, Donald Carey, Kaiden Rice, Collin Holloway, Tyler Beard, Timothy Ighoefe, Jalin Billingsley, Kobe Clark
Key Newcomers: Denver Anglin, D’Ante Bass, Brandon Murray (LSU), Qudus Wahab (Maryland), Jay Heath (Arizona State), Bryson Mozone (USC Upstate), Amir Spears (Duquesne), Wayne Bristol Jr. (Howard), Akok Akok (UConn), Bradley Ezewiro (LSU)
11. DePaul
Projected Starting 5:
G Umoja Gibson
G Caleb Murphy
F Javan Johnson
F Eral Penn
C Nick Ongenda
Projected Bench: Zion Cruz, KT Raimey, Da’Sean Nelson, Yor Anei, Philmon Gebrewhit, Ahamad Bynum, Jalen Terry
Key Losses: Javon Freeman-Liberty, David Jones, Brandon Johnson, Courvoisier McCauley
Key Newcomers: Caleb Murphy (South Florida), Umoja Gibson (Oklahoma), Da’Sean Nelson (JUCO), KT Raimey (JUCO), Zion Cruz, Eral Penn (LIU Brooklyn)
Big East Preseason First-Team
Ryan Nembhard, Creighton
Jared Bynum, Providence
Colby Jones, Xavier
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Adama Sanogo, UConn
***Villanova’s Justin Moore would be a Big East Preseason First-Team selection if he was fully set to play during the 22-23 season. Moore suffered an achilles injury in the Elite Eight last spring against Houston. His status for the upcoming season is TBD.
Big East Preseason Player of the Year
Adama Sanogo, UConn
Big East Preseason Sleeper
Butler
10 Big East Breakout Players
*In no particular order
*A player is not eligible to be a breakout player if he’s previously averaged in double figures
Trey Alexander, Creighton
Eric Dixon, Villanova
Brandon Slater, Villanova
Andre Jackson, UConn
Jordan Hawkins, UConn
Tray Jackson, Seton Hall
Rafael Pinzon, St. John’s
Ed Croswell, Providence
Jayden Taylor, Butler
Simas Lukosius, Butler
10 Impact Big East Freshmen
*In no particular order
Cam Whitmore, Villanova
Mark Armstrong, Villanova
Brendan Hausen, Villanova
Donovan Clingan, UConn
Alex Karaban, UConn
Kam Craft, Xavier
Desmond Claude, Xavier
Corey Floyd Jr., Providence
AJ Storr, St. John’s
Denver Anglin, Georgetown
10 Under-The-Radar Big East Freshmen
*In no particular order
Jaquan Sanders, Seton Hall
Jaquan Harris, Seton Hall
Tae Davis, Seton Hall
Jayden Pierre, Providence
Sean Jones, Marquette
Ben Gold, Marquette
Chase Ross, Marquette
Zion Cruz, DePaul
Ben Shtolzberg, Creighton
Jasen Green, Creighton
15 Impact Big East Transfers
*In no particular order
Baylor Scheierman, Creighton (South Dakota State)
Souley Boum, Xavier (UTEP)
Tristen Newton, UConn (East Carolina)
Naheim Alleyne, UConn (Virginia Tech)
Al-Amir Dawes, Seton Hall (Clemson)
Femi Odukale, Seton Hall (Pitt)
Bryce Hopkins, Providence (Kentucky)
Noah Locke, Providence (Louisville)
Devin Carter, Providence (South Carolina)
Andre Curbelo, St. John’s (Illinois)
David Jones, St. John’s (DePaul)
Manny Bates, Butler (NC State)
Brandon Murray, Georgetown (LSU)
Akok Akok, Georgetown (UConn)
Qudus Wahab, Georgetown (Maryland) *Needs NCAA waiver
10 Under-The-Radar Big East Transfers
*In no particular order
Francisco Farabello, Creighton (TCU)
KC Ndefo, Seton Hall (St. Peter’s)
Dre Davis, Seton Hall (Louisville)
Clifton Moore, Providence (La Salle)
Eric Hunter Jr., Butler (Purdue)
Ali Ali, Butler (Akron)
Zach Wrightsil, Marquette (NAIA)
Jay Heath, Georgetown (Arizona State) *Needs NCAA waiver
Umoja Gibson, DePaul (Oklahoma)
Caleb Murphy, DePaul (South Florida)
Leftovers
- The Breakfast Buffet: UConn’s dominance, Andre Jackson, Florida Atlantic’s path is similar to Loyola Chicago in 2018
- The Breakfast Buffet: Things come full circle for Gonzaga and UConn, Kansas State, Rodney Terry
- The Breakfast Buffet: Markquis Nowell, UCLA will always be left wondering what could have been, FAU
- The Breakfast Buffet: Rick Barnes’ best chance to return to the Final Four, Adama Sanogo, Gonzaga/UCLA
- The Breakfast Buffet: Tobin Anderson, the Big East’s roster of head coaches is elite, Bobby Hurley
