Harrison Barnes’ decision Monday morning to return to Chapel Hill next season, combined with last week’s news of the return of dynamic interior duo Tyler Zeller and John Henson, should have the Tar Heels poised to do just that.  the Tar Heels are also ready to claim the top spot in the ACC with the usual competition from the Duke Blue Devils, but the Blue Devils are losing a lot of key players on their team.

The Tar Heels return every player from their 2010 roster with the exception of forward Justin Knox.  The Tar Heels 2011 recruiting class boasts two McDonald’s All-American’s in James McAdoo and P.J. Hairston, and the Tar Heels are a team no one in the ACC will want to butt heads with.  While the Tar Heels at times in 2010 lacked depth and firepower from the perimeter, those issues should be alleviated in 2011.

P.J. Hairston is a dynamic yet streaky shooter, and will be able to score in bunches off the bench. The same goes for Leslie McDonald, and a healthy Reggie Bullock. The ability to bring instant offense off the bench, should go miles for the Tar Heels in conference play.  Also coming off the bench will be highly-touted James McAdoo, who would probably start for any other team in the country.

McAdoo, the nephew of former Tar Heel Bob McAdoo, is a consistent face-up scorer and a hard-working interior presence who will make himself known to Tar Heel faithful from the get-go.  Adding brawn off the bench for the Tar Heels will also be Justin Watts, along with freshman Desmond Hubert and preferred walk-on freshman Jackson Simmons.

The Tar Heels main competition will, as usual, be the Duke Blue Devils.  The Blue Devils lost senior leaders Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler, and likely will lose electric point guard Kyrie Irving to the NBA draft, the Blue Devils have a very deep recruiting class.  Headlined by Austin Rivers, but also boasting Quinn Cook, Michael Gbinje, and also the youngest of the Plumlee’s, Marshall, the Blue Devils will have their share of talent to spread the floor with in Cameron.

However, with the celebrated return of Harrison Barnes, North Carolina should have an edge in the storied rivalry.  Barnes gives the Tar Heels a dynamic, do-it-all presence and a legitimate superstar-caliber talent.  The extra year of experience should allow Barnes to round out his game and give him the ability to carry this team down the stretch as we saw him do at times during his freshman season.

Combine skilled players such as Barnes, Henson, and Zeller in the frontcourt, with the continued development of a savvy, past-first point guard in Kendall Marshall and the Tar Heels appear to be the early favorites to win it all next season.  As for Barnes individually, he could be a pre-season All-American heading into the 2011-12 season, and this time it will be well deserved.

After watching that game how do you think Ohio State, Kansas, Duke, Pittsburgh, North Carolina,  Florida, Notre Dame, San Diego State, BYU, Purdue, Kentucky and Syracuse are all feeling about what they let slip away.  Any of those teams could have easily won that game on Monday night, and probably did it in blowout fashion.  Here are a few facts just in case missed the game, Butler shot 18.8 percent on 12-of-64 shooting.  Worst ever in a NCAA final, and it broke the record from that awful Wisconsin v. Wash State game noted above.  There were times when walking around the house the play by play of the game was clank, clank, and more clank as both teams struggled from the field.

Connecticut (32-9) outscored Butler by an unthinkable 26-2 in the paint, which is almost unheard of when two teams are supposedly “evenly matched”.  Some even said that the match up favored Butler because UCONN as not a good three point shooting team, and the Bulldogs could pack their defense in and force UCONN to win the game with jump shots.  Well it sort of worked, UConn shot a miserable 34.5 percent from the field and still won by 12 points.  The Huskies were 1-for-11 from behind the arc, which exactly what Butler was counting on to get the victory.

The Bulldogs (28-10) went a mind-numbing 13 minutes, 26 seconds in the second half making only one field goal.  They made 3-of-31 two-point attempts.  The tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, Jeremy Lamb, scored 12 points all in the second half after being saddled with early foul trouble at the beginning of the game.  Butler’s biggest stars, Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack were ice cold, Howard went 1-for-13, and Mack went 4-for-15.

Butler’s 41 points were 10 points fewer than the worst showing in the shot-clock era in a championship game. Michigan scored 51 in a loss to Duke in 1992, Butler’s 12 field goals were the second fewest in a championship game only three more than Oklahoma made way back in 1949.  The Bulldogs shot 16.2 percent in the second half on 6-of-37 shooting, and fast break points = 0, not to mention two points form the bench.  What is lost in all of this is the fact that Jim Calhoun put himself in the elite legendary coaching class with his third national title, there are only a handful of coaches that have more than two.

This is probably not the way Jim Calhoun or Kemba Walker drew up winning a national title, but I am sure they are not complaining about it today.  You have to wonder about Butler though, with as poorly as they played when they went in at halftime they were winning the game.  Then in the second half they were blown out after Calhoun made adjustments that freed up Lamp to exploit his size advantage on the smaller Bulldogs, had Butler been able to create some sort of inside game they might be the team celebrating a title.

When the final minutes of Thursday night’s game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Arizona Wildcats were winding down, it marked the end of fabulous collegiate careers for two Dukies, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler.

However, now many are speculating whether or not this may have also been the last game for talented freshman guard Kyrie Irving as well.

Irving netted 28 points in 31 minutes in the Duke Sweet 16 loss, and the game was anything but sweet for Irving, who was seen being consoled by Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski moments after the heart-breaking loss.

Coach K was certainly not ready to talk about future plans for Irving during his post-game press conference either. When specifically asked about the future of Kyrie Irving, Krzyzewski cut the question off.

“Let’s not talk about that,” Krzyzewski said. “I mean, that’s uncalled for right now. Let’s just talk about the game and the beautiful way that Arizona played and not future decisions. You can call my office later, you know…how would we do that, Ken? You think I just grabbed him and talked to him about that? I just hugged him because he’s crying. I’m not talking to him about him going pro. Those things will happen in due course.”

Irving himself gave no indication that he was ready to jump to the NBA, either. During an interview with the Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday, Irving said, “Right now there is no reason I wouldn’t come back for my sophomore year.”
Do you believe that Kyrie Irving should declare for the 2011 NBA Draft?
Yes, he’s ready, it’s time to move on. No, another year with Duke will help him immensely.

Irving is projected by many to be the top player in the upcoming NBA Draft, despite having only played 13 games in his freshman season. Still, NBADraft.net believes that Irving will be a “standout PG at the NBA level.”

Here is my issue with that statement. While Irving no doubt possesses the raw talent and skills to move on to the next level, he has yet to conquer the level he’s playing at now. Durability issues aside, Irving could elevate his status even more by playing a full season at the college level and working under the tutelage of Coach Krzyzewski.

Irving did later throw fuel on the discussion during his interview with Dan Patrick, saying “Honestly, I’m not sure right now.” After a bitter loss on Thursday night, no doubt Irving is still unsure as to his own future, and right now would not be the best time for him to make a life-changing decision.

However, 13 games at the college level is a small sample size to fully assess whether or not Irving is ready for the next level, despite the projections of pundits and experts. With a full year under his belt, Irving will no doubt be at the top of the boards for the NBA Draft in 2012.

Stick around for another year, Kyrie. Show the world that you can conquer the collegiate level first before attempting to move on. There is a huge difference between NCAA basketball and the NBA. And with Nolan Smith’s departure, Duke will be your team next season. Show the world what you can do when you’re running the show.

So far in 2010 the Ohio State Buckeyes basketball team is undefeated and ranked #2 in the country, but the Ohio State Buckeyes completed the 2009-10 campaign 29-8, wining both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles, and made it to the Sweet 16 before losing to Tennessee 76-73. Ohio State was led by the consensus player of the year Evan Turner, who put up 20 points, nine rebounds, and six dimes a contest, but Turner is now playing with the Philadelphia 76ers and the Buckeyes enter the 2010-11 season depending on what many consider to be the country’s best recruiting class to help them return to the NCAA Tournament.

Even with the loss of Turner, the Buckeyes still have four starters back from last year, giving the team plenty of experience to go along with a very exciting group of newcomers. The Buckeyes already have one game down, taking care of North Carolina AT&T 102-61 and it was freshmen Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas who stole the show. Here is a more in-depth look at what the Buckeyes will send to floor this year, plus my pick on where they finish the year in the Big Ten.

Frontcourt: Seniors David Lighty and Dallas Lauderdale are back manning the paint, while freshman Jared Sullinger find a place in the rotation. Sullinger’s career got off to a nice start with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Lauderdale added 12 points and 13 boards. These two should make for quite the duo on the inside, and the Buckeyes should have one of its best rebounding teams in school. Lighty will spend the majority of the time playing the three, but has the versatility to move down and man the power forward position and can also handle the ball and play the point. Thomas didn’t start for the Buckeyes in the opener and scored a team-high 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds in just 20 minutes. If Thomas continues to play like this, head coach Thad Matta will be forced to find more minutes for him. Freshman J.D. Weatherspoon adds depth, but could be the odd man out as far as seeing a lot of playing time.

Backcourt: Junior William Buford and senior Jon Diebler both return to the starting lineup. Buford averaged 14 points and about 6 rebounds a contest as a sophomore, and while he was the fifth leading scorer in the opener, this guy is a pure offensive threat and will be depended on a lot with the departure of Turner. Diebler is a three-point specialist, and one of the best in the nation from the outside, and when he is knocking down shots, this team is very tough to beat. Freshman Aaron Craft came off the bench to score eight point with nine dimes, and should be one of the best options off the bench this year. Also seeing some playing time will be freshmen Jordan Sibert and Lenzelle Smith.

Prediction – Second in the Big Ten: I think Michigan State is the only team standing in the way in the conference, but if the freshmen continue to play like they did in the first game, the Buckeyes could once again be the best in the Big Ten. I look for Ohio State to only improve as the year progresses, and I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see the Buckeyes make another deep run in the NCAA Tournament, regardless if they win the Big Ten or not.

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The UConn Huskies have dealt with some off the court issues heading into the 2010-11 season, but the season finally gets underway on Wednesday with the first exhibition game against AIC. With the outcome of a pending NCAA Investigation still to be determined, nobody is really sure what to expect out of this very young UConn team.

Junior point guard Kemba Walker is the leader of the Huskies. Walker last season averaged 14.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. In practice he has shown to be a dominant force and looks like he improved a lot from competing against Team USA this summer.

Besides Walker, the Huskies need someone else to step up. Seniors Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson, and Gavin Edwards have all graduated. The Huskies will also be without Atar Majok, who left the team in August.

This team is inexperienced and has very little big game experience. Calhoun wants to make sure everyone knows the first half of the season is going to be a struggle, but that this squad will be playing a lot better towards the end of the year.

Frontcourt: The frontcourt should be revolving around Center Alex Oriakhi. Last year he averaged 5.5 pts and 6.6 reb a night. Oriakhi is going to have to get the job done on the inside, because of UConn’s lack of depth. He has plenty of size to develop into the type of player that Emeka Okafor and Jeff Adrien were for the dominant Huskies teams of the past.

Charles Okwandu is a seven-foot senior center. Okwandu has seen limited playing time, but should have an opportunity to see minutes this season.

This season could depend on how quickly the freshman start contributing. So far everybody is raving about the hometown kid, Tyler Olander, who played at E.O Smith High School just off-campus. Olander has plenty of length at 6’10, can make outside shots and he also isn’t scared to grab rebounds in the paint.

Another freshman to monitor the progress of is Roscoe Smith. He has played at power forward, but primarily should see minutes on the wing. The 6’8 swing man from Baltimore is extremely talented and is most likely UConn’s top recruit of the 2010 class.

Backcourt: Joining preseason first team selection Kemba Walker will be senior captain Donnell Beverly. Beverly has been a decent player for the Huskies and hopefully can stay healthy as he looks to add some depth to the team.

Jammal Coombs-McDaniel has the potential to have a breakout season. He has a great shooting-stroke but could never find a rhythm last year.

The last two players are freshman Shabazz Nappier and Jeremy Lamb. Both these players can shoot it from behind the line, something that is unconventional for a Jim Calhoun team. This team is going to play a different scheme of basketball and it will have to adjust as the season goes along.

Prediction: Many analysts and pundits believe that the Huskies are going to struggle this season. Look at Jim Calhoun’s history: he hasn’t missed back to back NCAA Tournaments in over two decades. He doesn’t have bad consecutive seasons. This team is embracing the underdog status and will look to knock off the Top teams in the Big East.

I see UConn ending the season in 5th or 6th in the conference winning around 22 or 23 games, and making it back to the Big Dance!

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The Miami Hurricanes displayed a lot of potential and hope during the conference tournament last year, grabbing two upset wins and getting out to an impressive first half start against Duke before eventually going down to the Blue Devils. Miami only lost two starters from last year, and have quite a few new players that look to be sound contributors for the team this year.

The key for the Canes this season is to win more match ups against ACC opponents, as they finished with an ACC-worst 4-12 record in conference play last season. While the ACC is one of the toughest conferences in college basketball, Miami has the potential to finish high enough in the league to make a trip to the NCAA tournament this season.

Miami only plays one non-ACC game versus a foe that is ranked in the preseason, and that game comes early in the schedule on Nov. 16 at 19th-ranked Memphis. The Hurricanes could definitely use a victory in this game, but the most important thing for them is to not slip up against their other non-conference opponents. The ‘Canes finished last season with a 16-1 record in non-conference play, but most of those wins came against weak teams and led to them getting beat up in conference action.

Coach Frank Haith will look to Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant to help lead his inexperienced team in an effort to improve from last year. While they may not be in contention to win the ACC this season, they should play some fairly exciting basketball, as they have some of the most athletic players in the conference.

Front Court: Julian Gamble and Reggie Johnson will be depended upon pretty heavily this season when it comes to defense and rebounding, as they look to fill the void that was left with the departure of Dewayne Collins when he left for the NBA after last year. At 6’9″ and 6’10″, respectively, the duo is tall enough to match-up favorably against most of their opponents at the five. Both players need to make more of their shots this season, however, as Johnson shot 52% from the field last season, while Gamble only made 48% on his attempts.

DeQuan Jones is an extremely explosive forward with remarkable speed and athletic ability. He is best known for his ability to finish and his dunking skills, but he will need to improve on his outside shooting this season. He shot a horrid 23% from beyond the arc last season, making only 6 of his 26 attempts from long range.

Miami has Eric Swoope and Raphael Akpejiori joining their team this season. Swoope is another highly athletic small forward that will be competing with Jones for minutes all season at the three. Akpejiori, at 6’9″, should be a strong contributor when it comes to hitting the glass, and at 230 lbs, should be a fairly sound force down low against smaller interior players.

Donnovan Kirk will also be coming back to the ‘Canes after being receiving a medical red-shirt last year when he only played in four contests. He will need to help pick up some of the slack with rebounding on both sides of the court this season.

Back Court: Miami’s success this year largely depends on their back court, which is headlined by Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant. Both players are coming off brilliant performances in the ACC tournament, and the hopes are fairly high for them this year as they will be looked upon as leaders on the court.

Scott, a very impressive guard who is extremely athletic and very good at finding open shooters, will be the floor leader for Miami. Averaging 10.3 points per game last season, and scoring in double figures in eight of their final nine contests, Scott should raise his scoring average this year. Their success will not only ride on his scoring abilities, but also on how well he distributes the ball and his effectiveness at getting his team involved.

While Grant is smaller and shorter than Scott, he plays most of his minutes at the two. Although he was tops on the team with 3.5 dimes per game last season, he will need to concentrate more on scoring this season after putting up just under 10 points per night last season. If he can be a consistent point producer this season, the ‘Canes definitely could be one of the surprise teams to over-achieve their expectations.

Rion Brown will also play a key role in the Hurricanes back court. The freshman shooting guard from Georgia is a Top 100 prospect and should be extremely productive for the Canes if he can get on the court enough this season.

Predictions: The ‘Canes have some extremely talented players on their roster, but unfortunately for them they play in a very deep conference that features last year’s national champions, the Duke Blue Devils, who they go up against twice this year.

If they can get strong contributions from all of their players, they could move up the standings a position or two. However, I can’t picture Miami being able to make a jump into the top level of the ACC and finishing ahead of any of the four teams currently ranked in the Top 25 . While Miami could potentially be a bubble team late in the year if they have an impressive run during conference play, it is unlikely they will actually land a spot in the tournament when all of the smoke settles.

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The North Carolina Tar Heels do not fare so well last year, one that saw them go 20-17 overall and 5-11 in ACC play. The Tar Heels bubble burst early and while they did miss the NCAA tournament, UNC did play in the NIT. Roy Williams can’t be happy about having his streak of 20 straight years with at least one NCAA tournament win broken, and he thinks he has to get tougher on his players and slightly mix up his schemes. This squad had a lot of talent inside last year, but top scorer Deon Thompson graduated and top rebounder Ed Davis entered the NBA. Also, twins David Wear and Travis Wear left North Carolina to UCLA. You have to think the Tar Heels will get better this season with the addition of highly touted freshmen Harrison Barnes, Reggie Bullock and Kendall Marshall. They are all very talented on offense, which is vital considering the Tar Heels shot their third-worst field goal percentage since 1960, their worth free throw percentage since 1954 and its worst 3-point percentage all-time last year. Looking at Williams’ history, last season probably left the worst taste in his mouth of any season since he started coaching. So the conference should get ready to face a UNC team that plays with not only a lot more passion, but a lot more talent also.

Frontcourt:

Sophomore John Henson improved quite a bit last year when he made the move from the three spot to the four. He was lanky last season, but he put on 25 pounds this off-season which should enable him to grab more boards. Junior Tyler Zeller has a lot of talent and contributes a lot when healthy, but he has struggled to say on the floor in his first few seasons with the Tar Heels. Adding senior forward Justin Knox, a transfer from Alabama, will also help the depth situation down low. Harrison Barnes was the top recruit in the country, and big things are expected from him right away.

Backcourt:

Junior point guard Larry Drew II has a lot of critics and has been trying to fill the shoes of many great point guards before him. Even if he’s not in the same class as Ty Lawson, he is a pretty good player. Don’t be surprised if he really shines this year after looking so good late in the season, including a remarkable performance in the postseason. Reggie Bullock will give this team the 3-point shooting it needs as a perimeter scorer. Kendall Marshall is a solid backup to Drew at the point. Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald were not good last season but have been working hard this summer to improve.

Jack’s Prediction: 2nd Place in the ACC – Things couldn’t get much worse for the Tar Heels on offense last year, so improving will not be difficult. Improvement on offense along with the return to health of a few players and also looking to rebound off an embarrassing year will have UNC primed to put together a big year. The trouble is that they may still be another year away from reaching their full potential, and expectations for Tar Heel fans are for the team to compete for not only conference titles, but national championships. I believe both of those goals will be achievable this season.

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For the second straight season the Florida State Seminoles ended up with a strong enough resume to play in the Big Dance, but once again were unable to make it out of the opening round, as they fell to Gonzaga in the first round 67-60. Florida State finished 10-6 in the ACC for the second consecutive year, but will have their work cut out for them in 2010, as they must replace two of their top post players from last season in Solomon Alabi and Ryan Reid. Head coach Leonard Hamilton has really got the Seminoles headed in the right direction over the last five seasons, as Duke, North Carolina, and Maryland are the only teams that have won more conference games over that time period. For a general idea of what the Seminoles will be like this year, here is quick preview of what the Seminoles return from last year and the players they have added to the team during the offseason.

Looking at the college basketball odds for the upcoming season, the Seminoles currently have the fourth best line to win the conference at +800, but aren’t likely to do much if they get into the Big Dance, as they currently have +6000 odds to win the National Championship.

Backcourt: The Seminoles bring back all of their perimeter players from last season, but in order for them to remain one of the top teams in the conference they are going to need a big time year out of junior Chris Singleton, who posted 10 points and 7 rebounds and was also named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Singleton did a lot of work with NBA players to improve his all-around game this offseason, as the Seminoles desperately need him to become more of a scorer this year. Senior Derwin Kitchen and junior Luke Loucks will likely split time at the point guard position, and better perform early or Hamilton could turn to freshman Ian Miller. Coming off the bench behind Singleton is sophomore Michael Snaer, who made the ACC All-Freshman team, and junior sharpshooter Dievidas Dukys, who made nearly 40% of his shots behind the line last year.

Frontcourt: There is no question that the Seminoles are going to miss the inside presence of Alabi and Reid. While neither really provided a lot of offense, they were excellent defenders and really kept locked down the paint. Taking the place of Alabi and Reid will be junior college transfer Bernard James and redshirt freshman Jon Kreft. James should be a solid rebounder, while Florida State believes Kreft is a more talented offensively than either Alabi or Reid. Junior Xavier Gibson has continued to improve and will likely take on James for the starting role inside, but either way figures to be a very large piece to the Seminoles success this year.

Predictions: I believe the Seminoles are the wild card team of the conference this year, as I think they could be very good and at the same time I could see the Seminoles being a disappointment. Offensively they really don’t have a lot of offensive punch outside of Singleton and I believe they are going to take a big hit defensively with the loss of Reid and Alabi on the inside. Florida State was the third worst scoring team in the conference last season and ended up dead last in free throw percentage. Even if the defense remains strong, I am just not sure if they will be able to put up enough points to compete with the best teams in this conference. While my expectations aren’t high, there is still enough talent for this team to make it back to the Big Dance, but another one and done is likely in the cards if they make it.

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After around Week 2 of the Big East football season, you got the impression of how down the conference was going to really be.  I was often asked “What is there to like about the Big East?”  My reply was always the same- “Basketball season is right around the corner.”

Well that time is here and there is nothing like the Big East Basketball season.  Sixteen teams, most of them quality programs, hanging and banging with each other every night.  There are no nights off in the Big East.  ACC and Big Ten fans can like their conference as much as they would like, but they don’t compare to the Big East when you talk overall depth and talent from top to bottom.

This isn’t your same Big East though.  It’s still likely the best conference in the nation, but the overall talent level has dropped off quite a bit with all of the early entries to the NBA Draft the past few seasons.  Make no mistake though, the conference still has quite a few teams that can reach the Final Four and possibly win the National Championship.

Predicted Order of Finish and Likely NCAA Tournament Seed:

1. Pitt (1)

2. Villanova (2)

3. Syracuse (2)

4. Georgetown (3)

5. West Virginia (5)

6. Marquette (6)

7. Connecticut (8)

8. St. Johns (9)

9. Seton Hall (12)

10. Notre Dame (NIT)

11. Louisville (NIT)

12. Cincinnati (NIT)

13. South Florida

14. Depaul

15. Providence

16. Rutgers

All Big East First Team:

G- Corey Fisher- Villanova

G- Ashton Gibbs- Pitt

F- Austin Freeman, Georgetown

F- Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall

F- Kevin Jones, WVU

All Big East Second Team:

G- Kemba Walker, U Conn

G- Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall

F- Kris Joseph, Syracuse

F- D.J. Kennedy, St. Johns

F- Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame

All Big East Third Team:

G- Chris Wight, Georgetown

G- Brad Wanamaker, Pitt

F- Gus Gilchrist, South Florida

F- Herb Pope, Seton Hall

F- Jimmy Butler, Marquette

Best Big East Coach:

Jamie Dixon, Pitt: Barely edges out Jim Boeheim.  Dixon continues to do more with the lest. All Dixon does is win.  The only thing missing from his resume is a trip to the Final Four, which could come sooner rather then later.

Best Recruiter:

Jim Boeheim, Syracuse: I was tempted to give this to Dixon as well, but I will show some love for the Orange.  Boeheim has done it for so long and despite most of his players leaving early, he continues to replace them with quality players that fit his system.

Best Defensive Coach:

Dixon, Pitt- It’s the staple of the Panthers program and he gets the kids to buy into defense first.  It’s a tough sell in this age of college basketball, but Dixon keeps the Panthers on top.

Coach on the Hot Seat:

Mike Brey, Notre Dame: He’s had talent, but it’s not translating into wins. He didn’t win with Luke Harangody, who was one of the best statistical players iin Big East history. Eventually, Brey is going to have to start winning consistently, which isn’t easy in the Big East.

Best Shooter:

Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette: Sharp shooter connected on close to 50% from downtown last year.  He’s so much more then just a shooter though which makes him very dangerous.

Best Shot Blocker:

Bilal Dixon, Providence: We’re used to seeing dominant Georgetown and U Conn centers owning the paint defensively.  The conference doesn’t have that this season, but Dixon, who was thrust into the starting lineup last season as a freshman preformed admirably on the defensive end.  While the sophomore center is on standing 6″9, he averaged close to two blocks per game as a freshmen, the most of any returning Big East player.

Best Post Player:

Rick Jackson, Syracuse: This award could likely go to teammate Fab Melo, who is a freshman star waiting to happen.  For now let’s give it to Jackson.  There aren’t many great post players in a guard dominant league, but Jackson makes the most of his opportunities, shooting close to 60% from the field.  His big body and soft hands could make him tough to deal with this season.

Best Leader:

Austin Freeman, Georgetown:  Not only is Freeman likely the best player in the conference, he is the best leader.  The Hoyas go as Freeman goes and he’s a true leader that wants the ball with the game on the line.

The School You Better Beat Now Because Help Is on the Way:

St. Johns: The Red Storm have a good bit of talent and it won’t be long before new head coach Steve Lavin has them competing reguarly in the Big East.

Non-Conference Matchups You Don’t Want to Miss:

11/22: U Conn at Tennessee

11/22: Marquette at Duke

11/30: Georgetown at Missouri

12/11: Tennessee at Pitt

12/23: Georgetown at Memphis

1/16: Purdue at WVU

1/30: Duke at St. Johns

Team Outlooks:

Cincinnati: Last season, the Bearcats finished 19-16, won two games in the Big East Tourney and played in two rounds of the NIT. It was UC’s first NIT bid since 2006. Coach Mick Cronin must find a way to replace guards Lance Stephenson and Deonta Vaughn, the team’s top two scorers. While Cronin will be looking to find some answers offensively, he will have several available choices. Cronin can call on eight players who averaged at least 10 minutes per game last season.

Cronin wants to continue the momentum that he and his staff have established. The Bearcats are a known quantity on defense and on the boards. UC was second in the Big East in rebound margin (+6.2). Although Stephenson and Vaughn have departed, the Bearcats are still an experienced club with five scholarship seniors and two juniors on the roster. The search for more offensive punch may also include two freshmen, 6-8 Justin Jackson and 6-10 Kelvin Gaines.

Player to Watch- Yancy Gates: Gates is the Bearcats only returning double figure scorer and will be looked at to carry a bulk of the scoring.

Connecticut:After a Final Four run two seasons ago, UConn posted an 18-16 record and a 7-11 Big East mark last year. The Huskies had four double-figure scorers, but there was a drop off in production after that group. Two full-time starters return for coach Jim Calhoun who will try to assemble cohesive combinations to put the Huskies back in their accustomed role of Big East contenders.

Guard Kemba Walker became one of the Big East’s top guards last season. He averaged 14.6 points and was first in the league in steals (2.1) and second in assists (5.1). The other full-time returning starter is sophomore center Alex Oriakhi, a Big East All-Rookie Team pick.

Despite “only” finishing with an 18-16 record, the Huskies put up their customary strong defensive numbers. In league games, they allowed opponents to shoot only 40.4 percent, best in the Big East. UConn has led the league in field goal defense in seven of the past nine seasons. The Huskies, as usual, were first in blocked shots with a 6.7 mark in league play and were second nationally at 7.7. Calhoun would welcome some stronger shooting from the perimeter. Freshman Jeremy Lambmay be able to help on the wing or in the back-court. Guard Shabazz Napierhas a good chance to offer some immediate help. The other freshmen are front-court hopefuls: 6-10 Michael Bradley, 6-8 Roscoe Smith and 6-9 Tyler Olander.

Player to Watch- Alex Oriakhi: Oriakhi has the talent to be the next dominant U Conn big man.

DePaul: The Blue Demons are off to a fresh start with new coach Oliver Purnell, who comes from Clemson with 22 years of head coaching experience. Purnell’s last three Clemson teams made the NCAA Tournament. Only 21 teams nationally, including five from the Big East, have played in the last three NCAA tourneys. At DePaul, Purnell will be rebuilding a program that has tasted only two Big East victories in the past two seasons. His first Blue Demon squad will include four players who started at least 17 games last season, but lost its two top scorers, center Mac Koshwal and guard Will Walker.

Purnell will be searching for some of the returnees to step up offensively, especially with the departure of Koshwal and Walker. There should be plenty of opportunity for  three newcomers to make their marks as freshmen. They are: 6-5 forward Moses Morgan, 6-3 guard Brandon Young and 6-8 forward Cleveland Martin.  Other then the freshmen, Purnell will likely lean heavily on senior swingman Mike Stovall, who showed flashes of explosive scoring ability, averaged 7.0 ppg while making 20 starts last season.

Player to Watch- Eric Wallace: Wallace averaged 6.3 points and 4.9 rebounds while making 19 starts in his first season at DePaul after transferring from Ohio State. He missed the final seven games of the season, but will be counted on to do big things this year.

Georgetown: In 2009-10, the Hoyas produced what is becoming a typical season under coach John Thompson III. Georgetown finished 23-11 overall and earned another NCAA invitation, its fourth in the last six years. They were 10-8 in league play and advanced to the Big East Championship final for the third time in the past four years. Yet, despite entering the Tourney hot, the Hoyas had another disappointing early exit. Thompson, who is entering his seventh season as the Hoya headmaster, welcomes back four starters, but the lone loss is a significant one, center Greg Monroe.

The Hoyas likely boast the strongest three guard line up in the nation, with 2010-11 Big East Preseason Player of the Year Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, and Jason Clark.  Monroe will be difficult to replace though.  Georgetown has had a storied history of big men, but Monroe offered up something more.  He handled the ball well and had great hands and a high basketball IQ.  Those qualities will be missed.

The Hoyas not only bring back the talented backcourt, but they add four quality freshmen to the mix, including: forwards Aaron Bowen and Nat Lubick, center Moses Abraham and guard Markel Starks. This season, there may be more immediate opportunities to play in the frontcourt than at guard, so someone will be given the opportunity.

Player to Watch- Chris Wright:  Wright directs a Hoyas offense that not only led the Big East in field goal percentage, but three point percentage a season ago.  he has the ability to become one of the elite guards in the nation, if he can bring it consistently every night.

Louisville: Last season, the Cardinals posted their eighth straight 20-win season when they finished 20-13 overall and 11-7 in the BIG EAST. CoachRick Pitino has to deal with the challenge of replacing four starters, including his top three scorers from last year. His top returning scorer is junior forward Jared Swopshire, who averaged only 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game. But history shows that it might be a mistake to predict a big drop off for the Cardinals. In their five seasons as a member of the Big East Louisville owns a 59-27 regular-season record in league play, second only to Pittsburgh’s 60-26 mark. This year, Pitino welcomes six newcomers and plans to speed up the tempo a little with his young squad.

The Cardinals have some holes to fill, but appear to have candidates ready to emerge as qualityBig East performers, including guard Preston Knowles and forward Terrence Jennings. Six freshmen will be fighting to earn the eye of Pitino.  Some will likely have to play big roles.

Player to Watch-Roburt Sallie: Sallie is a transfer from Memphis who the NCAA granted immediate eligibilty to this season.  He comes as the Memphis all-time leader in three-point shooting and can play both the two-guard and small forward positions.  Her could become a big weapon for Pitino.

Marquette: Marquette put together a 22-12 season that ended with another NCAA appearance last March. Each of MU’s five seasons in the Big East has been a 20-win campaign that included a trip to the NCAA Championship. Last year, the Golden Eagle program led by coach Buzz Williamsreturned to the NCAAs while working with only one returning starter. This year, Williams has to find a way to replace Lazar Hayward, an NBA first-round draft choice, to maintain the 20-win and NCAA streaks.

The nucleus for 2010-11 starts with senior Jimmy Butler who earned All-Big East Honorable Mention recognition last season. The 6-7 forward averaged 14.7 points and 6.4 rebounds, which were second on the team in both categories. Another returnee that could have a big season is guard Darius Johnson-Odom, who averaged 13.0 ppg and was second in the Big East in 3-point shooting at 47.4 percent.

The biggest challenge for Williams is to find a new floor leader, since the Golden Eagles are losing three quality contributors.  Butler and Johnson-Odom are a good starting point, but expect a few newcomers to get a long look and an opportunity to contribute right away. The group includes guards Vander Blue and Reggie Smith along with forwards Jamail Jones, Davante Gardner and junior college transfer Jae Crowder. Blue was a member of the USA Basketball U-18 Team.

Player to Watch- Jimmy Butler:  It always seems that the Golden Eagles find a great player that the rest of the nation knows very little about and Butler could be the next guy in line to assume that role.

Notre Dame: Last year, Notre Dame finished 23-12 overall, 10-8 in the Big East and returned to the NCAAs after a one-year absence. It was ND’s fifth straight 20-win season. The Fighting Irish must deal with the loss of forward All-American Luke Harandgody and point guard Tory Jackson, but coach Mike Brey’s club figures to be strong again with some proven Big East performers and some key new additions. The Irish have made the postseason in each of Brey’s 10 seasons at the helm and that streak seems likely to continue in 2010-11.

Back are senior Tim Abromaitis had a huge breakout season in 2009-10. The 6-8 forward averaged 16.1 ppg and was one of the league’s top shooters. He was third in the conference in free throw shooting (87.3 %) and fourth in 3-point shooting (42.9%). Guard Ben Hansbrough averaged 12.0 ppg in his first season with the Irish after transferring from Mississippi State, shooting 41.4 % from beyond the arc.

Harangody and Jackson will be very difficult to replace, but the Irish have a good bit of scoring in Abromaitis and Hansbrough. Scott Martin should see a big role as well.  Martin transferred from Purdue, but sat out last season due to injury. On paper, the Irish are a very deep team, but could turn to freshman  Eric Atkins as the starting point guard.

Player to Watch- Eric Atkins: With Jackson running the show, the Irish had the best assist to turnover ratio in the Big East.  Those are big shoes for a freshman to come in and fill.

Pittsburgh: The Panthers are the Coaches pick to win the Big East and Why not?  All Jamie Dixondoes is win.  Dixon doesn’t have first round NBA talent nor a roster of McDonalds All- Americans, yet no coach in the nation gets the maximum out of what he has then Dixon.  The only thing missing from the resume of Dixon is a trip to the Final Four, but that could come sooner rather than later.

The Panthers went into last season with only one returning starter, but the success continued. Dixon guided Pitt to its ninth straight NCAA berth with the Panthers finishing 25-9 overall and 13-5 in the Big East. Seven of the top eight scorers are back, including four starters, so the level of excellence is likely to continue in 2010-11. The Panthers are the only team in the conference to amass at least 20 victories overall and 10 wins in the Big East over the last nine seasons.

The backcourt is the Panthers strength where both Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker return.  Pitt doesn’t necessarily have a go to guy, but one of these guys will have the ball in there hands with the game on the line. Senior Gilbert Brown is the most athletic Panthers player and if he becomes more consistent can be one of the more explosive players in the Big East.  In the front court, Dixon will use a number of bodies, but keep an eye on redshirt freshman Talib Zanna, who can rebound and provide some scoring in the paint, which was the Panthers weakness a season ago.

To play for Dixon, you have to be able to play defense and rebound.  The Panthers led the Big East in scoring defense a season ago and it’s the staple of the program.  That also means that it’s tough for freshmen to earn immediate playing time, but four newcomers, guards Isaiah Epps and Cameron Wright and forwards J.J.Moore and Aron Nwankwo will attempt to earn regular minutes.  If one of the group has a legitimate chance to contribute this season, it will likely be Moore.

Player to Watch-Talib Zanna: The Panthers aren’t used to players leaving early and when DeJuan Blair left after only two seasons, it sort of caught the Panthers off guard.  They still had a great season, but they were left without a legitimate talent on the block.  Zanna has a chance to step in and be a double-double type player.

Providence: Last year, coach Keno Davis had only three scholarship players. History says the Big East wars are often rough on young teams and, not surprisingly, the Friars struggled. They finished 12-19 overall and 4-14 in league play. The 2010-11 team has two seniors, no juniors and plenty of sophomores and freshmen. The promising work of some of last year’s freshmen gives Davis some reasons to be optimistic. With a strong incoming freshmen class, Providence could be ready to move back up the Big East standings before too long.

The Friars will be very young again this year, but look for senior Marshon Brooks to be the teams go to guy.  He can light it up.  Some of the Friars freshmen could contribute right away, including guards Gerard Coleman and Dre Evans.  It could be another long season for the Friars, but Davis is building a team the right way.  It won’t be long for Providence.

Player to Watch- Marshon Brooks: He’s the best talent on the team and is coming off of a season in which he averaged 14.2 ppg.  Those numbers could go up this season.

Rutgers: New coach Mike Ricetakes over the Scarlet Knight program. Rice comes from Robert Morris where he led the Colonials to a 73-31 record in his three-year tenure there. He was named Northeast Conference Coach of the Year in two of those seasons. This past year, he led his team to the NCAA Championship where Robert Morris lost an overtime decision to Villanova in the first round. Rice will have only five scholarship players and not much size on his first Rutgers team. He has preached that defense will be a top priority as he tries to build the Scarlet Knights into winners.

The Scarlet Knights have two quality players returning in senior Jonathan Mitchell, who averaged 11.8 ppg a season ago, and sophomore Dane Miller, who was one of the top freshmen in the conference a season ago.

With only five scholarship players on the roster, Rice will give three newcomers plenty of opportunities to contribute right away. Gilvydas Biruta is a 6-8 freshman with a reputation as a strong perimeter shooter. Freshman Austin Carroll will press for duty at shooting guard. Guard Tyree Graham is a high-scoring junior college transfer who began his career at Texas Tech.

Player to Watch- Jonathan Mitchell:  On a team that won’t win many games, the Florida transfer could be as exciting as it gets for the Scarlet Knights.

St. Johns: The 2010-11 edition of the Red Storm will be brand new on the end of the bench with Steve Lavin taking over as the head coach. The players from last season, though, are mostly the same. Lavin’s first St. John’s team includes 10 seniors. Lavin wants to play an uptempo game and will try to keep this veteran group moving upward. St. John’s finished 17-16 overall and 6-12 in the Big East.

Lavin’s best two players are swingman D.J. Kennedy, who averaged a team-leading 15.1 points and 6.1 rebounds while also leading the team in assists (102), steals (38) and blocks (22). Kennedy is the real deal.  Despite having a ton of experience, the Red Storm only return one other double figure scorer in guard Dwight Hardy.
It’s hard to imagine a team with 10 seniors, but Lavin certainly has an experienced group for his first St. John’s team. Heralded freshman forward Dwayne Polee, Jr. is the only newcomer. With a quality coach in Lavin and a new up-tempo style, the Red Storm could surprise many in the Big East this season.

Player to Watch- D.J. Kennedy: The kid can do a lot.  Now he has the chance to put his name right up there with the Big East’s best this season.

Seton Hall: The Pirates have turned to Kevin Willard as their new head coach. After three successful seasons at Iona, Willard takes over a Seton Hall team that finished 19-13 overall, 9-9 in the Big East, and made the NIT. His first Pirate club will have five players who were at least part-time starters a year ago. If some newcomers can fit in smoothly, Willard may have The Hall moving up the ladder pretty quickly.

Three of the returning players for the Pirates are guard Jeremy Hazell, who’s a stud that was third in the Big East in scoring last season, forward Herb Pope, who was the leading rebounder in the conference, and forward Jeff Robinson, who closed the season strongly.

The Pirates, already with experienced players at each position, got a late summer boost with the addition of guard Eniel Polynice, a transfer from Mississippi who is eligible to play immediately. Last season, he averaged 8.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and a team-leading 3.9 assists for the Rebels. The other four newcomers are all freshmen. Fuquan Edwinis a 6-6 swingman. The others will contend for playing time in the frontcourt: 6-9Patrik Auda, 6-11 Aaron Geramipoor and 6-8 Anali Okoloji.

Player to Watch- Jeremy Hazell: Hazell is an explosive scorer, but was recently injured.  He will need to regain the scoring touch when he’s healthy for the Pirates to have any chance at competing.

South Florida: Last year, the Bulls became a factor in the Big East for the first time in their five seasons as a league member. After winning four games or less in their first four years, USF finished 9-9. Overall, the Bulls had a 20-13 record and were invited to the NIT. It was their first postseason berth since 2002. Coach Stan Heath obviously wants the momentum to continue, but he will have to find a way to replace guard Dominique Jones who was the league’s scoring champion and seemingly made all the big plays for the Bulls.

The frontcourt should be the strength of this Bulls team. Augustus Gilchrist, a 6-10 junior, was slowed by an ankle injury last season, but he still averaged 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds and is the teams leading returning scorer.  Six-eleven Jarrid Famous was a solid contributor, averaging 10.4 points and 7.5 rebounds in his first season with USF.   Add to that, the addition of  forward Ron Anderson, a transfer from Kansas State. The 6-8 junior averaged 5.2 points and 5.3 rebounds as a top reserve two seasons ago and is expected to make immediate contributions.

The backcourt is weak overall though and the group of newcomers includes guards or wing players who have reputations as good shooters. Two of them are  junior college transfers,  6-0 Shedrick Haynes, who will compete at point guard, and 6-5 Hugh Robertson, who will push to be noticed at shooting guard or small forward.

Player to Watch- Ron Anderson: Anderson can give the Bulls one of the better all around front courts in the game and will be expected to contribute right off the bat.

Syracuse: Syracuse has been among the college basketball elite seemingly forever, yet last season’s accomplishments still were noteworthy even by the Orange’s high standards. SU finished with a 30-5 record, set a school record with 28 regular-season wins and reached No. 1 in the national polls. With a 15-3 league record, the Orange won their first outright Big East crown since 1990-91. Coach Jim Boeheim, who won Big East Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time, posted his record 32^nd 20-win season. In the last two years, SU has won 58 games. The Orange lost standouts Wes Johnson, Andy Rautins and Arinze Onuaku, but are expected to be strong again in 2010-11.

Forward Rick Jackson and guard Brandon Triche are the two returning starters, but forward Kris Joseph played starter’s minutes (27.8) and was picked Big East Sixth Man of the Year. Joseph has a chance to be one of the better players in the conference this season.

The usually prolific Syracuse offense was up to standards last year. The team averaged 80.9 ppg and led the nation in field goal shooting, hitting at 51.6 percent. The returning cast has plenty of winning experience and the addition of 7-0 freshman Fab Melo may produce some immediate dividends. Freshman guard Dion Waiters is another highly-regarded rookie and has a reputation as a solid shooter. The other newcomers are 6-7 forward C.J. Fair and 6-10 Baye Moussa Keita.

Player to Watch- Brandon Triche: The Orange need a quality point guard and Triche could be it.  He’s coming off of a solid freshman season in which he split time with Scoop Jardine. They will split time again, but look for Triche to assume control of the Syracuse offense.

Villanova: Last season the Wildcats finished 25-8 overall and 13-5 in Big East, which tied for second place in the conference. The win total tied for second best in school history. VU earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Championship, though the Wildcats were eliminated in the second round. Coach Jay Wright, who had six newcomers among his top 11 players, will welcome back eight of those 11 for 2010-11. Like last year, the Wildcats have to replace two starters, though this year’s supporting cast will be more experienced. Villanova will be aiming for its seventh straight trip to the NCAAs.

The Wildcats will be able to lean on the senior trio of Corey Fisher, Antonio Pena and Corey Stokes. All three are quality players and Fisher may be the most creative offensive players in the conference.  Pena will return to his natural position of power forward, now that Mouphtaou Yarou is healthy.

Last year, a heralded recruiting class made important contributions as freshmen. With a season under their belt, they should be even better in 2010-11. Fisher, Pena and Stokes have been through the Big East wars and know how to win. Freshman guard James Bellwill try to find some playing time in a crowded backcourt. Freshman forward JayVaughn Pinkstonwill push to be noticed in the frontcourt.

Player to Watch- Maalik Wayns: Wayns has the chance to be a star.  He was voted to the Big EastAll-Rookie Team after a freshmen season in which he averaged 7.0 ppg.  He is devastatingly quick and should be pencilled in to start at the shooting guard this season.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers made a memorable run to the NCAA Final Four last year in a season that also included their first Big EastChampionship crown. WVU posted 13 Big East wins, its highest total since joining the league for basketball in 1995-96. Coach Bob Huggins’ squad finished 31-7. Three key contributors- Da’Sean Butler, Devin Ebanks and Wellington Smith -have to be replaced, but Huggins still has some battle-tested veterans who should keep the Mountaineers in Big East contention.

Junior forward Kevin Jones may take over as the Mountaineers’ top gun. The 6-8 junior was second on the team in scoring (13.5) and rebounding (7.2) last season while also shooting a team-high 40.4 percent from 3-point range. Junior Darryl “Truck” Bryant and senior Joe Mazzulla are back to share the point guard spot.

The Mountaineers have three starters to replace, but appear to have some experienced players ready to step into more prominent roles. WVU figures to continue with its trademark combination of rebounding and defense. The Mountaineers often appear to be a team with several interchangeable parts.

Among four freshmen, guard Noah Cottrill is a combo guard who may see some significant action right away.

Forward Darrious Curry is a wing candidate. Forward Kevin Noreen is 6-10, but is known more as a shooter who can step away from the basket. David Nyarsuk, a 7-1 center, will fight for minutes in the low post.
Player to Watch- Kevin Jones: While Jones may be the best player on this Mountaineers team, someone needs to step up in a leadership role to replace Butler.  Jones could be the guy.

The Duke Blue Devils won their fourth NCAA Title last season, and will look for their second repeat under head coach Mike Krzyewski. Last year there weren’t a lot of high hopes for Duke, as the school hadn’t made it to the Elite 8 in the last five years, but slowing the pace down on offense and a team built on defense and rebounding rolled through the postseason to beat Butler for the championship. This season the expectations are very high, as the Blue Devils return two very talented players in Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith, and have a couple of talented young players ready to make a huge impact. To get a solid grasp of what the Blue Devils will bring to the table this year, here is a quick preview of who they will have on the floor, plus my pick on where they will finish the year in the ACC.

Looking at the college basketball odds, the Duke Blue Devils come in as the favorites to win the ACC at -250, and are also the favorites to win another national title this season at +500.

Backcourt: The Blue Devils only real loss is Jon Scheyer, who was the main ball handler last season, but his loss should be limited, as they add one of the most talented young freshman in the country in Kyrie Irving, who can not only distribute but he can score on his own if needed. Krzyewksi has already been raving about this kid’s talent, and he figures to be a great fit for returning senior guard Nolan Smith, who scored just over 17 points a game last season. Smith is a much better player off the ball, and should benefit from a lot of open shots with Irving running the show. Also joining the Blue Devils will be sophomore Seth Curry, younger brother of Golden State Warriors guard Stephon Curry. Seth really impressed his teammates last season with how difficult he was to guard, as he was forced to sit out last year after transferring from Liberty. With Irving expected to start immediately, Krzyewski has already talked about his intent of going away from the half court offense and running a much more up-tempo offense this season.

Frontcourt: The Blue Devils return one of the best small forwards in the country in Singler, who averaged almost 18 points and 7 rebounds a game last season. Singler has all the skills to become the National Player of the Year this season, but he still needs to become more of a vocal leader. Singler will be joined in the front court with Miles and Mason Plumlee, as the Blue Devils must replace the inside presence of Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek. Mason has more skills, and will likely be a high draft pick next year, but both players should do better this season with the faster pace. Coming off the pine will be sophomore Ryan Kelly and freshman Josh Hairston, both of which should play a big part this year off the bench.

Prediction – 1st ACC: It looks like it will once again be a two team race for the ACC title this season between Duke and North Carolina. North Carolina also landed a very highly talented freshman in Harrison Barnes, but I think the Blue Devils have the much better overall squad. It will be difficult for Duke to beat their record from 2009-10, but I believe this is an even better team than they had a season ago. With the return of Singler and Smith, Duke is only one of four teams that has two players who put up at least 17 points back. Irving will be the difference maker for this team, and they have as good as chance of anybody of taking home the Final Four.

If you are interested in making some money this college basketball season, be sure to stop back for our expert NCAA basketball picks from the top handicappers in the world!