September 2005

PRACTICE STARTS IN 2 WEEKS!

Well, the official start of practice begins in 2 weeks. Right now, the coaches are trying to cram as much as they can into their 2 hours alloted per week with the entire team and in their individual sessions. At this time, I have some broad, wide ranking comments on each team:

Cincinnati: I just have a feeling, with their conference schedule and all the other distractions happening around their program, they are going to struggle in the Big East. It is a shame for the seniors, but I think this is completely out of their control.

Connecticut: I expect Marcus Williams to serve a one-semester suspension from the University and then return early in January to the team. However, the longer this goes from the University without a say either way, who knows what will really happen. If that is the penalty the University imposes, than, that is what it is. Jim Calhoun has already suspended them indefinitely and would likely uphold the suspension for the first semester, even if the University does not issue a suspension. But, as of now, anyone’s guess.

DePaul: I am starting to like this team more and more and think they have a chance to be a small surprise to the rest of the league. Just wish they had a little more depth upfront and somebody to step up and hit from the perimeter on a consistent basis.

Georgetown: I can not help but think this is a team that is one year away, but, Bowman and Cook are seniors this year. Not quite sure if they have enough offense to challenge for the top 4 spots, but, they do have a schedule that favors them. I think they will be more consistent this year as the team comes together.

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Louisville: Injuries are never good, but getting some extra time early on for Terrence Farley, Johnathan Huffman and Chad Millard could become very valuabel down the stretch. But, a healthy trio of Brian Johnson, Juan Palacios and David Padgett could go a long way to helping Louisville compete for a return to the final four. With Johnson and Padgett not playing last year, the early season tune-ups would be important to them as well.

Marquette: Intriguing team,but a lot of pressure to put on a freshmen group in the backcourt. The team struggled offensively when Travis Diener got hurt last year, so, how will the offense improve this year? Well, they do have more options and in time, they will be very good.

Notre Dame: How many more wins will the easier schedule be worth to ND this year? Will it balance with the loss of Chris Thomas? do they have the personnel to embrace the Big East style? I though Dennis Lattimore with Torrin Francis last year would help them bang inside, it might come down to Rick Cornett this year on how successful they are adapting to the half court style that you need to also have to compete for the Big East regular season title.

Pittsburgh: When Pittsburgh lost last year, it was usually because they could not defend the 3-pt shot and gave up a ton of looks from deep. Will they improve defending the perimeter this year. With Jaron Brown and Julius Page, that was never a problem.

Providence: No Ryan Gomes and Donnie McGrath has grown hair? It will be a new look Friar ball club, but a very young team. Effort on the defensive end and on the boards has to improve before this team will improve. I think the effort will be there.

Rutgers: With their schedule from the Big East, I imagine it will be a very hot seat for Coach Waters if they do not win six or more games this season. With everyone set to return next year, just about, they have to show they are moving in the right direction…SOON!

Seton Hall: When a coach is under fire and a new athletic director is hired, it usually is not good for the coach. It has the makings of a tough year ahead for Coach Orr and the Pirates. Where will this team replace the scoring they lost, when they were not much of a scoring team to begin with?

South Florida: Hopefully, everyone is usually this time in September to meet everyone on the team as they only return 3 players that got significant time for a 5-11 C-USA team last season. Some interesting talent, but we are unsure of how good they are going to be.

St John’s: Steady improvement is expected, but not miracles. coming off a 3-13 conference record and 9-18 overall season, there is a lot of room to improve and a schedule favoring results. A key year for Norm Roberts to show his coaching ability.

Syracuse: Nobody is talking too much about the Orange. But, Hall of Famer Jim Boeheim has seemed to do some of his best work with the teams you are not expecting to contend. The fact is, they always have talent, with Boehiem’s habit of shortening his bench, sometimes you forget about some of the talent. Demetris Nichols is a player in the spotlight and could determine how successful this team is.

Villanova: One of the most anticipated seasons I have seen from any program in the conference in a long time. Health will play a major role on how far this team goes late in the year, but they have the look and the ingredients of one of the top teams in the country.

West Virginia: Anticipation is also skyrocketing in Morgantown after WVU’s improbable post season run, where the 8-8 (against a lesser conefence schedule) Mountaineers seemingly could do no wrong to the elite 8 and return 5 of their top 7 players from that team. The added confidence should hlp this team have a more successful regular season, but a tougher schedule and a greater spotlight will make others more aware of what they are facing. We also might see how important Tyrone Sally and D’or Fischer were, but…there is good reason for WVU fans to look forward to the season.

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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES

September 30, 2005

Kenyon Martin, yesterday at the roast for Bob Huggins at US Bank Arena, made one of the strongest statements publicly in support of his former coach when he told the crowd, to a thundering ovation, that he would like his number 4 “unretired”. “I don’t want my name affiliated with the University of Cincinnati,” Martin said before the event. “Because without Coach Huggins, my name never would have been affiliated with them. I don’t want it because of the way it ended, it wasn’t right.” Here is the complete story from C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Post: Take My Number Down!.

The Cincinnati Enquirer has several articles on the events, here is their summary: Great Names Come and Show their Love for Huggins. They also talk with Coach Huggins and Huggins says he will coach again.

The Maui Invitational has already announced the participants for their 2007 tournament and the Big East will be represented by the Marquette Golden Eagles. Here is the official release from the Maui Invitational: Welcome to Maui, Marquette. Dave Gavitt is currently the tournament chairman. DePaul gets the invite for 2006 and this year Connecticut will be competing in the loaded field.

The Billy Edelin saga continues: Edelin Leaves Mountain St University.

Word is that Rutgers is going to be hosting a very strong cast of hoopsters tonight for their Big East football match-up with Pittsburgh. A good mix of some of the top local players in the class of 2006 and 2007 could be on hand, including a few from the mega-talented St Benedict’s prep. We will have more when the information becomes available.

BIG EAST RECRUITING NOTES

The gang at Scout.Com have their weekly round-up on Fox Sports released and they look at the recruitment of Stanley Robinson, who is expected to visit Connecticut this weekend as well as making stops in the near future to Alabama, Florida and possibly Memphis. With over 70% of Scout.com’s top 50 players in the class of 2006 already committed, Robinson is one of the top players still available and Jim Calhoun looks to continue to add to one of the nation’s top classes already assembled. Robinson is a Birmingham, AL native, so plucking him out of SEC country will be a tough sell. Georgia Tech is very much in the mix for this extraordinary athlete that brings great size to the wing position. The article also mentions previously reported commitments by Tory Jackson (ND), Earl Clark (UL), Wellington Smith (WVU) and Brad Sheehan (Georgia Tech over SU). Here is the article: Fox Sports Recruiting Buzz.

The State writer Kent Babb has an article on Mike Jones’ decision to attend Syracuse over home school University of South Carolina. “When I went on my visit up there, I felt real comfortable around them. It was like my home away from home,” said Jones to The State.Com. Here is the entire article: Mike Jones Passes on USC for SU.

BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES

September 29, 2005

Collegehoopsnet.com takes a look at the Canadian influence in Division 1-A basketbal and identifies the top players coming from North of the Border. As you can tell by their list of “up and comers”, Canadian basketball is sending more quality players to the states every year. Andy Rautins (Syracuse) gets a mention as an “up and comer” and Levon Kendall (Pitt) and Denham Brown (UConn) both make their top 10 list. Here is their article: Canadian Influence in Division I Hoops.

Metro Hoops goes “In the Pain” with Rutgers 2007 commitment Corey Chandler. Here is the story: In the Paint with Corey Chandler.

New Jersey On-line has an article on Rahway, NJ native Earl Clark joining Derrick Caracter at Louisville. Clark and Caracter have known each other for a long time and have a friendly basektball rivalry, now, they will soon be teammates and workign together to bring Louisville to the top of the world in college basketball: Clark and caracter to Join up at UL.

NY Hoops checked out some Fall ball at IS8 over the weekend in Queens where many of the top recruits and targets of the Big East were seen: IS8 from 9/25 and they also checked out the Metro Hawks Classis championship game where another Louisville recruit shined: Sosa Leads Bingo’s to Title.

Cincinnati will do something a little different this year as they open practice on October 15th. Instead of holding a “Midnigh Madness” celebration, they will have an open practice on October 15th from 9 AM until noon and then the women’s team will have an open practice from noon until 2 PM. Both teams will be available for an autograph session following the women’s practice. The Cincinatti Enquirer has the details: No Midnight Madness at UC.

Randy Smith of the Journal-Inquirer writes that he thinks he knows how the Marcus William’s punishment in the laptop case will end. he also thinks it is not too late for Jim Calhoun to change direction. Here is his editorial: Not Too Late for Calhoun to Change Direction.

The Louisville Courier-Journal examines the athletic budget of the Big East conference schools. It examines the new opportunities that the Louisville program has available to them as member of the Big East conference. I did find it odd that St John’s, without a major football program, ranked higher in spending than some of their football playing counterparts, but then I remembered they spend quite a bit of money for the use of Madison Square Garden. Here is their article: Big East Athletic Spending.

Charleston Daily Mail has an article on Wellington Smith’s commitment to WVU: Smtih Commits to WVU.

Antonio DiMaria, who had some recruiting interest from Syracuse and Seton Hall, has chosen to play his college ball close to home at Duquesne: DiMaria to A-10.

The Philadelphia Daily News has a story on Antonia Jardine’s commitment to SU: Jardine Makes Early Decision to Wear Orange.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: SYRACUSE

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Mike Jones, F (Lower Richland, SC) & Antonio Jardine, G (Philadelphia, PA)

Projected 2006-2007 Roster:

Seniors: Louie McCroskey (G), Demetrius Nichols (SF), Terrence Roberts (F), Daryl Watkins (C), Matt Gorman (BF)
Juniors: Josh Wright (PG), Dayshaun Wright (F)
Sophomores: Eric Devenderf (G), Arinze Onuaku (BF/C), Andy Rautins (G)
Freshmen: Paul Harris (G), Mike Jones (F)

Note: SU has also picked up early 2007 commitments from Johnny Flynn (PG) and Antonio Jardine (G)

Previous SU Orange recruiting features: August 12, July 14 report and June 28 Report. Also, the July 25 Round-Up.

To read more on the commitments of Jones and Jardine, and SU recruiting as a whole, please visit our Syracuse Orange team at this link: Syracuse Team Page.

Syracuse Recruiting Update

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Mike Jones, F (Lower Richland, SC)

Projected 2006-2007 Roster:

Seniors: Louie McCroskey (G), Demetrius Nichols (SF), Terrence Roberts (F), Daryl Watkins (C), Matt Gorman (BF)
Juniors: Josh Wright (PG), Dayshaun Wright (F)
Sophomores: Eric Devenderf (G), Arinze Onuaku (BF/C), Andy Rautins (G)
Freshmen: Paul Harris (G), Mike Jones (F)

Note: SU has also picked up early 2007 commitments from Johnny Flynn (PG) and Antonio Jardine (G)

Previous SU Orange recruiting features: August 12, July 14 report and June 28 Report. Also, the July 25 Round-Up.

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As we expected from earlier in the week, Syracuse has added Mike Jones to their 2006 recruiting class. Jones, who visited SU earlier in the month, hosted hall of fame coach Jim Boeheim for an in-home visit earlier this week and decided Syracuse was where he wanted to call home over in-state South Carolina. He also was considering Miami and UNC-Charlotte late in the process, but it was really just a 2-horse race at the end.

The good news did not stop there, and if the scenario of a 2006 wing and a 2007 point guard for SU sounds familiar, well, it is…because aboiut 2-months ago, we went through a similar scenario with Paul Harris and Johnny Flynn, this time, it was Antonio “Scoop” Jardine, from Neumann-Goretti HS in Philadelphia, to also pledge to the Orange. Jardine was set to be one of the most highly recruited guard prospects in the country for 2007 and he pulled a surprise by choosing early. He also visited Syracuse earlier this month, with highly regarded HS teammate Rich Jackson, and decided not to wait and pulled the trigger.

Here is the Syracuse Post-Standard article from this morning’s edition on the Jones and Jardine commitments: Orange Hit Daily Double with Jones & Jardine.

Jones is an excellent addition. At 6’6 and about 210 lbs, Jones is an ideal small forward for Syracuse because he has the athletic ability to play inside and outside. He also averaged 12 rebounds a game last season for Lower Richland HS. This is an important note because the small forward in Jim Boeheim’s 2-3 zone is called on to rebound and play defense on the block on many instances. He should really fit prefectly on their roster and compliment Paul Harris.

Jardine was a surprise. Not that he chose the Orange, but he had the makings of a player that was going to be wooed by everyone on the east coast and beyond. Also, Syracuse already has a 2007 PG commitment from Johnny Flynn, so the common beleif was Jardine would look around a little more in the process, but Syracuse was going to remain a player in his commitment. Jardine considers himself a scoring guard and that would allow him and Flynn to play together. Jardine is nearly 6’2, so his size should not hurt if he does play off the ball. We have maintained all along that SU will be poised for a blockbuster class in 2007 and with two commitments and recent visits from Donte Greene, Taylor King and Richard Jackson, they seem to be well on their way.

In the class of 2006, they still have one scholarship left. I fully expected that scholarship to be Brad Sheehan’s and I whiffed on that call from earlier in the summer. Sheehan, from the Albany-area, chose Georgia Tech eariler this week. I still feel they need to add a C/BF in this class, even if it is just a serviceable body. If they do not, that will mean just one player at that position in three classes (Arinze Onuaku). An athletic forward like Austin Wallace could still be a possibility, but Wallace, along with Niagara Fall’s Tyrell Lynch (teammate of Flynn and Harris at NFHS), both might end up in the class of 2007. Damian Saunders from Connecticut and Justin Burrell from NYC are also a pair of athletic forwards that have, at one time or another, received some looks from Syracuse and could be in the mix, but they might not be exactly what the Orange are looking for to round out the class.

Earlier in the week, there was a little concern about the Syracuse recruiting among fans, it is funny how quickly things can change in the world of recruiting!

BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES

September 28, 2005

Andrew J. Beckner of the Charleston Daily Mail sits down for a “Q&A” with WVU head coach John Beilein. Beilein offers up interesting thoughts and comments on the progress WVU has made in his first three years and how the change in the conference will impact play. Coach Beilein has always been a quality coach and it is great to see him getting a chance to show the rest of the country on the great stage that is the Big East Conference. Here is the article: Beilein Q&A.

The University of South Florida has entered into a multi-million dollar marketing agreement with Action Sports Media, Inc. The 10-year agreement will provide USF with state-of-the-art scoreboards and signage as they embark on a new chapter in their athletic history. Here is the article from TMC.Net: USF Marketing Agreement. The St Petersburg Times also covers the agreement and talks about Action Sports Media looking to sell the naming rights of the Sun Dome, the on-campus, 11,000 seat home of the USF men’s and women’s basketball programs. Here is the article: New Name for Sun Dome?.

The AJ Price court case continues to crawl along as he was granted a third continuance in the case this week, here is the small article from Newsday: Price Granted Continuance. AJ Price and teammate Marcus Williams are still awaiting the outcome of a student hearing to determine their status as students at the University of Connecticut. They have both been suspended indefinitely from the basketball program. Those suspensions are likely to last the first semester, the University punishments could be longer. They will await the final verdict. The Connecticut Post also updates the story: Conn Post on Price.

Former Cincinnati Head Coach Bob Huggins is staying busy. He will be at Kent St for a speaking engagement as part of their Voices of Distinction Series (Huggins Speaking at Kent St) and Thursday there will be a charity roast at US Bank Arena in honor of Coach Huggins with many of the biggest names in college basketball taking part to raise funds for several charities. Here is the event details from the Cincinnati Enquirer: A Toast and a Roast.

Louisville Recruiting Update

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Earl Clark, G/F (Rahway, NJ)

Projected 2006-2007 Roster

Senior: Brandon Jenkins (G)
Juniors: Juan Palacios (F), David Padgett (F/C), Terrence Farley (C)
Sophomores: Andre McGee (PG), Bryan Harvey (SG), Chad Millard (WF), Terrence Williams (SF), Jonathon Huffman (BF), Brian Johnson (F)
Freshmen: Edgar Sosa (G), Jerry Smith (G), Derrick Caracter (BF), Jarvis Walker (SF), Earl Clark (G/F)

Previous Louisville recruiting reports: August 25 Report, June 27 report and 7/25 Round-Up.

Here is a link to the Louisville Courier-Journal article on the Clark commitment: Clark Chooses Louisville.

Read more….click below!

As expected from rumblings of the past week, Earl Clark made it official for Rick Pitino and the Louisville Cardinals by committing at a press conference at his high school yesterday. Clark is a 6’8 player that is one of the more multi-dimensional players in the country. He has the ability to play 4 positions on the court at the college level. He is probably best suited to be a point-forward type of player, but do not count him out from seeing action at the 1, 2 or 3 at the college level and with his height, in certain situations and match-ups, could line up at the 4. He looks to be a perfect fit in the Louisville system, much like Francisco Garcia in their final four run of last season. Rick Pitino has entered the Big East with a major bang on the recruiting trail going right into Big East territory and landing Clark, Derrick Caracter and Edgar Sosa to go along with Jerry Smith in this recruiting class.

Now, obviously, there is going to be some roster changes, because my current projected roster for the 2006-2007 season shows 15 names, two more than the NCAA limit of 13. At this point, Jarvis Walker, younger brother of former Pitino player Antoine Walker, is slated to be a walk-on, so that still leaves the roster at 14 players. So, some sort of attrition is likely to occur with their roster. I have removed Clarence Holloway from their projected roster as I believe Holloway and Louisville have definitely parted ways, but, you never know and I will continue to follow Holloway’s recruitment as the former UL signee is now enrolled at a prep school.

One thing that is not in question, and that is the recruiting ability of Rick Pitino. Now, with the added East Coast exposure of the Big East and a highly visible TV schedule ahead of him, Pitino is only going to ratchet up his recruiting. The rest of the Big East better raise their recruiting as well! Now, with his recruiting for 2006 likely in the books, Pitino can get a head start on 2007 and look at players like Nolan Smith, Devin Ebanks, Chris Wright, OJ Mayo etc. However, with just one scholarship senior projected on their 2006-2007 roster, their might be enough slots for the prolific recruiting that Rick Pitino has shown he can bring to the Big East!

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: LOUISVILLE

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Earl Clark, G/F (Rahway, NJ)

Projected 2006-2007 Roster

Senior: Brandon Jenkins (G)
Juniors: Juan Palacios (F), David Padgett (F/C), Terrence Farley (C)
Sophomores: Andre McGee (PG), Bryan Harvey (SG), Chad Millard (WF), Terrence Williams (SF), Jonathon Huffman (BF), Brian Johnson (F)
Freshmen: Edgar Sosa (G), Jerry Smith (G), Derrick Caracter (BF), Jarvis Walker (SF), Earl Clark (G/F)

Previous Louisville recruiting reports: August 25 Report, June 27 report and 7/25 Round-Up.

Here is a link to the Louisville Courier-Journal article on the Clark commitment: Clark Chooses Louisville.

To read more on Louisville recruiting and Earl Clark, click below:

UL Recruiting Report at UL Team Page.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: MARQUETTE

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Lazar Hayward, SG (Notre Dame Prep, MA)

Projected 2006-2007 Roster:
Seniors: Jamil Lott (BF), Mike Kinsella (C)
Juniors: Ryan Amoroso (BF), Ousmane Barro (C), Dan Fitzgerald (F)
Sophs: Wesley Matthews (WG), Dominic James (PG), Jerel McNeal (SG), Matt Mortensen (WF) Dwight Burke (BF)
Frosh: Anthony Green (SG), Lazar Hayward (SG)

Note: Marquette has a 2007 commitment from (G) Scott Christopherson

Recruiting Round-Up from 7/24 with MU: LINK. Recruiting report from July 7.

First off, a reminder to visit our friends at “Cracked Sidewalks” Marquette Hoops for more indepth marquette coverage! Make sure you go visit their excellent site today, too.

Marquette just picked up fast-rising prep school standout Lazar Hayward as a verbal commitment. Hayward, originally from Buffalo, NY where he played at Traditional HS, is currently prepping for a second season at Notre Dame Prep in Massachussets. Hayward played on the AAU circuit with Syracuse commits Paul Harris and Johnny Flynn (2007) as well as UConn freshmen Robert Garrison. Hayward visited Marquette this weekend and was scheduled to trip to Connecticut this coming weekend and schools such as Syracuse and Seton Hall were also hoping for a visit in the near future. Here is the article from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel on his commitment: Hayward Commits to Marquette.

Read more…click below!

In the past 9 months, Lazar Hayward has really turned his game up several notches. While at Traditional, Hayward was usually the tallest player on the floor for his team, so he usually played out of position. Upon enrolling at Notre Dame prep, he was viewed as a mid-major hopeful, and through the first half of his initial season with the prep power, he was doing nothing to dispel that notion. However, he went on a scoring barrage in the second half of last season, prompting him to take an additional prep year and hit the AAU trail again with the GC Ballers and his play turned many heads. Originally considered a standstill shooter from beyond the arc, Hayward has vastly improved his all-around game and has gotten tremendously better at attacking the rim and scoring off the dribble. He has risen up the charts into everyone’s top 100 and proved time and time again this summer he is a high-major recruit and the interest from the likes of Connecticut, Syracuse, Seton Hall, Virginia, Pittsburgh and others definitely cemented that fact. Hayward has good size for the wing guard positions and is still just as deadly as ever from beyond the arc and added confidence in his all-around game makes him even more dangerous.

Marquette currently has two scholarships left and it seems most likely that they will look to shore up their front court. Mout Vernon PF/WF Jonathan Mitchell, a 6’7 230 lb combo forward seems to be their most likely candidate to fill one of those slots. Mitchell seems to be favoring Marquette and Virginia at this point of the recruiting race. They have also shown some interest in the past with Jejuan Brown (of Biloxi, MS) and Hayward’s prep teammate Travis George. Brown is another combo forward, that is most likely to play inside and George is a solid post defender. Other names that might come onto the Marquette radar are former UL commit Clarence Holloway and Franklin Jones, a 7-footer who also played AAU ball with Lazar Hayward.

There has also been some reports that early 2006 commitment Anthony Green might head to prep school and be re-classified to the class of 2007. That is a scenario to keep an eye on. He plays a similar position to Hayward and with Mathews and McNeal from the class of 2005, they should definitely have a glut of players capable of contributing at the wing among these 2 classes.

We look for Marquette to continue to recruit a big man and another forward capable of playing inside. we are keeping an eye out for additional names to add to the mix as the competition for these players are heating up as commitments begin to fly!

BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES

September 27, 2005

The Louisville Courier-Journal has an article today on the impending decision from top recruit Earl Clark. It would be quite a surprise, based on all the rumblings, if Clark does not select Louisville. Here is the article: Clark Set for Decision.

Metro Hoops recently interviewd Antoine “Scoop” Jardine for their final quarter serier. Jardine, a class of 2007 player from Neumann-Goretti in Philadelphia is a major Big East target and has recently visited Syracuse: Jardine Interview.

Metro Hoops also unveils their ranking of the top 50 players in the NY/NJ and Philly metro area for the class of 2007: Metro Hoops Top 50 of 2007.

Not much else today in terms of news besides the Wellington Smith commitment and now, late word, that Brad Sheehan is bound for Georgia Tech according to the Schenectady Gazette. This is a surprise to me as I felt he was a recruit Syracuse would definitely land.

BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: WEST VIRGINIA

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Wellington Smith, F (Blair Academy, NJ)

Here is a small commitment article from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: Smith to be a Mountaineer.

Projected 2006-2007 Roster
Seniors: Frank Young (SF)
Juniors: Darris Nichols (PG), Rob Summers (C), Jamie Smalligan (BF/C)
Sophomores: Joe Alexander (SF), Alex Ruoff (WF)
Freshmen: Joe Mazzula (PG), Cam Thoroughman (F), Wellington Smith (F)

Previous West Virginia Recruiting Reports: August 22 Report, July 11 Report and 7/24 Round-Up.

The Mountaineers and coach John Beilein have added a third verbal commitment to the mix as Wellington Smith joins Cam Thoroughman and Joe Mazzula in the WVU class. Butler transfer Jamie Smalligan is currently enrolled at West Virginia and will also be eligible to compete for WVU in the 2006-2007 season.

Read more…click link below to our story at our West Virginia Team Page:

WVU Recruiting Update: Smith Commits.

West Virginia Recruiting Report

VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Wellington Smith, F (Blair Academy, NJ)

Projected 2006-2007 Roster
Seniors: Frank Young (SF)
Juniors: Darris Nichols (PG), Rob Summers (C), Jamie Smalligan (BF/C)
Sophomores: Joe Alexander (SF), Alex Ruoff (WF)
Freshmen: Joe Mazzula (PG), Cam Thoroughman (F), Wellington Smith (F)

Previous West Virginia Recruiting Reports: August 22 Report, July 11 Report and 7/24 Round-Up.

The Mountaineers and coach John Beilein have added a third verbal commitment to the mix as Wellington Smith joins Cam Thoroughman and Joe Mazzula in the WVU class. Butler transfer Jamie Smalligan is currently enrolled at West Virginia and will also be eligible to compete for WVU in the 2006-2007 season.

READ MORE….CLICK BELOW!

Wellington Smith is a nice recruit for Coach Beilein and his WVU staff. Smith has always been a skilled front court player and in the last year, he has diversified his game to be able to transition to the wing full time at the college level. Smith is 6’7 and 195 lbs and has the ability to play inside and out and is an adequate ballhandler and passer for a player his size. He actually reminds me a lot of Tyrone Sally from last years WVU team.

With the Smith commitment, WVU now has 4 scholarships open for the 2006-2007 season. I have a sense they will at least land two more players in this class. With just one senior on their projected 2006-2007 roster and high expectations for the 2005-2006 season, it is probably a wise move to hold a couple scholarships for the spring of 2006 or next fall. With a program slated for a major boost in television exposure this coming season and early season hype and expectations for a big year in Morgantown, their recruiting success should begin to catch up with their on the court success, it usually takes a little time for the exposure and success to sink in with recruits.

WVU is in a precarious situation with this recruiting class as they are going to be turning over a large portion of their scoring and rebounding this coming season. Five of their projected top 7 players in 2005-2006 will be seniors (Herber, Pittsnogle, Beilein, Gansy and Collins), so they will be in need of a group of players that can add an infusion of talent ready to contribute. Right now, projecting down the line, it is probably assummed that Smalligan and Summers will attempt to platoon much in the way of Pittsnogle and Fischer last year. Frank Young moves into the Tyrone Sally role with Wellington Smith backing him up. Joe Alexander is a player to watch on the wing, he has the athletic ability to make an early impact, needs to tighten up his skill level. Ruoff and Thoroughman would be wing players adding depth and Darris Nichols and Joe Mazzula would team at the guard slots. So, they would defenitely be looking for additional guard help and another big man that can play the “4″ position.

With the commitment of Smith, I am not sure on how that will impact the decisions of Desean Butler and Jejuan Brown. Butler has narrowed his choices to DePaul and West Virginia. Based on need, I would think he would lean towards DePaul, especially with the commitment of Smith and the presence of Alexander at WVU. However, I do think he has been a lean to WVU for much of the process. The interesting thing is DePaul has just one scholarship remaining and Devan Bawinkel is set to decide on his destination in the next week or so. Bawinkel is visiting Georgetown this weekend and will decide between WVU, DePaul and Georgetown. Michigan St has also been in the mix with him. He is from Winnebago, IL and is a close friend from AAU ball with DePaul PG commit Will Walker, so, he could pull the trigger for DePaul, where he has seemed to be leaning for some time. However, again, if you look at best fit and the chance to play PG in the future, WVU would probably be the right call for him as a player. So, it will be interesting to see how the Bawinkel and Butler recruiting sagas end. WVU would be adding a quality player in either scenario. JeJuan Brown, from Biloxi, MS, is a quality athlete, much in the mold of Smith. Smith has a little better face-up game at this point and should be more successful in the WVU system. Smith’s decision might now influence Brown, but I would not be surprised if it did.

Besides Bawinkel, WVU has shown interest in versatile wing guards such as Earl Pettis, Kashif Pratt and Vernon Teel. All three would add a different element to the wing guard position that would help the Mountaineers. At this point in time, I am not sure if any three of them would be on the verge of a commitment to WVU or anyone at this point. However, as more and more players make decisions and scholarships get tight, you never know who will pull the trigger when. Also, Hargrave Military Academy point guard Devin Carter has also been monitored by WVU. Carter can play on or off the ball at the next level, so far, he has gotten most of his interest from the A-10 and CAA level schools.

The other front court recruit that WVU has been linked to the most is Casey Crawford. As we discussed yesterday, Crawford visited Wichita St last weekend and will be visiting Texas A&M soon. I think he would be a nice fit at West Virginia, but getting the Kansas native to come east might be a tough task for Coach Beilein and staff.

The news around John Summers, younger brother of PSU transfer Robert Summers, has been quiet and I am not sure if he is on the WVU radar at this time. We will continue to monitor the WVU recruiting story as they head towards the November signing period, there should be more activity shortly.

WVU Recruiting Notes

Everyone is always looking for more size and this is making Ross Trampler an interesting prospect to high-majors. Trampler has taken his game from New Jersey’s Christian Brothers Academy to the Hun School in Princeton, NJ and has attrected interest of late from West Virginia and Providence (who he is likely to visit) as well as Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. He has scholarship offers from FDU, Mount St Mary’s and the service academies and has long been a target of several Ivy League programs. Yahoo! Sports, via scout.com, has an update on the recruitment of this 6’10, 225 lb Center: Trampler Sees Increased Interest.

The Wichita Eagle has a story on Casey Crawford, who recently tripped to West Virginia, and his visit this past weekend to Wichita St. The Shockers are hoping their status of the “home” team in this recruiting race will give them the edge for the 6’8 210 lb forward from Blue Valley North High school over WVU and the Big 12′s Texas A&M. Crawford and WSU coach Mark Turgeon have become very familiar with each other the last couple years and Crawford has been on the WSU campus several times. Here is the article on his visit: Crawford Visits Wichita St.

Illinois Preps Bulls-eye has an updates visit schedule on Big East target Devan Bawinkel. Bawinkel, who has visited West Virginia and DePaul, has moved up his visit date to Georgetown to the weekend of Oct 8th and 9th. He will select from the three finalists shortly thereafter. To my knowledge, DePaul and Georgetown have one scholarship each remaining and DePaul is a finalist for Desean Butler, with WVU and Georgetown is a finalist for Duke Crews. Here is the article: Bawinkel Nearing the Finish.

BIG EAST RECRUITING NOTES

Everyone is always looking for more size and this is making Ross Trampler an interesting prospect to high-majors. Trampler has taken his game from New Jersey’s Christian Brothers Academy to the Hun School in Princeton, NJ and has attrected interest of late from West Virginia and Providence (who he is likely to visit) as well as Georgia Tech and Wake Forest. He has scholarship offers from FDU, Mount St Mary’s and the service academies and has long been a target of several Ivy League programs. Yahoo! Sports, via scout.com, has an update on the recruitment of this 6’10, 225 lb Center: Trampler Sees Increased Interest.

Yahoo! Sports and scout.com also team up to profile South Kent School which is home to a pair of incming 2006-2007 Big East freshmen, Pitt’s Gilbert Brown and South Florida’s Rob Thomas. Here is the article on South Kent Prep School. Notre Dame Prep is also home to Big East commit Paul Harris (SU) and targets like Mike Davis (Pitt, SJU, etc involved) and Lazer Hayward (SU, UConn, Marquette, SHU). Here is the article from Yahoo! Sports on Notre Dame prep.

A possible hidden gem has emerged on Long Island by the name of Andrew Beinert, a 6’2 160 lb guard. Just a junior at Chaminade HS, Beinert has seen interest from St John’s and Notre Dame, who hit up Long Island last year for Kyle McAlarney. Here is the Yahoo! sports article: Beinert Turning Heads.

Mike Jones, who has become a hot target of Syracuse visited South Carolina over the weekend and is set to have in-home visits this week from Syracuse (today), Maryland (Tuesday) and UNC-Charlotte (Wednesday). The Lower-Richland, SC native has been believed to have narrowed down his choices to Syracuse and South Carolina, but some additional in-home visits will try to delay the decision process. The linked article hints that South Carolina is the favorite, but other sources have aknowledged that Syracuse has made a strong run for Jones. Here is the article from State.Com, with the Jones tidbit towards the end of the article: Jones Hosting Schools in-home This Week.

The Wichita Eagle has a story on Casey Crawford, who recently tripped to West Virginia, and his visit this past weekend to Wichita St. The Shockers are hoping their status of the “home” team in this recruiting race will give them the edge for the 6’8 210 lb forward from Blue Valley North High school over WVU and the Big 12′s Texas A&M. Crawford and WSU coach Mark Turgeon have become very familiar with each other the last couple years and Crawford has been on the WSU campus several times. Here is the article on his visit: Crawford Visits Wichita St.

Illinois Preps Bulls-eye has an updates visit schedule on Big East target Devan Bawinkel. Bawinkel, who has visited West Virginia and DePaul, has moved up his visit date to Georgetown to the weekend of Oct 8th and 9th. He will select from the three finalists shortly thereafter. To my knowledge, DePaul and Georgetown have one scholarship each remaining and DePaul is a finalist for Desean Butler, with WVU and Georgetown is a finalist for Duke Crews. Here is the article: Bawinkel Nearing the Finish.

BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES

September 26, 2005

Lonnie Wheeler of the Cincinnati Post explains why this is no ordinary contact period for interim UC coach Andy Kennedy and the rest of the current Bearcat staff in this article: Unique Situation for Andy Kennedy. This article brings to light another issue that will set back the Cincinnati program heading into their first season in the new Big East. With the added exposure that the Big East would bring their program, recruiting was bound to pick up. However, with the uncertainty of the program, recruiting is at a near standstill, and, with the make-up of the roster, this recruiting class was to be very important. One promising bit of news is the possible return of Chadd Moore, which has been talked about at times and that would give UC a little more depth, depending on how his back holds up.

UConn hosted California big man Alex Stepheson this past weekend. The 6’11, 225 lb Stepheson is also looking at North Carolina, UCLA, Washington and Georgia Tech. This was his third trip east as had already visited UNC and Georgia Tech. UConn already has commitments from 7’0 Jonathan Mandeldove and 6’9 Curtis Kelly in this class and recently hosted 6’9 250 lb Deon Thompson, another California native. Ohio forward Raymar Morgan was also supposed to visit Connecticut this weekend, but apparently changed his mind. Morgan seems to be leaning towards playing basketball in the Big 10. Here is the Connecticut Post story on the Stepheson visit: UConn Hosts Another Cali Big Man. The Hartford Courant also has information on Stepheson’s visit and adds an injury update on freshmen Marcus Johnson: Stepheson Visits UConn.

The official Villanova Wildcat homepage introduces fans to Bilal Benn, homegrown freshmen guard for the Wildcats: Introducing Bilal Benn. Benn played on a powerful high school basketball team from Philadelphia that featured Kyle Lowry, Desean White and Shane Clark. White is a sophomore at Providence and Lowry is a sophomore at Villanova. Benn and Clark both prepped last season at Hargrave Military Academy and Benn chose Villanova and Clark chose Maryland. Clark did not gain admission to Maryland and rumors have surfaced that he has turned up at Villanova, where he originally committed as a junior in high school. This would be the last open scholarship that Villanova has for 2006-2007, which adds fuel to the rumor that Earl Clark will be committing to Louisville. Now, how Louisville has a scholarship open is another question…

The Hartford Courant and ESPN have both had similar stories in the last several days on incoming UConn freshmen Craig Austrie and Robert Garrison. Not too long ago, Austrie was headed to UMass and Garrison for prep school, now, they may find themsevles starting early for Connecticut on a national stage against some tough November competition: Early Start for Garrison and Austrie and Katz on Austrie and Garrison.

2005-2006 BIG EAST PREVIEW: 15) SETON HALL

There is not much more to say about 2004-2005 season for Seton Hall hoop fans that they want to relive. The season came full of promise, as SHU fans brazenly talked about their NCAA Tournament hopes and how many games their beloved Pirates would win in the conference. Afterall, this was a program that just completed back to back 10-6 conference seasons and had beaten Arizona in the NCAA Tournament the season before. They also returned 4 double-digit scorers, their top two rebounders and highly touted recruit Justin Cerasoli. Things were supposed to be good for Seton Hall.

Just over 6 months ago, the final buzzer sounded in the first round Big East Tournamenr game between the Georgetown Hoyas and Seton Hall Pirates and the scoreboard read 56-51, finally, the season was mercifully over for Seton Hall. All the preseason hope seemed like it came a decade ago as the Pirates stumbled to a 4-12 conference record (with 3 of the wins coming against RU and SJU, teams below them in the standings) and a 12-16 overall record. Suspensions and team dissent was the main topic, especially during the last month of the season and has led to Justin Cerasoli and JR Morris leaving the program and they also say good-bye to John Allen and Andre Sweet due to graduation. It almost got worse as Jamar Nutter and Kelly Whitney were also often rumored to not be coming back, but both will be in a Seton Hall uniform this season.

Seton Hall does luck out this year when the schedule makers sat down and decided to cut Louis Orr’s squad a break. They do not have to face Georgetown or Louisville at all and play St John’s, South Florida and Rutgers twice each. But, for this team that has been in quite a bit of turmoil, especially when rumors of coach Orr’s future began to be brought up earlier in the summer, that easier schedule might not even help this program reach the Big East Tournament this season.

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The front court does return senior Kelly Whitney for his senior season. Whitney saw his numbers drop in his junior year from his sophomore year, when he averaged 13.6 PPG and 7 rebounds. Last year he les the Pirates in both categories with 11.9 PPG and 6 rebounds, but his effeciency took a nosedive as he converted on just 43% of his FG’s, down from 56% the prior year. A big factor was inconsistent point guard play and little help in the paint from his teammates. Whitney is strong in the post and can use some athletic ability to get his shot off against taller players. He will need help as opponents were able to bog him down by sagging inside and the lack of true point guard hindered his ability to be the recepient of easy baskets. Unfortunately for Whitney and Seton Hall, that issue is unlikely to be solved this year.

The other starter up front last year was Grant Billmeier. Billmeier averaged 4 pts and 3 rebounds a game last year and will probably share time with Minnesota transfer Stan Gaines. With the 6’7 245 lb Gaines on the floor, Whitney could play more at the C position, where he found most of his success in his sophomore season. Gaines sat out last season as a transfer student and contributed 5.5 PPG and 3 rebounds as a sophomore. They hope that John Garcia, a rugged and hard-working 6’9 235 lb freshmen center can also become part of the mix this season. Garcia struggled with injuries as a high school senior and will have to get into playing shape to battle other Big East post players, but he is a player that should get better and better as his body matures and his conditioning improves. He is very comfortable inside, not athletically gifted, but makes up for it by battling hard inside and is very effecient around the basket. Another freshmen, David Palmer, also looks to add some talent to the Pirates front court. More athletic than Garcia, Palmer, at 6’8 and 230 lbs, played at powerful oak Hill Academy last season and was a one-time Illinois commitment before both parties parted ways. Marcus Cousin also returns to the SHU roster for his sophomore year. Cousin looks to have the tools to be a player in the Big East, standing at nearly 6’10 with good athletic ability, but he did not show much as a freshmen and will have a tough time breaking into the rotation if others are healthy. Mike Pilgrim, a transfer from Cincinnati, will sit out the first semester due to NCAA transfer rules. He missed his first season at Cincinnati as he was academically ineligible. A very good athlete that will need to get stronger to compete inside at the Big East level and improve his basketball skills to play on the wing. He played in high school for SHU assistant George Jackson and is a relative of Coach Orr.

Seton Hall was hit hard by graduation and personnell losses at the wing as the look to replace Allen, Sweet and Morris. Sophomore Brian Laing is one to keep an eye on at the wing position as he looks to take hold of a starting spot. Always a hard worker and tough competitor, it should come as no surprise to see an improved Laing on the floor this season. His improvement in ball-handling and range on his jumper are the keys to how productive he can be at the Big East level. he has the jumping ability and strength at the wing to overpower some forwards in the league, but will have to show more versatility to be a high scoring threat. He should have a solid sophomore season. Junior Mani Messy returns and is still hoping to crack the rotation for serious minutes. A good athlete that is supposed to be able to stroke the deep ball, the 6’7 Messy could finally get his chance as the Pirates will be in desperate need of some shooting from the wing.

At guard, Seton hall added a late addition in the last couple weeks when former Baylor Bear Carl Marshall enrolled in the school. Marshall played last season at Indian Hills CC and should see immediate time in the point guard rotation with last year’s starter Donald Copeland. Copeland led the Hall with 41 made 3-pt shots last season and averaged 7 points and 2.4 assists a game. Seton Hall will desperately need better point guard play to improve this season.

At the 2-guard, Jamar Nutter and Paul Gause both figure to get the chance to play in the guard rotation. Nutter seemed to become their most reliable shooter from deep last season. More of a combo guard with point guard size, Nutter creates scoring chances with his aggressive style and quick moves with the basketball. Gause also is an undersized player at the off-guard, but is a very dangerous scorer and excellent all around athlete that was also recruited for football. Gause definitely has the ability to score from the periemter, but at just 5’11, getting his offensive chances might be limited. If he can improve his point guard ability, he could also get time there. Seton Hall definitely has a small and not very deep backcourt, which will make it tough in this conference for them to score a lot of points.

The main area I think Seton Hall is going to struggle is finding a way to put the ball in the basket. They have some ability to defend, but scoring from the periemter is going to be tough and that will make it even tougher for Whitney and company to find room in the paint for their offense. A second consecutive sub-par seaon and with a new athletic director taking office in the near future, things are getting very hot on the coach’s seat for Louis Orr at Seton Hall.

Projected Big East record: 3-13

2005-2006 BIG EAST PREVIEW: 16) SOUTH FLORIDA

I feel for South Florida, I really do. Coming off a 5-11 conference season in Conference USA, and graduating their top three scorers, the Bulls get no time to rebuild as they begin play in the rugged Big East conference for the 2005-2006 season. Only three Bulls who played significant minutes last season return and they add Melvin Buckley, who played two seasons at Purdue to the active roster. The rest of the roster is made up of three junior college transfers and three incoming freshmen, this is a tough mix of players to get ready for the new challenges of the Big East.

The Big East schedule maker does not help out the Bulls either. Whereas the other teams fighting for Big East conference tournament spots miss out of games with the upper echelon teams, South Florida will be seeing all the top teams once this year. They do have some winnable home games, but getitng to 4-4 at home in the league will probably be the goal. On the road, well, they have the longest distance to travel and, finding a win on the road is going to be a tough challenge.

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The three leading returnees are Collin Dennis, Solomon Jones and James Holmes, all who averaged around 6 PPG last season. Melvin Buckley also has major college experience while playing for Purdue in the Big 10, where he averaged 5 PPG as a sophomore, should compete for a major role on the Bulls squad.

Coach Robert McCullum will really have his work cut out for him integrating the incoming players and getting them ready for basketball at this level. There is some talent with David Sills and Chris Howard looking to play a lot in the backcourt, Zaronn Cann and McHugh Mattis adding some depth on the wing and JUCO transfer Melvyn Richardson and frosh Frane Markusovic trying to add some production in the front court.

The 6’10 220 lb Jones will look to anchor the middle for the Bulls. The Mount Dora, FL native played two seasons at Daytona Beach CC, including one for USF assistant Frank Burnell. As a sophomore at Daytona Beach, Jones averaged 11 pts and 8 rebounds a contest. Last year at USF, the athletic big man averaged 6.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, while shooting 55% from the floor, in 26 minutes a game.

The Big question for USF this season is who plays alongside Jones? Well, it goes even deeper than that because they will also lack depth up front as well. The most likely candidate is Melvyn Richardson, a 6’7 235 JUCO transfer from Lon Morris JC. Richardson averaged 8 points and nearly 7 rebounds a game last year at Lon Morris, and the Bulls will need for him to reach those numbers this coming season as well. Frane Markusovic is also a candidate to play some minutes up front. Markusovic is a native of Split, Croatia who prepped at Kent School last season (different from the prep power, South Kent) in Connecticut. Like most European big men, Markusovic is very comfortable facing the basket and using his skills. As he matures and gets stronger, he could contribute in the Big East. It is a tough task to lean on him this coming season, but he very well may be pressed into action.

Another newcomer that could be tried in the front court is freshmen Zaronn Cann. Cann is a rugged forward, although just 6’5, Cann does pack some beef, controlling that beef and finding himself in tip top athletic shape for the Big east might be his most immediate order of busniness. About a year ago, after rehabbing from re-constructive knee surgery, Cann weighed closed to 290 pounds, up significantly from the 240 he is usually listed at. Cann should be a freshmen that contributes early on, as long as the knee is 100% and his health is in order.

The strength of this season’s Bulls will reside in their backcourt. Collin Dennis returns after a solid freshmen campaign, where he averaged 6.6 points a game. Improving his shooting percentages will be a major key in his improvement. With a reputation of being a good shooter, the 36.5% from the floor and 30% from the arc are bound to improve. In 20 minutes a game, James Holmes managed to score 6 points per game last season and had similar shooting statistics, another negative that both need to improve upon is their negative assist:turnover ratios.

Although improvement from Dennis and Holmes should be expected, they might find themselves being challenged for time from two newcomers, JUCO transfer David Sills and freshmen Chris Howard. Although neither is getitng much love in preseason listings of the top newcomers, both might find themselves with the opportunity to play a lot right away. Sills has the reputation of being an exciting “street baller” from NYC that has bounced around the game for several years, before heading to junior college to get his academics in order and dedicating himself to getting an opportunity at this level. He has tremendous ability and has honed his skills back home at the famous Rucker Park going against some of the best to play the game. If he can transform thos skills into the team setting and structured offense of Coach McCullum, he can have a major impact on the conference. Chris Howard is a Washington, DC native that teamed with Sam Young in high school to be a major 1-2 punch in winning back to back state championships team at Friendly HS. Howard spent last season at Notre Dame prep getting his academics in order. Howard has the skills to play either guard position and could very well find himself at the point this season for USF.

At the wing, a pair of junior newcomers figure to play a major role for the Bulls. Purdue transfer Melvin Buckley has had a taste of major college basketball and even has a 20-pt game to his credit in NCAA tourney play. The Bulls will rely on Buckley to give their outside shooting a lift and the 6’6 wing likes to launch 3′s. His experience and ability to hit the perimeter shot will get him plenty of time for the Bulls. JUCO transfer McHugh Mattis is another candidate to add some scoring punch for the Bulls. Mattis is a 6’6 180 lb wing that excels in transition on the offensive end. He uses his length and athleticism to grab rebounds and block a good number of shots for a wing player. It will be interesting to see how Mattis’ raw talent translates to the Big East.

Coach McCullum believes in a structured system. It will be interesting to see how some of these newcomers adapt to playing in that kind of system as some of them haver seemed to excel in a more open atmosphere. The junior college ranks tend to be more geared to a wide open style and defense can be an after-thought, so it will be an important factor to the Bulls success this season on how well they adapt to the style of the Big East, which is traditionally a tough-nosed conference that forces teams to defend, play in the half court and bang inside. Those three areas are where I have questions on this season’s edition of the South Florida Bulls. It will be a year of adjustment and the Bulls should use their new conference affiliation to learn about the Big east and make recruiting inroads with a new level of high school player. It looks like they are off to a good start in that regard with early commitments from Dante Curry and Rob Thomas. That fact alone, will make this season somewhat of a success, improvement from the team as the season moves along, especially the freshmen and other young players, will make this an important learning experience.

I like the potential the program has under an excellent head coach like Robert McCullum, however, getting more than three wins in the conference will be an extremely tall task.

Predicted Big East record: 3-13

BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES

September 23, 2005

Gregg Doyel at CBS Sportsline takes a look at Marquette and gets the optimistic views of coach Tom Crean on how he feels his upcoming season will go. Last year, they fell off a cliff when Travis Diener went down with an injury and now he has graduated. Add in the transfer of Dameon Mason to LSU and you would think their first season in the Big East has disaster written all over it. Well, maybe not, writes Doyel, it is still going to be challenging, but they do have a nice little foundation for the future, especially in the backcourt. Here is the article: Crean Optimistic at MU.

Seton Hall has tabbed Rutgers deputy AD Joseph Quinlan as their new Athletic Director. Quinlan was a member of the SHU athletic department in the late 80′s and has had the responsibility of overseeing the men’s and women’s basketball programs at Rutgers. He has been at Rutgers for 8 years and will take over for outgoing athletic director Jeff Fogelson on September 30. It will probably come as no surprise if Quinlan undertakes the evaluation of the men’s basketball program as his first initiative. Here is the Courier News article on his expected hire: SHU Looks to Rutgers for New AD.

Gregg Doyel stick with the Big East theme when he asks this question in his newest article: Did Gary Waters Hire the Man to Take His Job?.

Collegehoopsnet has a profile on their #57 preseason team, the Cincinnati Bearcats. You can read their preview here: CHN Previews Cincinnati. So far, here is their order of predicted finish, based on their preseason rankings, in the Big East:

16) South Florida (did not make their top 144)
15) St John’s (138)
14) Providence (110)
13) Marquette (105)
12) Seton Hall (103)
11) Rutgers (90)
10) DePaul (86)
9) Notre Dame (65)
8) Cincinnati (57)

The rest are yet to come…

Tomorrow we will kick off our preseason previews with our projected #16 team…

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