Big East Basketball Thread

[jontaejones]

Kris Jenkins officially withdraws from the NBA Draft and returns to Nova. All Nova is waiting on is Josh Hart to make his decision. He comes back and Nova is a serious threat to go back to back. If he does come back, I think they may be even more talented next year.

If Hart thinks he has a good chance to go first round, he's gone. If not, then he'll probably stay.

My premonition is that he's gone. He's underrated and somebody should guarantee him a first round spot.

With Hart, we are a consensus Top 3 team.

Without him, probably 10-12. But we'd have a very compelling team and a possibly more compelling season.

 

[ericd7633]

Ben Bentil officially declares for draft. Providence is now in a pretty significant rebuild for next season.

Still waiting on Josh Hart(Nova), Isaiah Whitehead(Seton Hall) and Trevon Bluiett(Xavier). All of those decisions have significant impact. I can see Nova being a top 2 team w/Hart, I can see Seton Hall being a top 25 team w/Whitehead and I can see Xavier being a top 10 team again w/Bluiett. Huge for the conference as a whole.

 

[Hitman Hart]

Bluiett is returning to Xavier. Kid has serious talent. Great news for Coach Mack and the Xavier program.

 

[jontaejones]

Hart is staying. Blueitt is staying. Whitehead gone.

Also important to note that although Blueitt is staying, Jalen Reynolds is (idiotically) leaving.

 

[ericd7633]

I really think it's a two horse race now with Duke and Nova to win it all in 2017.

Nova projected line-up:

PG: Jalen Brunson/Phil Booth
SG: Josh Hart/Donte DeVincenzo
SF: Kris Jenkins/Eric Pashall
PF: Mikal Bridges/Darryl Reynolds
C: Omari Spellman/Tim Delaney

Nova has so much roster management potential in that they can go with numerous line-ups. They'll have a ton of versatility next year.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Hart is staying. Blueitt is staying. Whitehead gone.

Also important to note that although Blueitt is staying, Jalen Reynolds is (idiotically) leaving.

Reynolds is older though but yeah dumb. Whitehead also an idiot.

Never thought Hart or Blueitt would leave.

Marquette still without a PF. For some reason Young chose providence and Wojo stupidly made the main priority so Gill didn't wait around. Dammit.

 

[jontaejones]

I really think it's a two horse race now with Duke and Nova to win it all in 2017.

Nova projected line-up:

PG: Jalen Brunson/Phil Booth
SG: Josh Hart/Donte DeVincenzo
SF: Kris Jenkins/Eric Pashall
PF: Mikal Bridges/Darryl Reynolds
C: Omari Spellman/Tim Delaney

Nova has so much roster management potential in that they can go with numerous line-ups. They'll have a ton of versatility next year.

Doubt we'll have more than an 8 man rotation. Odd men out will be Delaney and Paschall/Divincenzo.

If Bridges becomes the star I think he will be, we'll have a better chance to repeat, but it's by no means a dominant team either way.

Excited for Spellman. I also think Booth starts. He's a junior and he's 'owed' a starting spot, especially after the winning the championship game for us.

 

[jontaejones]

Reynolds is older though but yeah dumb. Whitehead also an idiot.

Never thought Hart or Blueitt would leave.

Marquette still without a PF. For some reason Young chose providence and Wojo stupidly made the main priority so Gill didn't wait around. Dammit.

Whitehead is from Lincoln HS. I'm surprised he made it two years.

I think G'town will be good. But I always say that, and they always suck.

 

[Hitman Hart]

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Xavier non conference schedule is STACKED. Wow that's a hell of a pre BE tune up

 

[ericd7633]

Big East showing very well in these early season tournaments.

Villanova wins the Charleston Classic
Xavier wins the Tires Pro Invitational
Creighton wins the Paradise Jam

Georgetown, although struggling this year so far beats Oregon out in Maui and now will get a significant boost in SoS playing Wisconsin then Oklahoma State/UNC.

 

[ericd7633]

 

[jontaejones]

Big East showing very well in these early season tournaments.

Villanova wins the Charleston Classic
Xavier wins the Tires Pro Invitational
Creighton wins the Paradise Jam

Georgetown, although struggling this year so far beats Oregon out in Maui and now will get a significant boost in SoS playing Wisconsin then Oklahoma State/UNC.

They've been good so far ... with the exception of losing to Rutgers on your home floor.

Seton Hall has some big games coming up against decent Power 5 teams and Xavier has some challenging but winnable games on the road.

 

[jontaejones]

Creighton has been good, and they look even better if you watch them.

I shit the bed on that prediction.

 

[ericd7633]

Creighton has been good, and they look even better if you watch them.

I shit the bed on that prediction.

Their offense is extremely efficient. I didn't think they'd look this good, but I'm not too surprised they won the Paradise Jam.

 

[jontaejones]

Their offense is extremely efficient. I didn't think they'd look this good, but I'm not too surprised they won the Paradise Jam.

They space the floor and have so many shooters. And they even have a couple of good inside options.

I didn't know anything about Foster, but he looks like a stud.

Granted, it's early, but they tore apart what I thought was going to be a good NC State team, then showed poise in methodically coming back from what looks a decent Ole Miss team.

 

[ericd7633]

They space the floor and have so many shooters. And they even have a couple of good inside options.

I didn't know anything about Foster, but he looks like a stud.

Granted, it's early, but they tore apart what I thought was going to be a good NC State team, then showed poise in methodically coming back from what looks a decent Ole Miss team.

Foster was a transfer from K St. Averaged like 16 ppg as a freshman, then got into Weber's dog house his sophomore year.

I think they've had favorable match ups thus far, because I don't think Wisconsin, NC State and Ole Miss are particularly physical teams, but honestly how many truly physical teams are there going to be this year? Creighton will be a nightmare match up for just about any team in the country.

 

[ericd7633]

Butler, Xavier, Creighton, and Villanova are now a combined 25-0 on the year and are 12-0 vs. P5 competition with an amazing 10 of those wins on the road/neutral site. They are all setting themselves up to be on the 1-4 seed line come selection Sunday.

Next P5 opponent for each:

Xavier plays AT Baylor this Saturday
Butler plays on a neutral vs. Indiana on 12/17
Villanova plays on a neutral vs. Notre Dame on 12/17
Creighton plays AT Nebraska on 12/7

 

[jontaejones]

Butler, Xavier, Creighton, and Villanova are now a combined 25-0 on the year and are 12-0 vs. P5 competition with an amazing 10 of those wins on the road/neutral site. They are all setting themselves up to be on the 1-4 seed line come selection Sunday.

Next P5 opponent for each:

Xavier plays AT Baylor this Saturday
Butler plays on a neutral vs. Indiana on 12/17
Villanova plays on a neutral vs. Notre Dame on 12/17
Creighton plays AT Nebraska on 12/7

I expect Villanova to enter Big East play undefeated. Notre Dame is better than expected but we should beat them in NJ. Temple is also better than expected, but have to play us at the Pavillion. All in all, a pretty weak schedule, but the Philly Big 5 is down this year. We still have to play UVA in January.

I also think Creighton will enter Big East play undefeated. The others, not so much...

 

[OKSterling]

Still can't see how people don't think that Villanova isn't the best team in college basketball right now.