NEW YORK -- As far as announcements go, seeing Villanova being selected No. 1 in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll ranks right up there with “Hamilton” tickets are a little pricey and Aaron Judge home runs travel great distances.
No new news here.
So it was not exactly a shocker at BIG EAST Media Day at Madison Square Garden when the Wildcats were picked yet again to finish on top of the conference heap again this season after doing so for the previous four campaigns. Xavier coach Chris Mack, who has said for a couple of seasons now that the path to the BIG EAST title goes through Villanova until further notice, reiterated that claim again at the Garden.
“They have great players and (Nova head coach) Jay (Wright) does a phenomenal job,” Mack said. “When you play Villanova you understand what they are about and that’s the challenge not just for myself but for every coach. Let’s face it, they have been the standard of the league. We’ve all knocked them off here and there but not consistently enough to be the champion of this league. Until someone does, and I certainly think there are teams capable of doing that, it’s just talk.”
So after four straight BIG EAST titles, two BIG EAST Tournament crowns and a National Championship all in the last four seasons, how does Wright keep his Wildcats hungry? Competition.
“It’s easy, when you play in this conference and you come to Media Day and you look around at the coaches and you see these players, you realize you’re not going to be going against the second team you go against in practice every day,” said Wright, whose ‘Cats won 32 games last season. “We’ve had success but it has never come easy and you never expect it. You never end a season and say, ‘That was easy.’ Every game is a battle and the guys know that.”
Villanova is also the home to the Preseason Player of the Year in junior guard Jalen Brunson.
So who might be in line to challenge Villanova for its throne this season? Well, Seton Hall and Xavier are two good places to start.
The Pirates, who were picked second in the poll, return three key players in Angel Delgado, the reigning NCAA rebounding champion who averaged 15.2 points and 13.1 boards last season, as well as Khadeen Carrington (seventh in the BIG EAST in scoring at 17.1 ppg.) and Desi Rodriguez, who averaged 17.3 points in conference games to finish fourth in the league.
“I think Angel Delgado is one of the best big men in college basketball,” Providence head coach Ed Cooley said. “When you looked at the (BIG EAST) poll and you saw Villanova with eight (votes), Seton Hall one (vote) and Xavier with one, that was me. I picked Seton Hall. I think they have veterans, they know how to win, they’ve won in this building, they won a championship and they are men. They got dudes, man.”
Xavier, picked third, also has some dudes. The chief dude would be Trevon Bluiett, a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team pick who was second in the league in scoring last season with an 18.5 points per game average. Add J.P Macura and Quentin Goodin to the Musketeer mix, and you can see why Xavier looks primed for another deep NCAA run this season and a shot at toppling Villanova.
“I’m really excited to have those guys back,” said Mack, who led Xavier to the Elite Eight last season. “I think we have everything a coach wants. We have a really good mix of experience and we also have some talented newcomers. I think our team learned a year ago that there is a fine line between winning and losing. But it’s a new season, a new team and a new group of teammates.”
Providence was slotted in the fourth spot as the Friars return a pair of brilliant seniors in Rodney Bullock and Kyron Cartwright. Bullock led the Friars in scoring last season (15.7 ppg) while Cartwright averaged a league-best 6.7 assists a game.
“As a head coach this is one of the better groups I’ve ever coached,” Cooley said. “It’s great to have depth, it’s great to have accountability but we’ll see what the results are because I think we still have a long way to go especially defensively. I like the fact that they have been through the drills and they understand what it is to compete and hopefully (Bullock and Cartwright’s) leadership can trickle down to the younger guys. I’m excited for this veteran group. I just hope it translates into wins.”
Creighton, which lost Justin Patton to the NBA and Maurice Watson to graduation, landed in the fifth spot in the poll. Head coach Greg McDermott said he will now lean on senior guard Marcus Foster and junior Khyri Thomas to lead the Bluejays this season.
“(Marcus’) leadership is really going to be important this year, he and Khyri Thomas both, they’re our two best players,” McDermott said. “Marcus came back in as good a shape as he ever has and he had a terrific year last year. We’re going to go as far as he takes us this year.”
St. John’s, which improved from one conference win two seasons ago to seven last year, will be looking to make the next step toward reaching the top of the conference in this, head coach Chris Mullin’s third season at the helm. Having the dynamic backcourt of Shamorie Ponds and Marcus LoVett, a pair of All-Freshmen Team picks last season, should help that cause but the Johnnies will also have to play much better defense Mullin said.
“This year is going to be a tougher task for us,” Mullin said of making the next step. “Having guys coming back, having continuity is important. But defense is where we’re really going to have to improve. We’re going to have to gang rebound and play a little bit better defense individually as we look to make the next step forward.”
Marquette, which reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time last season under head coach Steve Wojciechowski, landed in the seventh spot as the Golden Eagles look to keep building on last season’s success.
“Certainly last year making it into the NCAA Tournament and having a number of guys who played key roles on last year’s team coming back, we’re hoping to build on last season,” Wojo said. “In order to do that, we’re going to need Markus Howard, Andrew Rowsey and Sam Hauser, those three guys in particular, to play larger roles for us.”
Butler, under first-year coach LaVall Jordan, was picked eighth in the poll and Jordan is ready to continue to do things “The Butler Way” and keep the Bulldogs relevant in the BIG EAST.
“We’re going to believe in our own expectations and not really worry about outsiders,” said Jordan, a former Bulldogs player and assistant coach. “We got a great group with this team, this team won 20 (games last year). They’re very coachable young guys that believe in each other and have had success. They have their own standards and it’s our job to get them prepared.”
New Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing, chatting with media at the Garden not far from where his retired New York Knicks No. 33 jersey hangs, said Hoyas fans will need to be a little patient as he begins to mold his alma mater in his image.
“It’s a building process,” said Ewing, whose Hoyas were picked ninth. “We’re laying the foundation and I’m pushing them, trying to get the most out of them.”
DePaul, which will christen a brand-new 10,000 seat arena this season, landed in the 10-hole but junior Eli Cain thinks the Blue Demons will be vastly improved this season.
“We have a lot of new talent here, especially Max Strus and Austin Grandstaff,” said Cain, who averaged a team-best 15.6 points last season. “Max, man he can really shoot. We’re going to be a much better offensive team this season compared to last year.”
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year – Jalen Brunson, Villanova
Preseason Freshman of the Year – Omari Spellman, Villanova
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Kelan Martin, Butler
Marcus Foster, Creighton
Khadeen Carrington, Seton Hall
Angel Delgado, Seton Hall
Trevon Bluiett, Xavier
All-BIG EAST Second Team
Markus Howard, Marquette
Rodney Bullock, Providence
Kyron Cartwright, Providence
Marcus LoVett, St. John’s
Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s
Mikal Bridges, Villanova
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Khyri Thomas, Creighton
Desi Rodriguez, Seton Hall
J.P. Macura, Xavier