If there is one constant about the BIG EAST this season, it’s change.
Change on the sidelines of four different programs and a critical change at the top of the conference’s preseason Coaches’ Poll. No longer do you find the word “Villanova” occupying the conference’s penthouse suite. No, that distinction now belongs to the Creighton Bluejays, a team so talented and deep that it not only has its eyes on a first-ever outright BIG EAST championship but might also find itself in the conversation for a national title.
Talent-wise and depth-wise, this is Bluejays head coach Greg McDermott’s most powerful team.
“Certainly from a depth standpoint we have experience and we have a lot of versatility,” McDermott said at Tuesday’s BIG EAST Media Day at Madison Square Garden. “We have a starting five that can do a lot of things. We can be small and quick or we can be big and physical. We just have to make sure our defense is elite like it was last year and then hopefully in time our offense will catch up.”
So how does McDermott like his team’s lofty preseason status?
“I think it matters less now in the year of the transfer portal than it ever has,” McDermott said. “You just don’t know how transfers are going to fit and mesh. But I like our group. I think we have a chance to do some special things, but I also think the league is really good.”
But the other teams in the league don’t return the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in Ryan Kalkbrenner or BIG EAST Freshmen of the Year in Ryan Nembhard. Not to mention the returns of super sophomores Trey Alexander and Arthur Kaluma. And then there is South Dakota State transfer Baylor Scheierman, who netted 46.9% of his threes last year.
“He knows how to play and he’s been a seamless fit,” McDermott said. “When you bring somebody in where you have the other four starters returning, you worry about how they’re going to fit. But Baylor is easy to play with, is an elite shooter and he’s every bit as good a passer as he is a shooter. He’ll really add a dimension to our offense that we didn’t have last year.”
Xavier and new head coach Sean Miller were picked second in the poll and Miller, who previously coached the Musketeers from 2004 to 2009, is amped for his return to Cincinnati.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity that’s for sure, Miller said. “And I think this is a high-character group that really wants to win. You can always sense when a team is hungry and at Xavier the last four years we have not been in the (NCAA) tournament and I think this is a group that is really hungry to change that.”
Xavier will be led by the quartet or Jack Nunge (13.4 ppg.), Colby Jones (11.6 ppg.), Zach Freemantle (10.4 ppg.) and Adam Kunkel (54 three pointers).
Villanova, with new head coach Kyle Neptune, landed in the third spot and will be without stud senior guard Justin Moore until perhaps December.
“I’m excited. To be the head coach at Villanova is a dream come true to me,” Neptune said. “I’m excited to be here and to go out and compete “
While Neptune will have the potent trio of Caleb Daniels, Brandon Slater and Eric Dixon to start the season, Nova Nation will have to wait a little while to get a look at highly-touted freshman Cam Whitmore, who is currently sidelined with a thumb injury.
Dan Hurley’s UConn Huskies placed fourth in the poll and they will come to play this season with BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Adama Sanogo leading the way,
“Obviously Adama has earned, with his production, what he’s done in his career for two years, the Preseason Player of the Year,” Hurley said. “But the only awards that matter are the ones you get in the end.”
The 6-9 Sanogo averaged 14.8 points and 8.8 rebounds last year in earning All-BIG EAST First Team honors. The Huskies will also be looking for major contributions from Andre Jackson and Jordan Hawkins, though Jackson is currently healing up from fractured right finger.
The Providence Friars, fresh off their first trip to the Sweet 16 in 25 years, were picked fifth. Ed Cooley’s crew lost lots from last year’s squad (Nate Watson, Justin Minaya to name but a few) but you can never count out a Cooley team, especially late in the season.
“It’s been a challenge,” Cooley said. “We have 11 scholarship players, eight off which are new. So trying to build chemistry and continuity has been a work in progress. But I like our group. I think we’re jelling. Our teams are normally better late than early and hopefully that continues.”
The Friars will be led, at least early on, by returnees Jared Bynum, the conference’s Sixth Man of the Year last season, and 6-8 Ed Croswell.
St. John’s, still looking for its first NCAA Tournament appearance under fourth-year coach Mike Anderson, landed in the sixth spot and will rely strongly on junior guard Posh Alexander and DePaul transfer David Jones. The Johnnies also have 6-11 Joel Soriano back to patrol the paint.
Seton Hall and yet another new coach, Shaheen Holloway, landed in seventh place. And Holloway can’t wait to get started.
“I’m a very passionate guy,” Holloway said. “I believe in hard work and if you work hard, great things can happen.
Even several months after landing the Pirates’ job, Holloway still thinks he’s dreaming.
“Still dreaming and I don’t want to wake up,” he said. “ I still can’t believe it happened but now I just want to build on it,”
That building will take place around returnees Tyrese Samuel and Jamir Harris along with transfers Dre Davis (Louisville), Al-Amir Dawes (Clemson), Femi Odukale (Pitt) and KC Ndefo (St. Peter’s).
Butler and new head coach Thad Matta come in at No. 8 in the poll and for Matta, a former player and coach with the Bulldogs, it’s good to be home.
“I love what this place stands for,” Matta said. “And I look at this place as a great opportunity to come in and try to rebuild something that Butler deserves.”
Butler has Chuck Harris as its only returning full-time starter. He will get help from transfers Manny Bates (NC State) and Eric Hunter Jr. (Purdue).
Marquette landed in the ninth spot for a second straight season and will look to try and duplicate- or surpass - last year’s 11-8 conference mark. Back for coach Shaka Smart is point guard Tyler Kolek, who led the league in assists last season. The Golden Eagles will also look to fly with NAIA Player of the Year Zach Wrightsil, who led Loyola New Orleans to a 37-1 record and the national NAIA championship last season.
For Georgetown, picked 10th, there is nowhere to go but up after going winless in the conference last season.
“What I don’t like about my team I’ll never let you know,” head coach Patrick Ewing said with a wry grin. “But we’re still a work in progress. These kids have been working very hard to make sure when they step on the floor, when the bright lights come on, that they will be at their best. I’m looking forward to the start of the season and having a great year.”
Dante Harris (11.9 ppg.) is the top returner on a team that will also feature three transfers in Jay Heath (Arizona State), Primo Spears (Duquesne) and Akok Akok (UConn).
DePaul and second-year coach Tony Stubblefield was picked 11th but don’t sleep on these Blue Demons. Their six BIG EAST wins last season bested their total from the previous two seasons combined. And though they lost conference scoring champion Javon Freeman-Liberty to graduation, the Demons bring in four-star recruit Zion Cruz to help lead of offense.