Big East Shuffle
March 8th 2011 18:32
Many subplots may come out of this Big East tournament this week. Will Kemba Walker solidify himself as a lottery pick? Will St. Johns continue to mystify the Garden aura and capture their first Big East tournament since Bootsy Thorntorn and Erick Barkley ran the guard positions? Will Notre Dame continue their regular season dominance and become the greatest team since Digger Phelps manned the sidelines? Or will Pittsburgh finally capitalize on their Big East resume and make a Final Four? In March you either address these questions or spend most of your time on the recruiting trail looking for players who can.
1) PittsburghYour text goes here
The prohibitive favorite throughout most of the season Pittsburgh does it mostly with balance. From leading scorer Ashton Gibbs (16.4 ppg) to horses Nasir Robinson (9.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Gary McGhee (7.1 ppg, 7.8), the Panthers pride themselves on defense and distributing the basketball as evidence their 17.5 assists per game (3rd in the nation). Pittsburgh weaknesses throughout the year have been spotty outside shooting and their lack of a breakout star. That being said they as a collective are still a hard out in the Big East tournament.
Prediction: Big East FinalsYour text goes hereYour text goes here
2)Notre DameYour text goes here
They remain the most well-coached team in the tournament and their leader, Ben Hansbrough (18.5 ppg) is the rock that guides this ship. Hansbrough, a contender for Big East Player of the Year does everything that his coach Mike Brey has asked. Whether the task may be to keep the lightning quick Kemba Walker to a 8 points or to hit big shots, Hansbrough has come through. Notre Dame has other assasins such as Tim Abromaitis and even big Tyrone Nash who both shoot over 40% from deep. The Fighting Irish are a team that doesn't beat themselves as evidence that they lead the Big East in Efficiency per Possession and are also Number 1 in assist to turnover ratio.
Prediction: Big East Champs[
3)LouisvilleYour text goes here
Louisville has had a great season considering they lost 3 of their top 5 scorers from last season. Without preseason All-Big East pick Jared Swopshire the Cardinals have managed to capitalize on turnovers all the way to the number 3 spot in the toughest conference in America. Even though the Cardinals are led by Preston Knowles, their most important player may be Peyton Siva. If Rick Pitino was frustrated with Edgar Sosa decision making, he now has to deal with the Freshmen Siva who sports a 5/3 assist to turnover ratio. When Siva is on and running the team, you can see athletes like Kuric and Chris Smith at their best. When he is off Louisville is usually on the losing end. That is too much responsibility for an elite team to have in a freshmen
[I][I][B]Prediction: A trip to the Big East semis where Hansbrough and Noter Dame destroy them.
4)SyracuseYour text goes here
Arguably the most talented team in the Big East, suffered through stretches of the regular season because of youth and mostly defensive lapses. It is hard though to find a better starting five the Brandon Triche, Scoop Jardine, Rick Jackson, Dion Waiters and Kris Joseph. Like Louisville, the Orangemen are predicated on the play of Scoop Jardine. He is a highlight film waiting to happen but always 2 plays away from Jim Boeheim doghouse. Will the Orangemen figure it out during the Big East tournament? I don't think so but I think they are poised for a run in the NCAA's
Prediction: Though the Orange are more talented, a tougher St. John's team will avenge the loss they had earlier in the season
5)St. John'sYour text goes here
St. John's is fresh off a Cinderella season and is part of a renaissance for New York basketball. Their coach Steve Lavin has not only made this group of seniors win, but has armed the Red Storm for the future with the Number 2 class in the country. St. John's is led by its efficient top scorer Dwight Hardy who has had a month that has put him in some National Player of the Year conversations. Counting the Duke win, Hardy has averaged over 21 points a game and againsts ranked opponents has averaged over 25. He lights up at the Garden and if St. John's makes a run he will settle for Tournament MVP.
Prediction: They WIll get to the conference semis but no magic on the baseline this time against Pittsburgh
Other teams that Matter
7)Cincinnati
Cincinnati hasn't done much in the nonconference that matters and their weaker side of the unbalanced Big East schedule leaves much to be determined. They may need a win to feel comfortable they are not playing on a Tuesday in the NCAA tournament.
8)GeorgetownYour text goes here
Without lead guard Chris Wright Georgetown is still searching for an identity. Austin Freeman is extremely talented but the loss of Wright may be too much to overcome.
9)UConnYour text goes here
Uconn is a lock for the NCAA tournament but NBA scouts are still trying to find what to make of ultra-quick point Kemba Walker. Is he an undersized scorer or a point guard forced into that role. Walker is not the problem for the Huskies however. In order for them to make a serious March run their young players, freshmen Jeremy Lamb and Roscoe Smith and sophomore Alex Oriakhi have to come of age. They have a lot of talent but can't just show it in flashes.
11)Marquette
Jimmy Butler and the golden Eagles need a big run in the Big East tournament just to make sure the Big East have a historic 11 teams in the NCAA's.
1) PittsburghYour text goes here
The prohibitive favorite throughout most of the season Pittsburgh does it mostly with balance. From leading scorer Ashton Gibbs (16.4 ppg) to horses Nasir Robinson (9.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Gary McGhee (7.1 ppg, 7.8), the Panthers pride themselves on defense and distributing the basketball as evidence their 17.5 assists per game (3rd in the nation). Pittsburgh weaknesses throughout the year have been spotty outside shooting and their lack of a breakout star. That being said they as a collective are still a hard out in the Big East tournament.
Prediction: Big East FinalsYour text goes hereYour text goes here
2)Notre DameYour text goes here
They remain the most well-coached team in the tournament and their leader, Ben Hansbrough (18.5 ppg) is the rock that guides this ship. Hansbrough, a contender for Big East Player of the Year does everything that his coach Mike Brey has asked. Whether the task may be to keep the lightning quick Kemba Walker to a 8 points or to hit big shots, Hansbrough has come through. Notre Dame has other assasins such as Tim Abromaitis and even big Tyrone Nash who both shoot over 40% from deep. The Fighting Irish are a team that doesn't beat themselves as evidence that they lead the Big East in Efficiency per Possession and are also Number 1 in assist to turnover ratio.
Prediction: Big East Champs[
3)LouisvilleYour text goes here
Louisville has had a great season considering they lost 3 of their top 5 scorers from last season. Without preseason All-Big East pick Jared Swopshire the Cardinals have managed to capitalize on turnovers all the way to the number 3 spot in the toughest conference in America. Even though the Cardinals are led by Preston Knowles, their most important player may be Peyton Siva. If Rick Pitino was frustrated with Edgar Sosa decision making, he now has to deal with the Freshmen Siva who sports a 5/3 assist to turnover ratio. When Siva is on and running the team, you can see athletes like Kuric and Chris Smith at their best. When he is off Louisville is usually on the losing end. That is too much responsibility for an elite team to have in a freshmen
[I][I][B]Prediction: A trip to the Big East semis where Hansbrough and Noter Dame destroy them.
4)SyracuseYour text goes here
Arguably the most talented team in the Big East, suffered through stretches of the regular season because of youth and mostly defensive lapses. It is hard though to find a better starting five the Brandon Triche, Scoop Jardine, Rick Jackson, Dion Waiters and Kris Joseph. Like Louisville, the Orangemen are predicated on the play of Scoop Jardine. He is a highlight film waiting to happen but always 2 plays away from Jim Boeheim doghouse. Will the Orangemen figure it out during the Big East tournament? I don't think so but I think they are poised for a run in the NCAA's
Prediction: Though the Orange are more talented, a tougher St. John's team will avenge the loss they had earlier in the season
5)St. John'sYour text goes here
St. John's is fresh off a Cinderella season and is part of a renaissance for New York basketball. Their coach Steve Lavin has not only made this group of seniors win, but has armed the Red Storm for the future with the Number 2 class in the country. St. John's is led by its efficient top scorer Dwight Hardy who has had a month that has put him in some National Player of the Year conversations. Counting the Duke win, Hardy has averaged over 21 points a game and againsts ranked opponents has averaged over 25. He lights up at the Garden and if St. John's makes a run he will settle for Tournament MVP.
Prediction: They WIll get to the conference semis but no magic on the baseline this time against Pittsburgh
Other teams that Matter
7)Cincinnati
Cincinnati hasn't done much in the nonconference that matters and their weaker side of the unbalanced Big East schedule leaves much to be determined. They may need a win to feel comfortable they are not playing on a Tuesday in the NCAA tournament.
8)GeorgetownYour text goes here
Without lead guard Chris Wright Georgetown is still searching for an identity. Austin Freeman is extremely talented but the loss of Wright may be too much to overcome.
9)UConnYour text goes here
Uconn is a lock for the NCAA tournament but NBA scouts are still trying to find what to make of ultra-quick point Kemba Walker. Is he an undersized scorer or a point guard forced into that role. Walker is not the problem for the Huskies however. In order for them to make a serious March run their young players, freshmen Jeremy Lamb and Roscoe Smith and sophomore Alex Oriakhi have to come of age. They have a lot of talent but can't just show it in flashes.
11)Marquette
Jimmy Butler and the golden Eagles need a big run in the Big East tournament just to make sure the Big East have a historic 11 teams in the NCAA's.
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