“@AdamZagoria: SNY Big East Preseason Rankings; All-Big East Teams; Top Incoming Recruitshttp://zagsblog.com/articles/sny-bi...ngs-all-big-east-teams-top-incoming-recruits/ @SNYtv”
Zag's Pre Season Preview
- Thread starter paultzman
- Start date
I believe if things go our way this season (ie, no significant injuries; no ineligibles), then we can be amongst the top 3 teams in the conference. The trip abroad could also end up being beneficial for our squad.
I also believe there are about 6 or 7 conference teams that'll wear their "dancing" shoes in March. So, it isn't just your belief.
I believe at this point, you have to consider Georgetown and Marquette 1-2 (in either order), and Seton Hall and Depaul 9-10 (in either order). Then, I think you can pretty much justify any of the possible combinations for the 3rd through 8th spots. All that can change between now and the start of the year, and even after the season starts.
I'm not sold on Georgetown being one of the top 2 teams next year. Good coach, great defense, can shoot it, but they lose their best player and in my opinion we are more talented. That's just on paper of course.
Pleasedontbanmeagain
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I'd also put Nova and UConn in that category. They always seem to turn in good seasons even when they aren't expected to. I think like someone else said above, that we are the reverse of this. When we have no expectations (2011) we come out of nowhere. When we sign top 50 recruits and even the #17 recruit we just never seem to totally pan out. I think the media will go nuts over us if we perform anywhere near our talent level this year. They are all doubting us because of our track record, not our talent. Once we prove we can translate talent to results consistently we will once again be well-respected and be in the conversation for Big East champs.
I think we can be very, very good this year, if Jordan is the real deal (Sanchez too, but not as much). I hate to put that much pressure on a freshman, but a good point guard can totally change the fortunes of a team. In 1998, we lost two of our three most talented players to graduation, but because we brought in Erik Barkley (Bootsy too, but he was of slightly less importance), the team improved by leaps and bounds. I have always believed that if Felipe got to play with Erick Barkley for 2 years, we go to a final four.
So, IMO, Jordan is of the utmost importance to our success this year. There are other factors too, obviously, but Jordan is #1, IMO.
1. G'town
2. Marquette
3.St.John's
4. Xavier
5. Villanova
6. Creighton
7. Butler
8. Providence
9. Seton Hall
10. DePaul
Preseason Player of the Year: Doug McDermott, Sr. F, Creighton
LINK:
http://zagsblog.com/articles/sny-bi...ngs-all-big-east-teams-top-incoming-recruits/
2. Marquette
3.St.John's
4. Xavier
5. Villanova
6. Creighton
7. Butler
8. Providence
9. Seton Hall
10. DePaul
Preseason Player of the Year: Doug McDermott, Sr. F, Creighton
LINK:
http://zagsblog.com/articles/sny-bi...ngs-all-big-east-teams-top-incoming-recruits/
SJU is loaded. No other way to put it.
This has the potential to be a big time team. If you take Zags pre-season predictions (and my guess is most of the media stuff coming out the next few months will be close) SJU would have 4 of the top 16 players in the conference (2 on 1st team and 2 on the 3rd team with 6 total first team players). Top rookie as well.
And that does not include Sanchez and Pointer who I think will be HUGE players.
Player for player SJU has quite frankly the most talented team in the new conference.
This has the potential to be a big time team. If you take Zags pre-season predictions (and my guess is most of the media stuff coming out the next few months will be close) SJU would have 4 of the top 16 players in the conference (2 on 1st team and 2 on the 3rd team with 6 total first team players). Top rookie as well.
And that does not include Sanchez and Pointer who I think will be HUGE players.
Player for player SJU has quite frankly the most talented team in the new conference.
I see where you are coming from, but I think the bad postseason loss to FGCU is clouding your judgment. Georgetown has some fantastic young players that are ready to break out. I also think the addition of Greg Whittingon, a junior that averaged 12.1 ponts and 7 boards before he was ruled ineligible, will go a long way in mitigating the loss of production from Porter. As good as Porter was, he was only a soph and not as consistent as he probably would have been this year. They also add the STJ killer big man, Josh Smith. Georgetown could struggle in certain matchups if they can't dictate the pace, but I think that will be less of a problem this year.
My biggest problem with Zag's prediction is Xavier at #4. I think Semaj Christon is great, but I just don't see how in the world they would finish that high. Nova will certainly be better IMO, and likely Creighton and Butler. Providence is also primed to make a jump if Henton is able to play.
Zag's also has Rysheed Jordan on this All-Big East third team. I do not see that happening.
I also believe G'town will be fine, as they've shown to do well during the regular season. Postseason for them is an entirely different animal.
I'm not particularly worried about Josh Smith. It was one game, and it was an entirely different group. Could he cause trouble for us? Of course. But the dynamics of our frontcourt is different than we he played against us a few years ago. Not to mention, he still may have conditioning issues. We shall see.
I could see that happening. Would I predict it? Nope. But I could envision it, though.
A couple of things. You have all these teams making jumps but you cannot have all these teams doing better somebody has to finish 5th and 7th etc.
I mean everyone says I think they will be good, and they will be better and they will be a dark horse but not everyone can finish 3rd. This is a zero sum game, if someone is finishing 4th that means someone else needs to finish somewhere else.
Providence had a nice 9-9 but it was the result of a fairly easy schedule. They lost a 20 pt scorer. I think Cooley has got PC on the right track but at the same time seeing PC take a step back before some of their underclassmen grow up is not out of the question. Nor is it a sign they are doing bad. People think that predicting PC doing worse next year is somehow saying Cooley is doing a bad job thus no way can you predict them that low. There is no shame because either way he has them on the right track but I do believe they will take a step back.
Lastly both Harkless and Sampson made 3rd team in the OLD Big East when you had stacked teams with multiple big time recruits.
Why is it so hard to see a kid not only ranked higher then either Harkless or Sampson but the HIGHEST ranked recruit coming into the new BE and without schools like Louisville and Syracuse to boot?
A couple of things. You have all these teams making jumps but you cannot have all these teams doing better somebody has to finish 5th and 7th etc.
I mean everyone says I think they will be good, and they will be better and they will be a dark horse but not everyone can finish 3rd. This is a zero sum game, if someone is finishing 4th that means someone else needs to finish somewhere else.
Providence had a nice 9-9 but it was the result of a fairly easy schedule. They lost a 20 pt scorer. I think Cooley has got PC on the right track but at the same time seeing PC take a step back before some of their underclassmen grow up is not out of the question. Nor is it a sign they are doing bad. People think that predicting PC doing worse next year is somehow saying Cooley is doing a bad job thus no way can you predict them that low. There is no shame because either way he has them on the right track but I do believe they will take a step back.
Lastly both Harkless and Sampson made 3rd team in the OLD Big East when you had stacked teams with multiple big time recruits.
Why is it so hard to see a kid not only ranked higher then either Harkless or Sampson but the HIGHEST ranked recruit coming into the new BE and without schools like Louisville and Syracuse to boot?
A couple of things. You have all these teams making jumps but you cannot have all these teams doing better somebody has to finish 5th and 7th etc.
I mean everyone says I think they will be good, and they will be better and they will be a dark horse but not everyone can finish 3rd. This is a zero sum game, if someone is finishing 4th that means someone else needs to finish somewhere else.
Providence had a nice 9-9 but it was the result of a fairly easy schedule. They lost a 20 pt scorer. I think Cooley has got PC on the right track but at the same time seeing PC take a step back before some of their underclassmen grow up is not out of the question. Nor is it a sign they are doing bad. People think that predicting PC doing worse next year is somehow saying Cooley is doing a bad job thus no way can you predict them that low. There is no shame because either way he has them on the right track but I do believe they will take a step back.
Lastly both Harkless and Sampson made 3rd team in the OLD Big East when you had stacked teams with multiple big time recruits.
Why is it so hard to see a kid not only ranked higher then either Harkless or Sampson but the HIGHEST ranked recruit coming into the new BE and without schools like Louisville and Syracuse to boot?
Who is this 20-point scorer you are referring to? If it is Council, he only averaged 10.8 ppg last year and I think most Providence fans expect Dunn, a top 25 recruit last year, to be far better next season. Of course, Providence taking a step back is not out of the question, they are far from a sure thing. I don't really think Cooley is that good of a coach. That written, they have a ton of talent. They are not that young either. Henton will be a junior and a three-year starter, Batts wil be a senior, Cotton will be a senior, and Tyler Harris will be eligible (with two years under his belt). Also, Dunn played 28 mpg as a frosh last season. I also really like that freshman SF they have coming. He will probably need some time to adjust physically, but he could provide some excellent depth and is extremely smooth and skilled.
The sad part, as you alluded to, is not everyone cane be a top team in the league. Someone has to be 8th, 9th, and 10th. I think there are eight teams with legitimate NCAA tournament hopes. This league isn't getting eight. Can it get six? I guess it depends on how well the conference does icollectively in the OOC portion of the schedule.
As for Sheed, I do expect him to be good, but I don't think there is really an opportunity for him to make third team all-conference. Harrison will be the man, Sampson will get his, and there are two upperclassmen that have played extensively to steal his minutes and looks. Can it happen? Sure. I wouldn't bet on it, though.
Just to get it out there I'm not hating of gtown. Just don't think it's obvious that they are a top 2 team.
My prediction for the top four in this years big east as of now:
1. Marquette
2. St. John's
3. Nova
4. Gtown