2022-2023 Big East College Basketball Preview

The Big East might be the only Power Conference without football nowadays, but they are every bit a power conference in basketball. With Jay Wright’s retirement, there is a large void at the top that for the first time in years is wide open. Wright is out, but Thad Matta and Sean Miller are in to help bolster the Big East coaching ranks. We have Millers Xavier team as the conference favorite, but with UConn and Creighton close on their heels.

Here are our national ranks so you can see the tiers we have each of these teams on.

1-363 ranking

Big East Basketball Standings

		National Rank
20	Xavier	Big East
23	UConn	Big East
25	Creighton	Big East
39	Villanova	Big East
40	Providence	Big East
52	Butler	Big East
53	St John?s	Big East
67	Seton Hall	Big East
89	Georgetown	Big East
106	DePaul	Big East
118	Marquette	Big East

Bracketology

Instead of an All-Conference team, I?ve listed the Top Returning Players by Peak Adjusted Efficiency for SOS. Most will likely come from this list anyway, but the awards are more team driven. I?m more interested in who is doing the most when they are on the court. The players can?t control the team that was put around them. If they are putting up tangible numbers at top efficiency per possession on bad teams, that is more impressive to me. It?s coming under more pressure and game planning for them, with less viable options around them to take the pressure off. This list encompasses the players that have been the best on a D1 court going into the season.

ADJ eff		Rank
6	Ryan Kalkbrenner	Creighton
8	Jack Nunge	Xavier
12	Adama Sanogo	UConn
33	Qudus Wahab	Georgetown
39	Eric Dixon	Villanova
64	Manny Bates	Butler
67	David Jones	St John’s
69	Posh Alexander	St John’s
93	Colby Jones	Xavier
104	Clifton Moore	Providence
116	Tristen Newton	UConn
128	Jared Bynum	Providence
135	Souley Boum	Xavier
137	Andre Curbelo	St John’s
139	Justin Moore*	Villanova
162	Baylor Scheierman	Creighton
174	Zach Freemantle	Xavier
186	Umoja Gibson	DePaul

(Last year?s NET, Seed, and Tournament Finish are on the top header line for reference. Deep bench players are not listed, only those in the projected rotation. I also included player ADJ eff rankings. ADJ eff Rankings and qualifying explanation here.)

1. Xavier

Xavier	37 NET	NIT	PER	Champ
Zach Freemantle	6-9, 225	10.4ppg, 5.8rpg	16.9	Sr
Jack Nunge	6-11, 245	13.4ppg, 7.4rpg	28.4	Sr
Colby Jones	6-5, 195	11.6ppg, 7.3rpg	19.5	Jr
Adam Kunkel	6-4, 176	8.8ppg, 1.8apg	13	Gr
Souley Boum	6-3, 163	19.8ppg, 4.5rpg (@UTEP)	22.7	Sr
Kam Craft	6-4, 185	4*		Fr
Jerome Hunter	6-7, 215	4.1ppg, 2.9rpg	8.2	Sr
Desmond Claude	6-5, 190	4*		Fr

Peak Efficiency Adjusted by SOS	Returning Players in the Top 300
8	Jack Nunge
93	Colby Jones
135	Souley Boum
174	Zach Freemantle

This team was an NCAA caliber at the large team by the NET ranking even before winning the NIT. Now they add Sean Miller who is a better coach than Steele, so the potential is here. Souley Boum just needs to be more of a facilitator with this group. That?s the only question it seems is the floor general and who can step into that role and get Nunge the ball.

There are no proven facilitators on the roster, but the hope seems to be with Boum looking to score less, he can concentrate on that aspect more with the talent around him here. Maybe, 2.9apg is his career high, and that was in 37 minutes a game. That?s a little weak when you are touching the ball that much to depend on. Even with the coaching upgrade and what they return, they could miss that game manager-type point guard that Odom provided last year.

2. UConn

UConn	18 NET	5 seed	PER	1R
Adama Sanogo	6-9, 240	14.8ppg, 8.8rpg	24.5	Jr
Andre Jackson	6-6, 210	6.8ppg, 6.8rpg	14.4	Jr
Nahiem Alleyne	6-4, 195	9.6ppg, 2.8rpg (@Virginia Tech)	11.2	Sr
Jordan Hawkins	6-5, 185	5.8ppg, 2.0rpg	12.5	So
Tristen Newton	6-5, 200	17.7ppg, 5.0apg (@ECU)	20.9	Jr
Donovan Clingan		4*		Fr
Hassan Diarra	6-2, 197	6.2ppg, 1.4apg(@Texas A&M)	13.4	Jr
Alex Karaban		4*		Fr

Peak Efficiency Adjusted by SOS	Returning Players in the Top 300
12	Adama Sanogo
116	Tristen Newton
298	Andre Jackson

I?m not the biggest believer in Danny Hurley but this roster is legit. Sanogo is a big-time impactful player and adding Alleyne and Newton helps fill it out. Newton especially should be helpful in the clutch. He led many late heroics and multiple clutch game-winners while at ECU. With the seamless leap Jayden Gardner made from ECU to UVA I think moving up bodes well for Newton as well.

Newton and UConn will be in better winning situations than ECU was, and he will be a great tool for Hurley to put the ball in his hands late in the game to ice it or to try to save the close ones that are getting away. Newton is elite at getting to the free throw line and making 88% of them.

Newton?s turnovers were high last season, but so was the pressure without much else around him. As a freshman when he wasn?t asked to be the biggest offensive engine, he was very solid at protecting the ball. With Sanogo they can form a nice one-to-punch that plays off of each other. While Alleyne doesn?t do a lot of things on a basketball court but he is a proven shooter. He will have to be guarded and should help Sanogo and Newton have the space they need to work.

3. Creighton

Creighton	51 NET	9 seed	PER	2R
Ryan Kalkbrenner	7-0, 235	13.1ppg, 7.7rpg	29	Jr
Arthur Kaluma	6-7, 220	10.4ppg, 5.4rpg	12.8	So
Baylor Scheierman	6-6, 180	16.2ppg, 7.8rpg (@SD St)	25.2	Jr
Trey Alexander	6-4, 170	7.4ppg, 3.7rpg	11.5	So
Ryan Nembhard	6-0, 167	11.3ppg, 4.4apg	11.1	So
Shareef Mitchell	6-0, 170	3.5ppg, 1.3apg	6.3	Sr
Francisco Farabello	6-4, 183	4.7ppg, 2.4rpg (@TCU)	11.8	Jr
Jasen Green	6-8, 220	4*		Fr

Peak Efficiency Adjusted by SOS	Returning Players in the Top 300
6	Ryan Kalkbrenner
162	Baylor Scheierman

It?s a nice team, but I don?t think it?s a top 5 team like some places have picked. Even if Baylor Scheierman can play SF effectively on defense and replace some of what Ryan Hawkins was giving, this was still a 50th ranked type team last year. This seems to be the more correct range for a team with some good continuity and a similar build to last year?s 50th type and 2nd round team.

Watching some of the videos on Scheierman there is no doubt he?s a great shooter and talented offensive player and passer. When he has the ball in his hands, he can dictate a lot. I do question how he is going to stay in front of Big East athletes on defense and if they can hide him at PF the way South Dakota State did. Adding up the rotations it appears he played about 20 of his 33 minutes a game at PF or at least as the 2nd biggest player. He?s a rugged rebounder for what he is, but I?m not sure he can hold up as well at this level there either as more of a tweener on defense. At least not to the level I?m a top 5 believer.

4. Villanova

Villanova	6 NET	2 seed		F4
Eric Dixon	6-8, 260	9.1ppg, 6.4rpg	21.9	Sr
Cameron Whitmore	6-7, 220	5*		Fr
Brandon Slater	6-6, 211	8.3ppg, 3.7rpg	15,1	Gr
Caleb Daniels	6-4, 210	10.2ppg,3.8rpg	15.3	Sr
Mark Armstrong	6-2, 185	4*		Fr
Chris Arcidiacono	6-5, 196	1.6ppg, 1.0rpg	9.3	So
Jordan Longino	6-5, 220	1.8ppg, 0.8rpg	7.3	So
Branden Hausen	6-4, 180	4*		Fr
Justin Moore*	6-4, 210	14.8ppg, 4.8rpg(torn Achiles)	18.1	Sr

Peak Efficiency Adjusted by SOS	Returning Players in the Top 300
39	Eric Dixon
139	Justin Moore*
242	Caleb Daniels
258	Brandon Slater

This one isn’t fun, it’s mostly because of injury but also Jay Wright. Most previews seem to gloss over the fact Moore tore his Achilles on April 2nd. Is he really to be depended on starting 8 months from now? I don’t think so.

Neptune showed some positive aspects in a mild turnaround at Fordham and at least kicked off the training wheels, unlike Scheyer. Still, there is a big difference between Jay Wright and Kyle Neptune, even before injuries and attrition.

Dixon, Slater, and Daniels can keep them afloat enough to around bubble level if one of the freshmen can step up. Whitmore seems like the best bet, and they will need him to be a big-time and live up to the top 15 billing unless Moore comes back strong way earlier. I wouldn’t expect that given the severity of his injury if he comes back at all to be the same player at that stage of recovery. There are far too many question marks around this team for me to put them any higher.

5. Providence

Providence	24 NET	4 seed		S16
Clifton Moore	6-10, 220	12.9ppg, 6.1rpg(@La Salle)	21.2	Gr
Ed Croswell	6-8, 245	5.3ppg, 4.7rpg	22.9	Gr
Devin Carter	6-3, 188	9.8ppg, 3.8rpg(@S. Carolina)	17.7	So
Noah Locke	6-3, 203	9.6ppg,2.3rpg(@Louisville)	10.5	Sr
Jared Bynum	5-10, 180	12.2ppg, 4.0apg	19.1	Sr
Bryce Hopkins	6-6, 220	2.1ppg, 1.4rpg(@Kentucky)	12.1	So
Alyn Breed	6-3, 180	3.2ppg, 1.2rpg	6.4	Jr
Corey Floyd	6-4, 205	UConn didn’t play		Fr
Jayden Pierre	6-2, 165	4*		Fr
Quant’e Berry	6-5, 175	4*		Fr

Peak Efficiency Adjusted by SOS	Returning Players in the Top 300
104	Clifton Moore
128	Jared Bynum

It helps a lot to have a returning senior PG as good as they do in Bynum with so many new parts. It’s going to be an asset to have him directing these new guys. I expect Locke to get his shooting stroke back he had at Florida, and the post projects as strong, just not deep. Carter is young and has room to grow a lot between years 1 and 2. Add another solid post option, and I’d feel much better about the depth with covid and injury always lurking.

6. Butler

Butler	117 NET
Manny Bates	6-11, 230	9.8ppg, 5.9rpg (2021@ NC St)	22.8	Jr
Simas Lukosius	6-6, 230	6.8ppg, 3.3rpg	11.2	So
Ali Ali	6-8, 206	13.9ppg, 2.5apg(@Akron)	15.4	Jr
Chuck Harris	6-2, 190	11.4ppg, 2.7rpg	11	Jr
Eric Hunter	6-4, 170	6.2ppg, 2.0apg(@Purdue)	11	Gr
Jayden Taylor	6-4, 190	8.2ppg, 2.9rpg	11.9	So
Jalen Thomas	6-10, 230	7.9ppg, 6.2rpg(@GSU)	16.6	Sr
Myles Tate	6-0, 170	6.7ppg, 2.3apg(2021)	9.7	So
Conner Turnbull	6-10, 215	3*		Fr

Peak Efficiency Adjusted by SOS	Returning Players in the Top 300
64	Manny Bates
207	Chuck Harris

This roster isn’t the best, but Thad Matta has made progress in a short period. If Bates is healthy and can anchor the defense, there is a path for improvement with better coaching. Harris was also better 2 seasons ago. I would expect him to find that shooting stroke again and at least be above average shooting the ball closer to his career average numbers, which will help. It’s a close tie between Clemson and Butler. I think Clemson has the better roster, but Matta is one of the best coaches in the nation that helps split the difference.

7. St. John’s

Peak Efficiency Adjusted by SOS	Returning Players in the Top 300
67	David Jones
69	Posh Alexander
137	Andre Curbelo

Transfers
David Jones	6-6, 195	14.5ppg, 7.4rpg	22.3	DePaul
Andre Curbelo	6-1, 175	9.1ppg, 4.2apg (2021)	18.1	Illinois

St. John’s prospects hinge a lot on which Andre Curbelo they are getting. As a freshman, Curbelo was very solid, not spectacular, but a solid player. Now, I’ve seen some mention him as a potential All-American…

Even if you completely ignore last season and only focus on what you saw as a freshman and expect that version so come back that’s a huge leap IMO. Last year he was terrible, but he was injured so there should be some hope. That said it was a concussion and that’s pretty scary for life, forget basketball. How he played when he returned isn’t a great sign. Hopefully, he’s fully healed but this is a tricky situation just assuming he’s back to 100% or ever will be the same. It’s a brain injury.

Even when healthy, Curbelo has a major hole in his game. He is a career 16% three-point shooter as a 6-1 guard. That’s taking wide open dare you to shoot volume too. I think St. John’s has a lot of individual talent but the fit is horrific, especially between the backcourt of Curbelo and Posh Alexander. Alexander is a great player but he’s another 6 foot complete non shooter. 21.7% from three last year. The fit is why I couldn’t rank St. John’s higher.

David Jones is another really good talent but yet another complete non-shooter on the wing as well as a career 27% three-point shooter. If you just look at the model they are probably a top 30 team, but I think the sum of their parts fits together worse than their talent. Montez Mathis is another wing off the bench that will play a lot of minutes and is also a 26% career three-point shooter. I’m not sure how in modern basketball you can play this many complete non-shooters, especially in the backcourt both of which are this small. They will be one of the more interesting teams I’m going to tune into to see. Maybe they will be so good in transition that it doesn’t matter but count me as skeptical.

8. Seton Hall

200	KC Ndefo
202	Alexis Yetna

Transfers
Dre Davis	6-5, 220	7.5ppg, 3.5rpg	13.8	Louisville
Al-Amir Dawes	6-2, 180	11.3ppg, 2.3apg	15.1	Clemson
Femi Odukale	6-5, 185	10.8ppg, 3.4apg	12.2	Pitt

In Shaheen Holloway fresh off the biggest Cinderella run in history, out Kevin Willard to Maryland. Seton Hall will also have to replace its top 2 scorers. Soon to be 24 year old Alexis Yetna returns as does Kadary Richmond. The additions of Dawes, Odukale, Ndefo, and Davis will help out a lot. Holloway did very well in the portal in year one. It’s a solid team I think with a pretty high floor, but I don’t expect them to make much noise in the Big East.

9. Georgetown

Georgetown	194 NET
Qudus Wahab	6-11, 237	7.7ppg,5.6rpg(@Maryland)	19.7	Sr
Akok Akok	6-9, 215	3.4ppg, 3.2rpg(@UConn)	17.9	Sr
Brandon Murray	6-5, 214	10.0ppg, 3.0rpg(@LSU)	12.2	So
Jay Heath	6-3, 175	10.6ppg, 3.3rpg(@Arizona St)	13.7	Jr
Dante Harris	6-0, 170	11.9ppg,4.1apg	12.7	Jr
Amir Spears	6-3, 185	12.7ppg 3.0apg(@Duquesne)	13.3	So
Bryson Mozone	6-6, 200	15.8ppg, 5.7rpg(@USC-Up)	18.3	Gr
Ryan Mutumbo	7-2, 252	5.1ppg, 3.0rpg	21.7	So
Wayne Bristol Jr.	6-6, 185	12.5ppg, 4.3rpg(@Howard 2020)	13.5	So
Bradley Ezewiro	6-8,246	1.6ppg, 0.9rpg	14.2	So

Peak Efficiency Adjusted by SOS	Returning Players in the Top 300
33	Qudus Wahab

I think you got to like Ewing?s portal work. Getting Wahab to come back really put it over the top for me. He?s one player that had played better under Ewing in the past before he left and Ewing does seem to at least get something out of his bigs. I do not believe Wahab did anything to discredit his ability at Maryland this past season and I had him ranked higher than most.

Shoot Straighter

Ewing is still the coach, but this level of talent will bring expectations, and that’s a good thing coming off an 0-for in the Big East. I think it’s got to be NCAA or bust this season, or he?s likely fired. He fluked his way to an Auto-bid NCAA team once, I think he can get there at large now, possibly with this level of talent. At least he should get this team into the bubble conversation with the talent. Ultimately the talent is there but I don’t have much faith in the coaching.

10. DePaul

Peak Efficiency Adjusted by SOS	Returning Players in the Top 300
186	Umoja Gibson
272	Nick Ongenda

Transfers
Da?Sean Nelson	6-8, 190	13.8ppg 6.6rpg (JUCO)		JUCO
Javan Johnson	6-6, 205	7.1ppg, 2.2rpg	12.7	Iowa State
KT Ramey	6-4, 190	11.8ppg 2.3rpg(JUCO)		JUCO
Umoja Gibson	6-1, 176	13.3ppg, 2.1rpg	16.6	Oklahoma
Caleb Murphy	6-4, 185	11.4ppg, 3.4apg	11	USF

Losing David Jones to transfer was a big blow for this program, especially on the heels of Javon Freeman-Liberty leaving for the NBA. I don’t think Umoja Gibson and Caleb Murphy are going to replace them. Gibson is pretty good but Murphy should probably come off the bench on a good team. If any of the returners are going to make a big jump I think Nick Ongenda (8.7ppg, 4.3rpg 16.6 PER) is the most likely candidate. DePaul needs him to become a force in the paint to crack the top 100 or get out of the basement of the Big East IMO.

11. Marquette

Zach Wrightsil 18.6ppg, 8.7rpg in NAIA
Tyler Kolek 6.7ppg, 5.9apg, 11.2 PER
Oso Ighodaro 5.5ppg, 3.3rpg, 18.1 PER
Kam Jones 7.1ppg, 1.4rpg 14.1 PER
Olivier-Maxence Prosper 6.6ppg, 3.3rpg 13.2 PER

When you are raiding the NAIA for your biggest newcomer it’s probably not the best sign things are going well. I think Zach Wrightsil(18.6ppg, 8.7rpg in NAIA) will be fine and not look out of place at all in Big East, but I don’t see a lot of star power on this team. Tyler Kolek (6.7ppg, 5.9apg, 11.2 PER) can pass but who is he passing to? Kam Jones and Oliver-Maxence Prosper seem more like supporting players. I don’t see any of these three in starring roles, but they will have to be on this team. Oso Ighodaro (5.5ppg, 3.3rpg, 18.1 PER) seems to be the most likely candidate to ascend to stardom if there is anyone on this team that can. More off seasons like this, and Shaka Smart will likely wear out his welcome at his second school pretty soon.