SI Big East Preview

[MUDPT]

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2015/10/19/big-east-preview-villanova-georgetown-kris-dunn-providence

5th Place

Pomeroy rankings are out.  Also has us in 5th place.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

It's nice to see what the raw numbers project. If he thinks we get to fifth place with that protection, I'm optimistic. Because I'm very confident that Luke and the engine will put up better numbers than what he is anticipating. How we do on defense is mutt bigger concern however

[GGGG]

This is based on statistical modeling.  Marquette is projected to be +6 in the win column compared to last year.  No other team in conference is more than +3.

In other words, SI is expecting substantial improvement.

[chapman]

If Luke's averages decrease due to playing 6.1 fewer minutes per game than last year, I'll eat my sock.  And if Heldt puts together 6.1 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 19.6 MPG, I'll pee my pants.

[MerrittsMustache]

Not to get nit-picky but he predicts Brunson to be the top frosh but the projections don't make that seem very likely...

Brunson: 9/3/3 in 23 minutes

Govan: 8/6 in 24 minutes

Ellenson: 14/8 in 31 minutes

If those were the actual numbers, Henry would win the award easily.

[mu03eng]

I will be satisfied with a 5th place finish, but not happy about it.

This team(barring significant injuries) will be much better than last years team, just a question of what the rest of BEast looks like.

Vastly under-realized is how significant Luke's injury was last year.  By all accounts he is back to 100% and I expect him to be an absolute beast this year.  If the Engine can feed Luke in the post in the half court (who can then score or dish to slashers/shooters) we'll be great.  In the open court, with Duane, Engine, Luke and Hank we can demolish teams in transition.  Our big men run the court better than some teams guards.

The key will be defense, how well do we play it and how well has Luke learned the new rules.  If Luke gets into foul trouble on the defensive end, we be in trouble.  So can we play team defense to generate transition buckets and keep every game from being a shoot out.

[T-Bone]

That's one ugly preview for DePaul.

"The program and its (badly) losing records in nine of the last 10 seasons is a carousel of crushed dreams and discouragement. Its biggest accomplishment is bringing back former coach Dave Leitao, who was the last coach to put up back-to-back 20-win seasons at the school since the great Joey Meyer in the 1990s."

[Coleman]

Assuming a decent non-conference performance, I gotta believe their projection (5th place, 10-8) would get us in the dance....

Maybe only an 11 or 12 seed, but a spot nonetheless.

Right?

[wadesworld]

I will be satisfied with a 5th place finish, but not happy about it.

This team(barring significant injuries) will be much better than last years team, just a question of what the rest of BEast looks like.

Vastly under-realized is how significant Luke's injury was last year.  By all accounts he is back to 100% and I expect him to be an absolute beast this year.  If the Engine can feed Luke in the post in the half court (who can then score or dish to slashers/shooters) we'll be great.  In the open court, with Duane, Engine, Luke and Hank we can demolish teams in transition.  Our big men run the court better than some teams guards.

The key will be defense, how well do we play it and how well has Luke learned the new rules.  If Luke gets into foul trouble on the defensive end, we be in trouble.  So can we play team defense to generate transition buckets and keep every game from being a shut out.

Boy, I sure hope we can.

[bilsu]

They are giving a lot of Fischer's' points to Heldt.
I like Heldt, but I do not see him averaging 6.1 points per game and I certainly think Fischer will be a double point scorer.

[GooooMarquette]

That's one ugly preview for DePaul.

"The program and its (badly) losing records in nine of the last 10 seasons is a carousel of crushed dreams and discouragement. Its biggest accomplishment is bringing back former coach Dave Leitao, who was the last coach to put up back-to-back 20-win seasons at the school since the great Joey Meyer in the 1990s."

AKA, a "sleeping giant."

[mu03eng]

Boy, I sure hope we can.

Yeah, typos are a real pain 

[wadesworld]

Yeah, typos are a real pain 

[Eldon]

Boy, I sure hope we can.

LMAO, nice catch.

[77ncaachamps]

If this team can STAY healthy, it has a shot to lock up 5th and above.

One or two key injuries, and we're fighting for a season of .500 ball.

[Dawson Rental]

The consensus of the previews that I've seen indicate that its either Marquette or Providence finishing in fifth place with the other school finishing sixth.  This is very significant because the consensus also is that the Big East will get five teams into the NCAA tournament.

This particular preview is off due to SI assuming that Duane Wilson will be the starting PG (sorry, Goose) which has them choosing JjJ as the other starting guard instead of Traci Carter.  Someone who wrote this preview evidently didn't have time to watch the Italy trip footage or had to submit the preview before the trip.

I completely agree that Luke is being underrated due to prognosticators not knowing about him playing with a bum shoulder last year.  The other factor that is being missed is how good Traci Carter has shown himself to be so far.

I continue to be amazed that anyone can pick any school other than St John's to finish last.  Evan another Seton Hall implosion couldn't change that.