2025-26 Big East Thread

[K1 Lover]

Not sure why so many people fail to recognize a highly ranked portal class is often because retention was garbage.

Exactly. While individual player rankings do contribute somewhat, the overall score is inevitably going to favor the teams that are overhauling their roster and adding more players. Purdue is projected to be a pre-season top 25 team but currently ranks #96 on this list. Which is why it's important to stress this is not a definitive ranking of how good these teams will be.

[Billy Hoyle]

Unlike most people I see talking about portal rankings you actually added some context.

Not sure why so many people fail to recognize a highly ranked portal class is often because retention was garbage.

excellent observation. Michigan State would be unranked in Portal rankings having not signed anyone. Illinois only has one Portal addition, but both will be top 10 teams entering next season.

[Billy Hoyle]

UConn is now in the market for a starting 2 guard:

https://x.com/joetipton/status/2046335825969823910?s=61&t=feUwjsx-hSOlQ5W-XQxpAw

[DFW HOYA]

I forgot the cost, but I believe that DFW Hoya addressed that when I asked why GT ponied up for Cooley. I think he said that the previous prez/administration did that. If I remember correctly, Cooley's buyout drops quite a bit in one more year. I think DFW thought that the current prez/administration would not spend big for a replacement. DFW, please show up in case I have this wrong.

Ed Cooley's contract has never been disclosed, by the University or by reporters. PC trolls who were throwing around $6 million in year one were swatted down by Paint Touches' review of the IRS Form 990 which showed $3.8 million, but I would expect the rate to go up each year. But Ed Cooley isn't the problem and repalcing him doesn't reset the standings.

Georgetown, where nearly all of its teams are competitive in other Big East sports, is caught in a doom loop with men's basketball right now. There is no University communication with the fan base, no discussion of tickets or games next year, and all people hear is that players are leaving. Cooley has made no public appearance or comment since the Big East tournament.

The Hoyas return one starter from a 16-18 team. It traded K.J. Lewis and Malik Mack for two guards with injury problems--the latest pickup averaged 4.8 ppg at Kansas. At present, it has seven scholarship players and one over 6-7. Prominent portal players  don't want to play in an empty arena--Eric Reibe went to high school 20 minutes from Georgetown's campus and showed no interest in returning. Cooley's teams at Fairfield and Providence were built on continuity and he has none of that right now. No one knows for sure on NIL but some see it as a problem.

As in institution, Georgetown has been on interim leadership since June 2024 when its president had a severe stroke, and his successor arrives July 1. Coupled with a $91 million shortfall in revenues over lost research grants and downturns in graduate  admissions, there's a lot of uncertainty. Basketball doesn't make a profit at Georgetown as it does at MU or Creighton, and writing Cooley a big go-home check would further impact budgets, esp. if they ask NIL donors to cover it. Personally speaking, and it's only that, Georgetown could just as easily pay its next coach a mid-six figure salary and load it with incentives rather than chase after a name coach who doesn't (or can't) address the structural problems that have been in place for 15 years.

Meanwhile, as it stands today, it has lost 81% of the scoring from a last place Big East team.

[Jay Bee]

#GeorgetownWillie

[brewcity77]

UConn is now in the market for a starting 2 guard:

https://x.com/joetipton/status/2046335825969823910?s=61&t=feUwjsx-hSOlQ5W-XQxpAw

I'd guess they portal for this, but with Junior County, Colben Landrew, and Jayden Ross, they have some options.

[Billy Hoyle]

meanwhile, St. John's has landed two more Euro players and Donnie Freeman from Syracuse (he likely steps into Hopkins' starting spot). Pitino seems to be going the Illinois route with his roster building.

[MUbiz]

meanwhile, St. John's has landed two more Euro players and Donnie Freeman from Syracuse (he likely steps into Hopkins' starting spot). Pitino seems to be going the Illinois route with his roster building.

And Diop is apparently visiting SJU this weekend.

[Billy Hoyle]

And Diop is apparently visiting SJU this weekend.

Repole has another horse in the Derby, so the Johnnies' NIL budget could go up significantly if Renegade wins.

[Billy Hoyle]

suck it, Cooley!

https://x.com/JoeTipton/status/2046643455045026096

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Part of the Ed Cooley trade.

[wadesworld]

suck it, Cooley!

https://x.com/JoeTipton/status/2046643455045026096

Will Providence fans celebrate if a Georgetown player tackles him from behind by the shoulders midair?

[rocky_warrior]

Ed Cooley isn't the problem

He certainly doesn't seem to be any part of a solution.  Middling coach at Providence has becomes less than that at GTown.

[jfp61]

He certainly doesn't seem to be any part of a solution.  Middling coach at Providence has becomes less than that at GTown.

The funniest part is Providence somehow hired, extended, and fired a coach worse than Cooley before Georgetown has done anything.

[DFW HOYA]

He certainly doesn't seem to be any part of a solution.  Middling coach at Providence has becomes less than that at GTown.

His coaching skills are not the problem. Basketball, as a whole, has become less relevant to the average Georgetown student (and the average alumnus) than at any Big East school. No one applies to Georgetown because of basketball, and few give back as a result of it. No one is boycotting those games at Capital One Arena, they just don't care.



The question whether Georgetown needs to invest more or conversely, much less on the sport than it does now is an open one, and that isn't going to be answered whether Cooley wins 20 games or not.

[MUDPT]

Goodman is a jerk, but on his latest pod he said the Big East will clean up in the portal, because they know exactly what they will get with rev share. All of the other conferences are unsure what their basketball teams are going to get.

[MU82]

His coaching skills are not the problem. Basketball, as a whole, has become less relevant to the average Georgetown student (and the average alumnus) than at any Big East school. No one applies to Georgetown because of basketball, and few give back as a result of it. No one is boycotting those games at Capital One Arena, they just con't care.



The question whether Georgetown needs to invest more or conversely, much less on the sport than it does now is an open one, and that isn't going to be answered whether Cooley wins 20 games or not.

Ok. But he's still an overrated coach.

[Jay Bee]

Goodman is a jerk, but on his latest pod he said the Big East will clean up in the portal, because they know exactly what they will get with rev share. All of the other conferences are unsure what their basketball teams are going to get.

Yeah, now he's saying exactly what I said while people — including him — were latching on to Miya's idiotic claim that HM players would be getting 73% more this year.

Schools are trying to find a way around the rules, but the reality is for schools who didn't spend near the cap last year, a decision could be made this year to significantly improve by increasing their direct payment spend.