Previewing the 2019-2020 Big East Conference

[bigeastyboy]

Hi everyone, with the upcoming college basketball season two weeks away, the Big Easty Boyz discuss their thoughts on each Big East team heading into the 2019-2020 season. Besides sharing their thoughts on each team, they also sum up all the teams in one phrase, share a fun fact/trivia question relating to the rosters, and mention their favorite walk-on to look out for on all of the 10 squads (https://bigeastyboyz.podbean.com/e/big-easty-boyz-podcast-episode-2-previewing-the-2019-2020-big-east-conference/). Below are a few corrections/clarifications from the pod:

Correction: The last time Seton Hall finished atop the Big East coaches’ preseason poll was in 2000, not 1992.

Correction: Xavier did not win the 2017-18 Big East regular-season title on a tiebreaker over Nova, but rather finished with a 15-3 conference record to Nova’s 14-4 conference record. If both teams had finished with an identical conference record, Nova would have won the regular-season title due to a 2-0 record in head-to-head season matchups with Xavier.

Correction: The 2005 NBA Draft, not the 2004 NBA Draft, was the last draft before the one-and-done rule took effect, requiring high schoolers to spend one year furthering their development on and off the court.

Clarification: In the 2016-2017 season 7 teams from the Big East made the NCAA tournament. In 2011 the old configuration of the Big East sent a record 11 teams to the NCAA tournament, but as a percentage, this was smaller due to the conference having 16 teams overall. From the decade of 2010-to-2019, the Big 12 sent 70% of their league to the NCAA tournament 4 times (2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018). During that same time, the Big East is the only other conference to have at least done that once, which as previously mentioned, was in the 2017 tournament.

[MUBoxer]

Not to nitpick but you mentioned defense isn't our calling card which was true in wojos first four years but last year we were the most improved defensive team in the country and lose our worst defender. Not saying we'll be elite but look at Kenpom

[bigeastyboy]

Good catch there, MU was a top 50 defense on Kenpom last year (45). That's a tremendous improvement from the previous season. They had a top 100 defense on Kenpom in Wojo’s first two seasons (69, 88), then a >150 defense the next two seasons (165, 182). It will be exciting to see that defense minus the Hauser bros. In the new Kenpom 2020 rankings, MU’s defense is at 34, which would be an 11-spot improvement year-to-year.

[Husky_U]

2011 was a good year.

[Edrick]

Could’ve been better

[marquette]

I see what's going on here

[bigeastyboy]

Also for everyone listening or reading this thread, we would love you guys to submit questions on anything you guys may want us to discuss and answer on a future episode of the podcast. Also, throw out any ideas as well. We would actually love to have some of the members of the Holy Land come on the pod to chat with us.

[bluejayfanatic]

Good read, bigeasty. You might make one more correction and take 2010 out of the list of years the Big 12 sent 70% of its teams to the Tourney because the league had 12 teams in 2010 (meaning 58%, not 70%, got bids that year).

[bigeastyboy]

True, back when the league's name actually had the correct number of teams lol. The Big 12 is really the Big 10 today and the Big 10 is the Big 14. It has been a quick 8 seasons since Colorado bolted to the conference formerly known as the Pac-10 and when Nebraska left for the Big 10. The same goes for the 7 seasons since Texas A&M and Missouri switched to the SEC.

The Big 12 out of the Power 6 basketball conferences certainly is in the most precarious position in regards to legacy as a conference, with the eight members of the former Big Eight Conference joining with the Southwest Conference schools (Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, and Texas Tech) to form the Big 12 in 1994 and the first season as a conference starting in 1996.

It’s a joy to see the Big East still going strong into its 40th season with all the conference realignment that went on throughout those seasons. And with UConn back into the fold for the 41st season, the conference will have 5/7 (6/8 if you include Nova joining in 1980) original members. As someone who grew up only knowing Miami and BC in the ACC, it’s weird to me that BC was not only once in the Big East, but also an original member. However, I’m sure for those who’ve been around longer it feels the opposite.

[gtmoBlue]

Beastyboy. I have a few ideas ( a topic list) for when your BE podcast goes live. Contact me @gtmoblue , indigdoc@gmail.com .

what the hey...here's my list.

Big East Podcast Topics

Where do we go from here: Big East.
The limits of the possible or impossible - establish them yourself
Whose fanbase is best? Worst?
Whose fans cry more - StJ or Xavier?
OBE Bias amongst the brethren: It rears its’ head in discussions, preseason coaching/fan polls, and sometimes in other venues. The newbies have exceeded all expectations.
The hopes of the Johnnies fanbase: Are they eternal optimists? Their hopes exceed all results, statistics, and records of the last 20 years.
Marquette is better off without the Hausers & family.
Wonders never cease to amaze: the seeming rise of DePaul…finally.
Overrated coaches in the BEAST.
Underrated coaches in the BEAST.
Which team will replace Villanova as the BEAST of the East?