Big East Preview by Maple Street Press

Big East Preview

Pitt might be the favorite in a wide open conference by Eric Angevine

he term “geographical footprint” works best when applied to a conference like the Mid-American Conference or Horizon League, where all of the teams are tightly clustered. The Big East is a little too full-bodied to narrow down to just the tootsies. That makes for interesting decisions each season, and one of the biggest for the league office is which teams will play one another twice. This season, UConn will see Louisville, Marquette, and Notre Dame at home and away, and play each remaining conference foe just once in the regular season. Of the one-off opponents, tough teams Georgetown, Syracuse, and Villanova must travel to play the Huskies, while league monsters Pitt and West Virginia will have the home-floor advantage. In looking at the rest of the league, it seemed appropriate to break up the crush of teams into categories. The elite teams that have experience, depth, and proven coaching pedigree in the package come first, then the vast middle zone of teams that may be able to do well in one or two of those essential areas. The four teams with new coaches are lumped together, and one sad team is the cheese that stands alone in abject misery.

Teams to Beat Pittsburgh Panthers Last season: 25–9 (13–5 Big East) Pitt was supposed to be rebuilding last season. Anyone remember that? The team lost the nucleus of a national championship contender and had to break in a raft of new starters. Jamie Dixon proved once again that he’s a potential future Hall of Famer by taking that team and winning 13 hard-fought Big East games. The Panthers had a true homecourt advantage, going 17–1 at home and 8–8 on the road. Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, and Gilbert Brown return, bringing back over 51% of the team’s scoring punch © 2010 Maple Street Press, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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2010–2011 UCONN HUSKIES

from last season. Behemoth big man Gary McGhee adds another ten percent, as well as 23% of the club’s total rebounds. Sophomore Travon Woodall showed a knack for dropping dimes during his freshman campaign, and Nasir Robinson showed some flashes of brilliance, dropping 26 points on Louisville in mid-February. That’s championship-level experience and depth. Coaching-wise, Dixon may be the most exciting young coach in the league. He was courted for nearly every highprofile job opening in D-I over the summer but stayed put, which is good news for Pitt fans. He can recruit, and he can coach up the kids he gets. This year’s class includes ESPNU 100 small forward J.J. Moore, and the backcourt of the future in Cameron Wright and point guard Isaiah Epps. All three will have a season to learn before taking over the backcourt. Not only should Pitt have a shot at the Big East championship this year, but for the foreseeable future, as well.

Syracuse Orange Last season: 30–5 (15–3) A couple of seasons ago, Jim Boeheim seemed washed up. His team missed the NCAA Tournament, and he couldn’t land the recruits he really wanted and needed. Ha. It was a transfer, former Iowa State Cyclone Wesley Johnson, who gave the team the star power it needed to get back on track, and Boeheim’s recruits played their roles to perfection around him. This year, Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche will start in the backcourt, where they practically flipped a coin to decide who would be lead and who would score, eventually deciding on Scoop as point and Triche as shooter. The beauty of that

West Virginia Mountaineers Last season: 31–7 (13–5) One of the enduring images of the 2010 Final Four was Bob Huggins kneeling with his face at floor level, consoling an injured Da’Sean Butler. Huggy Bear was having no problems recruiting before that happened, but his display of fatherly concern was extremely humanizing, and likely gave him an even better image with parents and prospects. Butler and Wellington Smith have graduated and Devin Ebanks went pro, so why are the Mountaineers still considered to be elite? Truck Bryant is back to run the show, and probably has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, since he suffered an injury that kept him from even getting to that Final Four game. Redshirt senior Joe Mazzulla brings his toughness back for another season, after scoring 17 points in the Elite Eight win over Kentucky. Finally, Kevin Jones is ready to break out after being the third scoring option throughout most of his time in Morgantown. Huggins plans to put both ballhandlers on the floor at the same time, which should make it that much easier to get the ball in to Jones. New guy Noah Cottrill will understudy, but be ready to go if the injury bug strikes again. Turkish center Deniz Kilicli is a bit of an unknown—he missed 20 games last season due to eligibility issues—but he’ll be the starter in the middle. Incoming recruits Kevin Noreen and David Nyarsuk will be available, but clearly, none of the three are very experienced. Sophomore Dalton Pepper will be expected to grow up quickly, as well. With his three upperclassmen, several role players, and a strong recruiting class, Huggins may not exactly be Final Four-bound again, but his team will be one of the tougher outs in the conference.

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Photo on previous page: Jamie Squire/Getty Images Photo this page: Charles Leclaire/Getty Images

Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon could have the top team in the Big East once again.

arrangement is that the two can mix and match on the fly, much as Scoop did last season with Andy Rautins. Rick Jackson and Kris Joseph step into the frontcourt roles of Johnson and Arinze Onuaku, and true freshman Fab Melo will be the man in the middle. In addition, Boeheim showed his recruiting mojo by landing three ESPNU 100 players, with guard Dion Waiters and small forward C.J. Fair joining Melo as youngsters who could have major roles in the offense. Senegalese freshman Baye Moussa Keita will back up Melo and provide welcome shot-blocking and rebounding prowess. Syracuse will be a pre-season favorite to win the Big East and possibly make the Final Four. With this effective mixture of old and new, that’s a pretty safe bet.

Big East Preview Villanova Wildcats

Photo: Marc Squire/Getty Images

Last Season: 25–8 (13–5) Something about this just doesn’t add up. The two Coreys (Stokes and Fisher) step into senior leadership roles. Antonio Pena, another senior, is a blue-collar rebounding beast. A McDonald’s All-American and a top-ten small forward prospect join a team that already boasts Maalik Wayns, Dominic Cheek, and Isaiah Armwood as a Three Musketeers nucleus of sophomores. But the Main Line just isn’t the same without Scottie Reynolds. Not the same, but still pretty good. Great, even. Jay Wright has proven to be a master recruiter, and his talent stays put for more than one season, unlike some other Wildcats we could mention. Sure, troubled former Duke Blue Devil and now ex-Villanova student Tyler King won’t be around, but there doesn’t appear to be enough room for him on the floor anyway. Contrary to popular opinion, the Villanova offense is not restricted to the area outside the three-point line. In fact, according to Ken Pomeroy of kenpom.com, Jay Wright’s team devoted 28% of its offense to deep shooting last season, which was the 146th most bomb-happy attack in D-I. It’s really more about efficiency. If 6'11" redshirt sophomore Maurice Sutton stands in the middle and knocks back the rare missed shot, he can make a pretty nice season for himself.

’Nova has what it takes to top the Big East, but the sophomores must step up as starters or role players in order to make the whole thing work.

In the Hunt Georgetown Hoyas Last season: 23–11 (10–8) Given the presence of dominant big man Greg Monroe on last year’s team, the season didn’t end as well as Hoya fans had hoped. The team’s offense was top quality, but the defense was merely average, even with Monroe’s shot-altering capabilities. There were too many turnovers committed, and not enough forced. The good news is that Austin Freeman is back for his senior season after a diabetes scare, and should continue to be the team’s leader on the floor and off. Chris Wright joins him to form an all-senior backcourt that shoots very, very well. John Thompson III may opt for a three-guard lineup with deep-shooting wizard Jason Clark in the game as well, but that lineup, with each player 6'3" or under, would probably give up too many easy rebounds. The team in general is going to lack its customary height, with only seldom-used sophomore Henry Sims rising above 6'9". Hollis Thompson and Julian Vaughn will have to improve dramatically if the frontcourt is going to pan out.

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2010–2011 UCONN HUSKIES A quick look at the stats shows that the Cardinals were better inside the paint than outside. With Samardo Samuels gone, that strength could become a weakness for Pitino’s team. If Terrence Jennings and Jared Swopshire can become a more consistent options down low, the frontcourt may be termed adequate. Six-foot-nine Senegalese center Gorgui Sy Dieng is a freshman project who may be able to help out in the middle. Peyton Siva and Preston Knowles are likely to take the floor as co-point guards, which works great as long as one of them can score when necessary. Nothing we’ve seen from either player thus far would back that up assumption. Roburt Sallie, who had hoped to transfer from the Memphis Tigers, and recruit Justin Coleman, did not meet academic requirements and did not make the roster. Still, there’s not a lot of consistency in the backcourt. Recruits Russ Smith, Elisha Justice, and Chris Smith will be champing at the bit to get in the game and provide some depth. Louisville hasn’t fallen too hard, but will be hard-pressed to equal last year’s decidedly anticlimactic record with such an unproven roster.

When Austin Freeman was on top of his game, the Georgetown Hoyas were tough to beat. Recruiting has brought in ESPNU 100 power forward Nate Lubick, who is sort of the inverse of most freshman big men these days: He has the bulk and tenacity to bang inside, but lacks the conditioning to run the floor. Easily cured, we’d imagine. Marylander Moses Abraham has the defensive chops to play right away, and the team hopes his offense will develop. He’s just 6'9", but he is a natural, athletic center. Markel Starks is a speedy, penetrating point guard who will have a season to learn before he must take the team over. The Hoyas don’t seem to be one of the truly elite teams in the Big East this season, but won’t likely fade too badly with so much experience at the guard positions.

Louisville Cardinals Last season: 20–13 (11–7) For a while there, Rick Pitino had the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the palm of his hand. Then another ItalianAmerican former NBA coach moved to Lexington, and it all fell apart. Now the Cards coach is marred by scandal (not Calipari’s fault), comes in second in the recruiting wars too often (definitely Calipari’s fault), and finds his team losing games that should be in the bag considering all the talent he has at his disposal.

Last Season: 19–16 (7–11) It may be a stretch to say that Lance “Born Ready” Stephenson led the Bearcats last season. His 12.3 points per game were slightly more than what senior Deonta Vaughn managed, however. With that starting backcourt gone, lumbering big man Yancy Gates becomes the team’s focal point. Cincy fared better inside the arc last season anyway—scoring 57.3% of their points in two-point land, according to Ken Pomeroy—so an offense that goes through Gates shouldn’t be materially different. Gates is a prototypical widebody at 6'9" and 260 pounds, which means very few big men in the conference will be able to deny him position. Nonetheless, Gates will have to depend on someone in black and orange to toss the ball inside, and that job would seem to fall to sophomore Cashmere Wright by default. The 6'0" Georgia native isn’t much of a scoring threat (unless the Bearcats are facing Providence, in which case, he’s good for two dozen), but he does have a knack for passing. Wright underwent “minor” knee surgery in July, and raised some eyebrows by tweeting his underage drinking exploits, casting some doubts on his maturity. Wright will run with streaky senior wing Rashad Bishop and some underwhelming combination of Dion Dixon and Jaquon Parker in the backcourt. As defenses collapse on Gates, exactly who will make them pay the price? That task may fall heaviest on those who can bear it least. Mick Cronin’s Class of 2010 consists of exactly two

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Photo: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Cincinnati Bearcats

Big East Preview players, both from Florida’s Arlington Country Day School. Six-foot-eight power forward Justin Jackson is a member of ESPNU’s top-100 prospects for the upcoming season, and he draws raves for his high motor and athleticism. Those traits will come in handy when Gates is looking for help down low, though Jackson is currently a bit slender at 210 pounds. Six-foot-ten Kelvin Gaines has “project” written all over him. Analysis of his game makes him sound like the polar opposite of Jackson, drawing adjectives like unpolished, onedimensional, and difficult to motivate as he begins his D-I career. His defense could save the day, however. Senegalese senior Ibrahima Thomas should figure in the frontcourt rotation as well. Cincy may be able to aspire to a .500 record in conference this season. Little more. Renting Stephenson for a season may have done more harm than good.

Marquette Golden Eagles Last Season: 22–12 (11–7) Despite their super-swanky uniforms, the Eagles were part of the Big East wallpaper last season. They showed a lot of moxie in February, winning three straight road OT thrillers,

but repeatedly came up short in winnable big games. This year’s team will sorely miss departed seniors Lazar Hayward and Maurice Acker, both of whom could be counted on to hustle and overachieve on both ends of the floor. It may take two or more players to replace Acker’s uncanny deep shooting, quick hands, and ability to find the open man. Which is not to say it’s impossible. Darius JohnsonOdom, who spent his freshman season in junior college, showed a very similar profile in the three-guard set as a Marquette sophomore, with a little extra juice in the scoring department. Maddeningly inconsistent senior Dwight Buycks may get an undeserved shot at a starting spot, but Jeronne Maymon has decamped to Tennessee, leaving the backcourt a tad thin on experience. As such, the Golden Eagles will find themselves leaning heavily on a five-man recruiting class led by 6'3" off-guard Vander Blue and small forward Jamail Jones, both considered to be top-100 talents. Jones thrilled scouts with his deadly shooting eye this summer, and Blue put up good numbers at for Team USA’s U18 squad. The fact that Madison native Blue was stolen out from under the Badgers’ nose must have Milwaukeeans thrilled. JuCo forward Jae Crowder should provide an instant experience boost for Marquette, and Buzz Williams filled a couple more holes by adding freshman point Reggie Smith and 6'9" center Davante Gardner to round out the incoming class. Marquette has always been about shooting, but it’s hardly indiscriminate bombing. The Eagles play at a fairly modest pace and somehow make every shot count, which is pretty crucial for a team that routinely ranks in the bottom third of D-I teams in offensive rebounding. 6'6" guard/forward Jimmy Butler is the team’s leading returning rebounder, with a 6.4 average, but even he grabbed the majority of his caroms on the defensive end of the floor last season. If one of the freshmen can show some aptitude in the lane, Marquette may very well have just enough to remain in the upper echelon of the Big East.

Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Terrence Jennings makes the type of plays that can excite his Louisville teammates.

Last season: 23–12 (10–8) Now that his collegiate career is over, Luke Harangody can begin his lucrative career as a Clyde Lovellette impersonator. The big man’s senior season just didn’t go as planned, ending in a first-round loss to the upstart Old Dominion Monarchs. It could have been worse: Had the Irish not gone on a sixgame winning streak in late February and early March, they could have missed the NCAA festivities altogether. Senior-to-be Tim Abromaitis is the most likely candidate to play big in the middle now that Gody is gone, but his availability will hinge on how tough Mike Brey decides

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2010–2011 UCONN HUSKIES increased in 2009–10, so pencil him in to the frontcourt rotation as well. Sophomore Mike Broghammer may have “DNP” monogrammed on his bedsheets after his freshman campaign, but he certainly can contribute size, standing 6'9" and weighing in at 245 pounds. Joey Brooks and Tom Kopko have done very little to recommend themselves for starting backcourt jobs, which leaves newcomers Alex Dragicevich and Erik Atkins as the best guard options. Sadly, Atkins was with Abromaitis at Animal House in July, and may also be facing disciplinary action. Small forward Jerian Grant, who actually stands three inches shorter than the 6'7" Dragicevich, may be the true gem of the class. He’s aggressive, athletic, and very effective on the defensive end of the floor. With respect to Abromaitis’s manly grips, we’ll still consider the University of Our Lady of the Lake a moderately dangerous team. Mike Brey will need to prove he can win without Harangody if he wishes to maintain a low temperature on the underside of his office chair.

South Florida Bulls Last season: 20–13 (9–9) The Bulls are not elite, in transition, or wretched, so they sneak into this category despite the fact that there’s very little

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Photo: Joe Robbins/Getty Images

to play it when he punishes his star player for an underage drinking citation that occurred over the summer. Abromaitis is a workhorse inside and out, playing 30-plus minutes in 22 separate games last season, and even notched 41 at Marquette and 45 at Louisville. No wonder the kid decided to blow off a little steam. Add in the 189 deep shots he took (making 81 for a 42.9% average), and it’s clear there’s a new sheriff in South Bend. As much as ND will miss Harangody’s brute force inside, the departure of backcourt fixtures Tory Jackson and Ben Hansbrough may be more worrisome. The Irish had one of the most efficient ball-control offenses in the nation—Kenpom.com’s calculations had them at sixth in adjusted offensive efficiency and in the top five in offensive turnover percentage—and that had everything to do with the senior backcourt. Even with Hansbrough and Jackson each averaging over a steal per game, the Domer defense was horrific, so that major lapse will need to be addressed as the team tries to reload. Senior center Carleton Scott has some innate skill as a shot blocker, but everything else about his game screams bench jockey (except for the 12 point, 14 board, three block performance he had against the Huskies... thanks, Carleton, really. It only hurts when we weep). Six-foot-eight senior Tyrone Nash showed some flashes as his playing time

Big East Preview

Photo: J. Meric/Getty Images

If USF keeps heading in the right direction, big man Jarrid Famous might live up to his last name. buzz about them, as usual. Dominique Jones is a great player, but he fled for the NBA early, as such players so often do. USF held on to transfer Jarrid Famous for a second year, and the senior could be on his way to living up to his name. Famous notched seven double-doubles last season and is probably good for several more just like that if he really learns how to use his chiseled, 240-pound frame to full effect. If that’s not enough beef for you, there’s also 6'10", 235-pound junior Augustus Gilchrist. We could be talking about the toughest frontcourt tandem in the league. If 6'8", 230-pound Toarlyn Fitzpatrick is the answer at small forward, it’s going to be mighty rough to keep the Bulls out of the painted rectangle. Chris Howard and Mike Mercer have used up their eligibility, leaving room for new blood in the starting guard slots. Ohio State transfer Anthony Crater seems likely to nab the point guard spot, though head coach Stan Heath has an insurance policy in the form of newcomers Shedrick Haynes (JuCo) and Lavonte Dority (freshman), both of whom can run the team if called upon. More perimeter help comes from JuCo transfers Hugh Robertson and Jawanza Poland. The Bulls extended Heath’s contract by three years, apparently impressed by the former Arkansas coach’s ability to reach .500 in the Big East. It’s time to prove that there’s more in the tank.

In Transition DePaul Blue Demons Last Season: 8–23 (1–17) The Jerry Wainwright experiment didn’t work out, and the hangdog coach was fired during last season. The big problem, for some time, has been that Chicago is one of the most fertile recruiting grounds for D-I programs that aren’t located there— at least for the real blue-chippers. Local AAU and high school coaches wanted interim coach Tracy Webster to be hired and hinted that they wouldn’t be as cooperative with the eventual hire, Clemson’s Oliver Purnell. It’s likely an empty threat, because Purnell is a good bet to rebuild the Blue Demons over the next couple of years, and local kids will want to be a part of it. The bad news is that big man Walter Pitchford sought and was granted a release from the scholarship he signed with Wainwright. Since Mac Koshwal decided to leave school early and seven-footer Kene Obi transferred to a D-II school, the team is pretty shallow up front. Junior Krys Faber has shown little in his two years at DePaul, but he has shown an incredible ability to be 6'11", which is one of the major job requirements. That leaves Chicago native Mike Stovall as the leading returning scorer. A 6'5" transfer, Stovall isn’t really great at anything, but this is the type of year where just showing up earns playing time.

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2010–2011 UCONN HUSKIES As a result, expect to see the freshmen early and often. Moses Morgan is a small forward with nice shooting range. He must work on rebounding and intensity but should get some good chances to work it out on the floor. Brandon Young is a fresh start at point guard, where his defensive tenacity and good decision making on the fast break will fit nicely in Purnell’s up-tempo system. Finally, Cleveland Melvin is another fast-breaking scorer who will put pressure on defenders. At 6'8", he’s a power forward, but at 195 pounds, he’s going to play more like a three at times. There won’t be a lot of improvement in the box scores this season, but Purnell is the proven program builder DePaul needed. If his new charges play with intensity and make opponents sweat, year one will be a positive step.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Last season: 15–17 (5–13) Consider this: If Fred Hill had even a modicum of selfcontrol, he’d still be the head coach in Piscataway. The

school’s administration declined to make a move at the end of last season, but Hill went out and had a public blow-up at a baseball game, leading to his firing. Now the Knights have wunderkind Mike Rice in the fold, which is an interesting choice. Rice nearly led tiny Robert Morris to an upset of Villanova in the Big Dance, and he has a real presence about him. However, he also has a bit of a reputation for sideline histrionics, not unlike his predecessor. This is another roster that lost most of its size. Hamady Ndiaye, Brian Okam, Gregory Echinique, and Mike Rosario all departed—pretty much one-third of the roster, right there, and some of the better proven players. Rice hasn’t been able to change the frontline size much in his short time at the helm, but he did land some strong recruits. Gilvydas “Gil” Biruta is known as a tough, aggressive inside scorer and rebounder, and the 6'8" Lithuanian import may be called upon to set the tone for the team in that regard. The hole at off-guard left by Rosario’s transfer will be filled by committee, as JuCo transfer Tyree Graham and freshman Austin Carroll arrive on campus. Graham is undersized at 6'1", but he’s more polished than the rather unathletic Carroll, who is more of a role player. Rice is already garnering verbal commitments for 2011, so that may be when the renaissance will really begin. For now, just relish the thought of the first post-game handshake between Rice and Jay Wright as conference rivals.

Mike Rice will bring his entertaining sideline antics from Robert Morris to Rutgers.

Last season: 19–13 (9–9) Pirates indeed. A motley, but experienced crew returns to lead the Hall under recently hired head coach Kevin Willard, recently of Iona College. Given the team’s off-court record under fiery Bobby Gonzalez, Willard’s first mandate—even before winning—is to ensure that the team stays in the sports section and off the front page. The nucleus is experienced, but rather odd. There’s Jeremy Hazell, who may actually be older than his head coach. There’s Jeff Robinson, who declared for the NBA Draft despite playing just 24 games for Gonzalez (he later withdrew) and talented but troubled Herb Pope, who ended his sophomore season by punching an NIT opponent in the groin. All three should continue to thrive in Willard’s up-tempo offense, which will use many of the same skills Gonzalez demanded

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Photo: Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Seton Hall Pirates

Big East Preview Derided by some pundits as a cosmetic hire, the former UCLA coach has used his glamorous profile to drag SJU back into the national spotlight. Pocket-sized, pass-first point Malik Boothe should start next to Paris Horne, giving the Johnnies a seasoned backcourt that can steady the ship for the new captain. Outstanding small forward D.J. Kennedy will be the first mate. Forwards Justin Burrell and Sean Evans will do other, less exciting nautical things, but should perform ably in the frontcourt. Dwight Hardy will continue to be the hot-shooting spark off the bench. Lavin managed to drag Californian small forward Dwayne Polee Jr. across the country to be half of the Red Storm Class of 2010. Polee is a slasher with a strong handle for his size, which will come in handy as Lavin begins to implement more of a transition game. Lavin’s other recruit, Mike Perez, is a near-complete enigma. The shooting guard from Arizona sounds like he should have been an invited Providence coach Keno Davis might be walk-on, rather than a scholarship recipient. That’s pulling his hair out by the time this season is over. mostly speculation, however, as very few recruiting of his players. It’s tough to say if Pope will be available after outlets have any solid in-person analysis of the mystery man. suffering a collapse over the summer. This may still be a .500 team, but something about SJU Riding in to save the day is Ole Miss graduate Eniel feels fresh and dangerous. Maybe it’s the new mascot. Polynice. Taking advantage of an NCAA rule that allows graduates to use remaining eligibility immediately in pursuit of an advanced degree not offered at their original school, the former Reb should provide a maturity and tough defensive Providence Friars presence that the team has long lacked. In essence, he should Last season: 12–19 (4–14) step right in for Eugene Harvey, the only Pirate to have used Former Drake coach Keno Davis probably wishes he had stayed up his eligibility following last season. in Iowa. He’s had to dismiss three players from the Friars followThe rest of the roster is loaded with decent role players ing violent behavior, including his leading returning scorer. His like Jordan Theodore, Ferrakohn Hall, Keon Lawrence, and top New England recruiter jetted off to join Jamie Dixon’s staff Jamel Jackson. Willard’s first recruiting class was reasonably at Pitt, and his replacement, former hockey player Chris Driscoll, strong, led by local small forward Fuquan Edwin, who has seems to be more worried about knocking his current players the sizzle and the steak to thrive in the up-and-down floor into compliance than looking for newer, better ones. game the Pirates will play. Two European big men, Canarias If there’s any light shining here, it’s in the incoming Academy teammates, 6'9" Patrik Auda and 6'11" Aaron recruiting class. Davis signed two members of the ESPNU Geramipoor, should work their way into the forward/center 100 in Gerard Coleman and Joseph Young, though it seems rotation in no time. odd that both play off-guard. The rest of the six-man class is Willard is the quietest of the three new New York area a mixed bag of players who have major weaknesses that must coaches, but it would clearly be an error to overlook him or be addressed. the team he’s inherited. They could surprise as early as this Davis will have to ride herd on this mess and hope for a season, especially if Pope is healthy. miracle. Ask Bobby Gonzalez and Fred Hill how that tends to work out. MSP

Photo: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

In Trouble

St. John’s Red Storm Last season: 17–16 (6–12) Steve Lavin has referred to his recruiting job as “Noah’s Ark” because he needs two of everything to compete in 2010–11.

Eric Angevine is a freelance writer who lives with his family in Charlottesville, VA. He writes for ESPN.com, manages StormingtheFloor.net, and edits the Maple Street Press Jayhawk Tip-Off.

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