Big East Team of the Decade

It was a decade of transition in the Big East.

The re-alignment in 2005 may have been caused by football but it certainly shaped the college basketball landscape forever.

The Big East conference is absolutely stacked with powerful teams throughout the country. As a result, finding players who represent this all-decade team is particularly challenging.

Once again, you have to walk that fine line between not just being talented but accomplishing records and championships along the way. It is a difficult and rather unscientific formula when deciding who exactly makes the cut.

However, we cracked the books and came up with the following list. Let the debate begin!

STARTERS: C-Emeka Okafor (UConn)

Okafor was a class act and a dominant player who played a pivotal role in Connecticut's 2004 NCAA title.

Okafor is what one would call a "cerebral" player, graduating in just three years and averaging a rather lofty GPA.

He also knew how to take players to school on the court, averaging a double-double for his career and being named the two-time Defensive Player of the Year to go along with his 2004 Big East Player of the Year title.

Okafor played with a great deal of tenacity and heart, so much so that people at the time believed the Orlando Magic should pick him and not Dwight Howard with the first pick of the NBA Draft.

Okafor defines everything a college player could be and his career at Connecticut is what most young people could only dream about.

F-Luke Harangody (Notre Dame)

Sure, the big man has yet to achieve postseason success. Some argue just how good Luke Harangody is, but his numbers speak for themselves.

The senior forward is a two-time All-American, Big East Player of the Year, and, with a season to go, is ranked eighth on Notre Dame's all-time scoring list and fifth in rebounding.

Harangody is an incredibly consistent performer, so much so that he is the only Big East player to lead the conference in scoring and rebounding for consecutive seasons. Think about that for a second, even with the likes of Chris Mullin and Patrick Ewing, even with about 300 teams in the Big East now, Harangody led the entire conference in points and rebounds for consecutive seasons.

We know that Notre Dame has yet to achieve the postseason success many of these others players will have accomplished, however, it would be wrong to blame Harangody. The guy gives everything he has and increased his assists each and every season. If his supporting cast continues to improve, this may be the year the Fighting Irish silence the critics.

Harangody may have stiff competition in the loaded frontcourt this decade, but his numbers are truly second to none in the 2000s.

F-Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse)

Sure he only played one season, but it was a season to remember.

Carmelo Anthony helped lead the Syracuse Orange to their first ever national championship and the freshman shattered records and collected awards all along the way towards national glory.

Anthony averaged an unbelievable 22 points and 10 rebounds as a true freshman, most of those totals coming on the biggest of stages. When he arrived at the Final Four, the forward responded with a 33-point outburst against Texas that set a mark for the most ever by a freshman.

Anthony led the team in nearly every category and although he had originally intended to stay, he realized that all his goals had been accomplished already. That's how good his one season really was.

Anthony's historic season changed the landscape of college basketball forever. For Syracuse, it was the long-awaited title they had always craved.

For David Stern, it was an example that these young kids in college show scouts far more than high school prep games could. For better or worse, Anthony became a trailblazer in the one-and-done world that was created not too long after his miracle season.

G-Ben Gordon (UConn)

Ben Gordon has never minded coming off the bench.

Long before he was the sixth man for the Baby Bulls, Gordon started coming off the bench for the Huskies.

In the process, he became the team's second leading scorer and began a storied collegiate career that would ultimately end with a national championship.

Gordon has always established himself as a rather clutch shooter. The shooting guard's biggest games came at big moments. In 2004, Gordon won MOP honors in the Big East tournament and the Phoenix Regional during Connecticut's championship run.

After all, what do you want from a shooting guard?

The ability to score? Gordon's 104 three-pointers his junior year are the second most in school history.

Big shots in big moments? I think we all know about that.

Leadership? Sure, Gordon may not be a vocal leader but his selflessness helped those Huskies work together as a unit and become a dominating team that no one could stop come March.

G-Troy Bell (Boston College)

Pop quiz, who is the only man to be named Big East Player of the Year twice this decade?

That's right, it was Troy Bell.

For perspective's sake, the only other men to have ever won the award more than once are Patrick Ewing, Troy Murphy, Richard Hamilton and, of course, three-time winner Chris Mullin.

That's nice company.

Let's not forget that Bell is arguably the greatest player in Boston College history and even if the Eagles jumped ship this decade, Bell was breaking ankles and taking names as the all-time leading scorer in Chesnut Hill, Mass.

The All-American helped Boston College capture the Big East title in 2001 as well as help them achieve a then school-record 27 wins before a second round loss in the NCAA tournament.

Bell was a complete player and his legacy at Boston College makes him worthy of this list.

BENCH: F-Jeff Green (Georgetown)

The amazing athlete has several accolades and accomplishments worthy of this list.

The 2005 Rookie of the Year became a two time All-Big East selection as he helped revitalize the Georgetown program in this decade as the 2007 Big East Player of the Year.

Green dominated his junior season, helping lead the Hoyas to a Big East title thanks to a combined 51-point drubbing in the final two days of the tournament.

Of course, Green's postseason dramatics do not end there.

In the NCAA tournament, he hit the game-winning shot against Vanderbilt in the Sweet Sixteen. He also helped lead a charge against the North Carolina Tar Heels that resulted in an upset victory and Georgetown's first Final Four since the days of Patrick Ewing.

Green, undoubtedly, had one of the best seasons in Big East history with that run. His size and athleticism made NBA scouts drool with anticipation and Green left Georgetown early with his legacy firmly in place.

The fifth pick of the NBA Draft was a key figure in restructuring the power teams in the Big East. Georgetown had fallen off the map a bit, but with another John Thompson on the sidelines and with the increase in talent, the Hoyas appear to be a contender for a long time to come.

G-Scottie Reynolds (Villanova)

Long before Villanova had their Final Four run, Scottie Reynolds had established himself as one of the best guards in the country that nobody talked about.

Reynolds first splashed on the ESPN headlines when he scored 40 points against the Connecticut Huskies as a freshman. That total was the most ever scored against Connecticut in Gampel Pavilion.

His progression led to Rookie of the Year honors and a second-team All-Big East spot.

With over 1,800 points already scored in his career and a Final Four run which included a last second shot by Reynolds to knock out heavily-favored Pittsburgh, the senior guard is making his mark as one of the best players in school history.

What makes Reynolds special though is that he is a complete player. For example, last season Reynolds led the team in scoring 15 times, in steals 14 times and in assists 19 times. He is more than just a shooter, boys and girls.

Reynolds and Villanova appear poised for a similar run this season and if the former MOP of the 2009 Regional gets another chance for postseason glory, he may make his mark on next decade's standings as well.

F-Hakim Warrick (Syracuse)

Forget Carmelo Anthony, Warrick is the real hero in Syracuse basketball history.

After all, it was his block in the waning seconds against Kansas that cemented the Syracuse win and their national championship trophy.

Warrick's athleticism is unquestioned, his dunks were almost legendary in Big East lore. He also racked up some impressive numbers finishing in the top four in school history for five separate categories.

Add a Big East Player of the Year, All-American and All-Big East first team honors to his list of accomplishments alongside that national championship and it is easy to see why he made the list.

Warrick's energy and ability made him a real talent, something that would make any team better. His career may always be linked to Anthony and their title, but the big man did a great job making a name of his own.

C-DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh)

The big man knew how to make an impact.

Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair was a force, physically abusive to his Big East opponents as he averaged a double-double for his career en route to All-American honors and a run to the Elite Eight in just two years.

When some players fight to get their numbers it can hurt the team. This was not the case with Blair though as Pitt was 20-1 Blair's sophomore year whenever he scored a double-double. Of course, that one notable exception was the loss to Villanova in the NCAA tournament.

Blair, the 2009 Big East Player of the Year, was a force on and off the court. He helped revitalize the program as the local boy brought new interest in Pitt and helped the Panthers rise to postseason glory.

Although his team failed to capture the title, Blair did just about everything a big man could in two seasons. His consistency and strength were second to none.

F-Gerry McNamara (Syracuse)

It may be easy to forget McNamara when he played alongside Carmelo Anthony and Hakim Warrick, but his collegiate career was stacked with accomplishments and accolades, as well.

McNamara not only has a national championship to his credit, his record numbers are all near the top of the Syracuse history books. In four years, McNamara finished fourth in points, second in steals, third in assists, first in three-pointers and first in free-throw percentage.

McNamara also set conference records for his long range ability and his proficiency at the charity stripe. Nice work if you can get it.

To say the guy was loved by Syracuse is quite the understatement; he got his own Bobblehead for goodness sake. If that doesn't say All-Decade, nothing does.

G-Randy Foye (Villanova)

The 2006 Big East Player of the Year had a prolific career at Villanova, including a run to the Elite Eight.

Foye finished his career with an incredible senior season where he earned All-American honors to go along with his POY trophy. In his final game, Foye had 27 points and 8 rebounds in a loss to eventual national champion Florida, but Foye cemented his place on the list long before that game.

Consider that Foye finished his career eighth in points at Villanova, including an impressive 15 PPG for his career. He played 133 career games and was one of the most versatile players in school history, playing just about every position out there from time to time.

Foye's defense put him at another level. His ability to shut down opposing players and put up points on his own helped Villanova build their program this decade.

The Wildcats appear to be on the upswing and Foye is one of those responsible for their strong campaign this decade.

G-Jerel McNeal (Marquette)

Marquette's trio of guards helped the Golden Eagles in their Big East transition, but McNeal had the best career of them all.

McNeal is the all-time leading scorer and stealer in Marquette history, knocking off a 41-year old scoring mark by George Thompson. He also was a second-team All-American and the only guard in the 2008-09 All-Big East first-team class.

McNeal was more than an explosive scorer though, he was also a Big East Defensive Player of the Year award, making him a complete guard who could compete at the highest level.

McNeal helped Marquette make the difficult transition from C-USA to the Big East. The Golden Eagles did not miss a step, even in a power conference.

In his four years, Marquette made the NCAA tournament each season and although they never advanced beyond the second round, the Golden Eagles helped establish itself as one of the teams to be reckoned with in the beast of the Big East.

McNeal is an all-time great for Marquette and his consistency and success make him a no-brainer.

Coach-Jim Calhoun

This is obviously a close one between the two Big East coaches that won a national championship this decade, but I am giving the edge to Calhoun. Let's face it though, it's a coin flip.

The old-timer has an incredible list of NCAA and NBA talent that has passed through his doors. His 2004 team was absolutely stacked and his 813 wins has him in the college basketball Hall of Fame.

For the record, that other Jim (Boeheim) has eerily similar numbers as well. Not only is he only two games behind Calhoun all-time, both Syracuse and Connecticut have two Big East tournament titles and two regular season titles to their credit to this decade.

Connecticut has two Final Fours though so maybe that gives them the edge...barely.