Breaking Down Big East Basketball

After last week's 2008-09 media day for the Big East Men's Basketball season, it seemed fitting to start making predictions and previews.

Big East basketball is similar to the SEC in football, because there's never a true favorite and the battles are timeless.  What's better than watching Syracuse and UConn duking it out with zone defenses and premier guard play?  How about a classic Notre Dame-Georgetown four-overtime thriller that only gets there because of the dreaded four-point play?  What about Georgetown, one of the nations top scoring teams, traveling to Rutgers and squeezing out a healthy 58-46 victory?

The Big East is the best basketball conference, bar none, and here is a short preview of the season to come.

Preseason Awards

Player of the Year:  You have to start with Luke Harangody of Notre Dame.  He won the award as a sophomore last year and is still fine-tuning his game.  He was recently given the pre-season award by the league and I really have no way to argue this.  Very few people have the chance to compete with his numbers.  Last year he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds in only 30 minutes per game.  Good luck to the competition.

Coach of the Year:  Mike Brey of Notre Dame has won this award two years in a row and I find it hard to believe it'll happen a third time.  I'm going out on a limb and giving it to first year coach at Marquette, Buzz Williams.  Williams is inheriting a very talented, veteran group and his tenure under Tom Crean is invaluable.  Look for Marquette to hit 5th or 6th in the league, and that should be enough to propel a rookie coach to receive an award.  Bob Huggins is in the same boat if he can improve a solid WVU team.  Other than that, I think John Thompson III could get mention if Georgetown can get back to the top, but only the top, of the Big East.

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