After winning back-to-back Big East championships in 2005 and 2006, the Orange have struggled to make it back to the big dance. It seemed like last year was going to be the year before they lost Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf (both starters) to torn ACL’s.

All of this allowed for two freshmen to emerge as stars, though: Big East rookie of the year Jonny Flynn and now Sacramento King Donte Greene. Ultimately fatigue set in, and the Orange had to settle for a 9-9 season and another trip to the NIT’s.

The Good
At the end of last season, Flynn averaged just under 40 minutes per game, or no break what-so-ever. But this is what happens when you lose players, and the Orange finished the season with just seven men on their team. The only starter at the end of the season that they lost was Greene, and they have Rautins and Devendorf back this season. The Orange freshmen are going to have their work cut our for them if they want to make the starting squad after the heart that last year’s team showed.

The Bad
After last year, there is not a lot that can be said about this team that is very negative. They lost Greene, but that’s about it (who else was left to lose?). The Orange will be much stronger this season than they were at the end of last season, when they simply ran out of gas at the end.

The Bottom Line
The Orange were the best conditioned team at the end of last season, no contest. Unfortunately, they were not able to finish a lot of their games strongly because everyone was so exhausted. This is why they finished with a 4-6 run. They have a lot of talent on the team, though, and with more bodies they should be able to make a very successful run.

While they are unranked right now, they find themselves just outside the top 25 with a lot of potential. A more experienced leader in Flynn, plus the return of Rautins and Devendorf, will make them a much stronger team, and provided another team catastrophe does not happen this year, they will see themselves finally dancing again.

Villanova Wildcats

Coach: Jay Wright
2007-2008 Record: 9-9 (20-12)
AP Rank: 23
Coaches: 25

Overview
After landing a number one spot in the 2006 NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats have been looking to get back to that level of play. With a young squad last year, the Wildcats finished eighth with a disappointed 9-9 Big East record.

Coach Wright will look to change that this year, and with all five starters returning and the experience of making it to the Sweet Sixteen under their belts, the Wildcats have a very good chance of finishing towards the top of the Big East.

The Good
Lead by junior Scottie Reynolds and senior Dante Cunningham, the Wildcats put together some very tough wins last season (64-63 win over Pittsburgh, 67-65 win over UConn), along with some very disappointing losses (69-68 loss to North Carolina State, 55-53 loss to Georgetown, 80-68 loss to Rutgers).

Joining them are sophomores Corey Fisher, Corey Stokes, and Antonio Peña. This guard-heavy team will rely more on their speed and shooting ability than inside presence, although despite being significantly smaller than the Big East centers he normally has to post up on, Cunningham managed to secure 6.5 rebounds per game last season.

The Bad
The Wildcats will often find themselves outsized by their Big East counterparts, something which gave them problems at times last season.

The Bottom Line
The Wildcats gained a lot of experience last year, and having the same starting lineup back this season should help them a lot. Watch for Reynolds to continue developing as a player and the sophomore trio to be much more effective now that they have a year of playing behind them.

West Virginia Mountaineers

Coach: Bob Huggins
2007-2008 Record: 11-7 (24-10)
AP Rank: NR
Coaches: NR

Overview
In Coach Huggins’ first year with the Mountaineers they finished tied for sixth in the Big East and made it to the Sweet Sixteen. This year they are looking to do more, and a very talented freshman class is looking to be able to help with that.

The Good
After having a good run last year, the Mountaineers have a very talented freshman class, most notably forward Kevin Jones and guard Darryl Bryant. They should fall into the roster very nicely, alongside senior Alex Ruoff, who is a three point threat, and junior Da’Sean Butler, who will become a much bigger inside threat in Alexander’s absence.

The Bad
The loss of point guard Darris Nichols and leading scorer Joe Alexander is going to undoubtedly hurt the Mountaineers at the beginning of the season. Hopefully it will not take Butler and Jones too long to fill the void under the basket.

The Bottom Line
The Mountaineers have a lot of promise for this year, and even if they do not win the Big East, look for them to be back in the NCAA Tournament this year. Their two big losses have been addressed by incoming freshmen, and if they are able to step up quickly, the Mountaineers could have a very nice season.

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