College Basketball 2011: Power Ranking the Top 10 Players in the Big East

Year in and year out the Big East conference produces some of the top talents in college basketball. The 16-team league endures a large amount of turnover each season. Yet the conference never lacks an ample amount of big time playmakers.

Players such as Kemba Walker, Rick Jackson and Marshon Brooks have moved on from the college ranks. Once again, though there is no shortage of players vying to pick up the mantle of being one of the top playmakers in the heralded conference.

Here are the 10 players that stand out above the rest as the top players in the Big East entering the 2011-2012 campaign.

10. Jae Crowder (Marquette)

Jae Crowder was named the 2010 Junior College Player of the Year while playing at Howard College. Crowder signed on to play his two final college seasons at Marquette and immediately emerged as one of the top playmakers for the Golden Eagles.

The 6’6 225 lb. Crowder averaged 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds for Head Coach Buzz Williams. Crowder has a style of play that is strikingly similar to former Marquette star Lazar Haywood. Jae has a tremendous versatility and is comfortable playing on the perimeter as well as around the rim. He has a wide skill set for a player of his size, which makes him a serious matchup problem for opponents.

If Crowder demonstrates continued development as a senior, he will be in the crosshairs of both NBA scouts and executives.

9. Cleveland Melvin (DePaul)

The words DePaul and top players in the Big East hardly ever go together in the same sentence. Nevertheless, Cleveland Melvin showed the promise of stardom during his freshman campaign last season with the Blue Demons.

Melvin was named the Big East rookie of the year after he averaged 14.3 points and 5.0 rebounds for new Head Coach Oliver Purnell. Cleveland was extremely productive and led a DePaul team that lacked any other legitimate playmakers.

 A one-time UCONN commit, Melvin has already established himself as the face of a DePaul program that is attempting to make the long climb out of the Big East cellar under Oliver Purnell.

8. Darius Johnson-Odom (Marquette)

Darius Johnson-Odom probably doesn’t get as much recognition as he deserves for his talents. Nevertheless, Johnson-Odom is an extremely capable scorer and is definitely deserving of a spot on this list.

Johnson-Odom paced the Eagles in scoring last season along with departed senior Jimmy Butler. Darius is a serviceable shooter from the perimeter and can score in a variety of ways. As with many of the other great players that have recently come out of Marquette, Darius is an extremely versatile player that can fill a variety of needs for Buzz Williams.

Darius also has great length that makes him an excellent defensive presence for the Golden Eagles.

7. Peyton Siva (Louisville)

Peyton Siva doesn’t have imposing size or build at 5’11 180 lbs., but Siva more than compensates for his small build with unbelievable quickness and athleticism that can be matched by a select few players nationally.

Head Coach Rick Pitino’s up-tempo offense fits Peyton perfectly and the point guard should take a huge step forward as a junior with the Cardinals. Peyton clearly has the skill set to drive the basket and make plays at the rim, but he has also shown the ability to kick the ball out to his teammates on the perimeter for open three point opportunities. Siva’s 2.9 turnovers per game are slightly high, but as I said, the point guard should progress in his decision making next season.

Siva will be counted on to replace the production of Preston Knowles in the backcourt.

6. Maalik Wayns (Villanova)

Villanova has had some of the best guards in the Big East over the past 10 years. Players such as Randy Foye, Allen Ray, Kyle Lowry, Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher have been instrumental to the Wildcats success under Head Coach Jay Wright. Maalik Wayns appears to be the next great guard in Jay Wright’s lineage of backcourt playmakers.

Wayns was a major recruiting coup for Villanova in 2009 and so far the former McDonalds All-American has not failed to live up to expectations. Maalik took a major step forward last season as a sophomore, scoring 14 points and dishing out 4.5 assists per game.

The departures of seniors Corey Fisher and Corey Stokes should pave the way for Wayns to assert himself as the catalyst of Villanova’s offense next season.

5. Kevin Jones (West Virginia)

Kevin Jones is a particularly intriguing player and a tough matchup for opponents. The 6-8 260 lb. Jones is a proficient ball-handler and has a sizeable skill set for a forward of his size.

Kevin mixes a solid shooting range with an ability to get to the basket. Jones’s length also makes him a valuable asset for West Virginia on defense. One of Kevin’s drawbacks is that he is not a great-three point shooter.

Jones was a fairly highly touted prospect coming out of high school. He has taken great strides under head coach Bob Huggins though. Kevin has become a more productive and efficient player as he has progressed through his time at West Virginia. Expect Jones to continue to improve in 2011, as he will be one of the top players in the conference.

4. Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh)

Ashton Gibbs will not wow you with SportsCenter Top 10 plays, but Gibbs production is undeniable.

The senior point guard averaged 16.8 points per game last season for head coach Jamie Dixon. Ashton epitomizes what it means to be a coach on the floor. He is highly cerebral and provides a calming influence even in the most hectic of moments.

As I said, Ashton Gibbs is not an overly flashy scorer, but he makes defenders pay for their mistakes. Mistakes such as putting Gibbs on the free throw line or leaving him open from beyond the arc. He is a potent three-point specialist (49 percent last season) as well as a highly effective free throw shooter (89% last season).

Gibbs should not fall off next season as a senior. The reliable veteran is one of the best players the conference has to offer. He will keep Pittsburgh near the top of the Big East pecking order.

3. Andre Drummond (UCONN)

Praising incoming freshman before they ever play a minute of college basketball is always a gamble. With that being said, UCONN commit Andre Drummond appears to be the type of prospect that will immediately solidify himself as one of the top players in the conference.

Drummond is a 6’10 260 lb. big man ranked as one of the top prospects in the country by Rivals.

It was thought that Andre would go the prep school route this coming season. Instead, Drummond announced on Friday night that he was not only coming to UCONN but also that he was reclassifying to the class of 2011 so that he could play for the Huskies this season.

His commitment is a huge coup for Head Coach Jim Calhoun and it has elevated what would have been a good UCONN team to another level entirely.

2. Jeremy Lamb (UCONN)

Kemba Walker understandably garnered the majority of the headlines last season, but UCONN would not have won the national championship last season without the contributions of Jeremy Lamb.

Lamb emerged as the number two scoring option behind Walker during his freshman campaign. He put up solid numbers during nonconference play, but his best performances came during Big East play and the NCAA Tournament.

Jeremy had arguably his two best games of the season in the Huskies narrow NCAA Tournament victories versus San Diego State and Arizona. Lamb scored 43 points throughout the two contests.

Jeremy Lamb can both effectively drive the basket as well as shoot from the perimeter. He also proved to be an effective rebounder as evidenced by his 4.5 rebounds per game last season. The thing that I love the most about Lamb though is his intangibles. He is a fierce competitor and does not lose his composure on the court.

Kemba Walker has moved onto the NBA and Jeremy Lamb will become the number one scoring option for head coach Jim Calhoun. I would not worry about Lamb taking on this increased responsibility though.

1. Kris Joseph (Syracuse)

Kris Joseph established himself as one of the top players in the Big East last season as a junior, but Joseph is poised to emerge as one of the best players’ in the country next season in 2011. The 6’7 forward from Montreal is a tremendous talent and an ideal fit for Jim Boeheim’s system at Syracuse.

 Kris has great length, which allows him to be highly effective playing in Syracuse’s 2-3 zone defense. Joseph is also effective at driving the basket and can make plays in the open-court when the Orange get out in transition. Perimeter shooting has historically not been a major weapon in Joseph’s offensive arsenal. With that being said, Joseph seemed more comfortable as an outside shooter last season. Kris’s accuracy is solid enough to warrant defensive attention.

Syracuse will once again be one of the top teams in the Big East conference next season. Kris would love nothing more than to guide Syracuse to a Final Four appearance in his final campaign. Joseph’s production and leadership will go a long way in determining just how far the Orange advance next season.