The Hall had a tough time of it last year. Close losses……. big losses…. but mostly losses. 4-12 is not a typical Seton Hall record. The Pirates return 3 starters from last year and they are all in the backcourt. That is, if you consider SF a backcourt position.

Frontcourt – John Garcia returned from an injury to have a strong finish (4.4ppg, 3.8rpg) last year. He should man one of the frontcourt positions this year. After Garcia the Pirates have no one. Mike Davis, a 6-11 freshman, may start unless Bobby Gonzalez wants to use four guards. Garcia and Davis will be backed up by 6-10 freshman Augustine Okosun, 6-9 Brandon Walters (another frosh) and maybe 6-6 Michael Glover. This is one of the weakest frontcourts the Hall has had in years. GRADE – D

Backcourt – If we suppose that Brian Laing at SF should be listed with the backcourt, the Pirates have a real nice threesome here. Laing (16.5ppg, 6.7rpg) might even be moved to the PF position which would strengthen the frontcourt and allow Paul Gause (8.7ppg, 3.3rpg) or Larry Davis (7.5ppg, 3.4rpg) to start at SF. This might be what Gonzalez will do to bring the frontcourt up to Big East standards. If Laing starts at SF, the backcourt is still a very good one with Jamar Nutter (12.3ppg, 3.2rpg) at SG and Eugene Harvey (16.5ppg, 4.2apg) at the point. Any way you look at it, this is a very strong backcourt. GRADE – A-

Depth – Depending on what happens up front, the depth at the three backcourt positions is tremendous. Who wouldn’t want a hustler like Gause coming off the bench? Or a scorer like Davis? With 6.7 rpg, moving Laing to PF would still allow Gonzalez to have a better than average depth situation here. GRADE – B

Outlook – This has to be a time of many decisions for Gonzalez. A frontcourt of Laing and Garcia along with Nutter, Gause and Harvey in the backcourt seems like a nice mix. That still saves Laryy Davis to come off the bench. There seems to be no reason to sit both Gause and Davis while starting freshman Mike Davis. GRADE – C

Categories: Coach O, Commentary, Seton Hall
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Last year Jerry Wainwright began to build the DePaul program back to the heights of earlier days. Losing Sammy Mejia and Wilson Chandler takes the Demons back a step from the 2006-7 edition.

Frontcourt – Karron Clarke (6.6ppg, 3.4rpg) is the returning starter up front. Wesley Green (3.6ppg, 3.1rpg) will probably move in to take the other starting position. Behind these two only Thijin Moses (1.2ppg, 0.3rpg) has experience. The Demons have alot of youth backing up with 6-10 Mac Koshwal, 7-2 Kene Obi joining from the high school ranks and Matija Poscic coming from the JC ranks. GRADE – D+

Backcourt – The backcourt is much more solid with SG Draelon Burns (11.6ppg, 3.0rpg) and Jabarrie Currie (3.7ppg, 3.0apg) returning at the guard positions. Will Walker (3.3ppg, 1.3rpg) will fight to become the starter at the SF position. Cliff Clinkscales (1.4ppg, 1.2apg) will back up Currie at the point. Three freshmen will give support in the backcourt. Mario Stula, Dar Tucker and Michael Bizoukas join the Demon lineup here. GRADE – B-

Depth – Moses and Clinkscales provide some experience on the bench. This will help offset the dearth of talent, especially down low. Although the freshmen are big and talented, they must get used to the battles that take place every night in the Big East. GRADE – C-

Outlook – Wainwright is a funny man. He’ll need his sense of humor to get his squad through this year. Although DePaul will not be at the bottom of the league, they will really struggle to show improvement from 2006-7. Losing Mejia and Chandler is just too much to recover from. GRADE – C-

Categories: Coach O, Commentary, DePaul
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Some might think that the news of Doug Wiggins’ suspension is a very disturbing situation. If the player does not follow the team rules I applaud Coach Calhoun for punishing him. Too many times a coach is forced to pamper an athlete in order to keep him from leaving the team. The news of Wiggins’ suspension shows that Calhoun still has complete control of his program. The suspension does not bother me at all. Other parts of the story are very disturbing, however. Let me quote this article in the Hartford Courant about the suspension.

“Wiggins has been barred from the UConn locker room and team activities for the last couple of weeks. He will participate in the team’s first practice today but will have to dress with the walk-ons.”

“He won’t be allowed in the locker room and will have to change [clothes] someplace else,” Calhoun said. “When he has earned his way to play to the standard that we want him to be – not basketball-wise, otherwise – then he’ll be allowed back in.”

And to quote an article from the New Haven Register:

“Wiggins will be with the team in its first official practice this morning, but will still have to dress with the walk-ons in a separate locker room.”

Last season we discussed the fact that walk-ons at UConn didn’t have their name on the back of the jersey. Only scholarship players had names on the uniform. That policy was changed and all players had names on their uniforms in 2006-7. Now we learn that walk-ons have their own locker room and wonder why this is so. Or do they have to dress in the parking lot? Maybe the articles had bad information? Maybe they are actually considered part of the team? Coach Calhoun is from a middle class, Irish family and one would think that he would applaud those players who worked their butts off to make the team. But from reading the articles dealing with this story, one sees a sort of caste system at UConn. We hope this is not the case. When a player tries out for a team and makes the squad, that player should be considered part of the team! Not one who is conspicuous on the floor with no name on the uniform. Not one who has to dress in the weight room or mens’ room or bathroom.

I would hope that I read these articles wrong. I would hope that this situation doesn’t exist at UConn. I have been a UConn fan since the days of Jack Rose and John Pipczynski. This will never change. But there are some aspects of the program that might need to change.

Categories: Coach O, Commentary, Connecticut
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St. John’s lost three starters from a team that went 7-9 last year. Anthony Mason and Eugene Lawrence are the only returning starters and they combined for 19 points a game. This looks like a team in trouble this year.

Frontcourt – Anthony Mason (11.9ppg, 5.9rpg) comes back at power forward for the Red Storm. After that there is little. Tomas Jasiulionis (2.9ppg, 1.9rpg) should be the starter at center. Finding a replacement for Lamont Hamilton will not be easy. His 13 points and seven rebounds a game will be missed. Freshmen Justin Burrell (6-8), Dele Coker (6-10), and Sean Evans (6-8) will have to step up right away. GRADE – C-

Backcourt – Eugene Lawrence (7.2ppg, 5.6apg) is the lone returner in the backcourt. He led the BE in assists but the Storm needs points. Larry Wright (4.0ppg, 1.1rpg) will inherit the SG position. Rob Thomas, who missed all of last year might fit in at SF. Malik Boothe (5-9) will push for playing time in the backcourt. Both Thomas and Boothe are freshmen. D.J. Kennedy, another frosh, might move into the rotation at SG or SF. Mike Cavataio and Paris Horne are also freshmen backups. GRADE – C-

Depth – As already mentioned, the Red Storm have a lot of freshman talent but none of it is proven. As seen at UConn last year, even outstanding freshmen have to earn their Big East stripes. Although the bench looks to have some potential, seasoned veterans will be coming off benches of their opponents. GRADE – D+

Outlook – The Red Storm will struggle to make the tourney in New York in March. If the freshmen come through they might equal their 7-9 record of last year, but that seems a bit lofty. Norm Roberts will have to do the coaching job of a lifetime to approach last year’s success. GRADE – C- 

Categories: Coach O, Commentary, St. John's
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Cincinnati finished last in the Big East in 2006-7 but with much more experience returning they won’t be in the cellar again.

Frontcourt – John Williamson came in as a JUCO transfer and put up some big numbers. He led the club with 7.3rpg and also had 13.5ppg to finish 2nd in scoring. He had double figures in the last nine games. Maurice Sikes will return in the frontcourt. He averaged 9.5ppg and 5.0rpg and shot 42.5% from the three point line. The backups in the frontcourt are untested. Mike Williams and Adam Hryciniuk both sat out last season. Hryciniuk is a transfer from Texas. New faces in the frontcourt include 6-11 Anthony McClain, 6-8 Kenny Belton and 6-8 Darnell Wilkes. GRADE – B-

Backcourt – All three backcourt starters are back with Deontea Vaughn (14.5ppg, 3.5apg) leading from the point guard position. Jamual Warren (8.0ppg, 3.7rpg) returns at SG and Marvin Gentry (7.4ppg, 2.8rpg) returns at SF. Brandon Miller is the only backup with experience in the backcourt. Larry Davis, Rashad Bishop, and Alvin Mitchell are all Freshmen who will be of help as the season progresses. GRADE – C+

Depth – Mick Cronin had only eleven players suited up last year when everyone was healthy and that was not often. This year he has a full bench even though there is no experience on it. With five starters returning the Bearcats will not have to rely on tight ends and other walk ons. But the bottom line here is that they are still very slim depth-wise. GRADE – D

Outlook – Bilas has the Bearcats finishing 14th and I can’t see that happening. They have a decent starting lineup coming back and all now have a year of experience in the Big East wars. I see Cincy moving up toward a fight for a spot at MSG in March. If they can avoid injuries, they have a chance for a 10-13 place finish. GRADE – C

Categories: Cincinnati, Coach O, Commentary
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