By Aidan Joly
Last April, the UConn Huskies became college basketball’s first back-to-back national champion since Florida in 2006 and 2007.
It capped off an unprecedented run for the Huskies, who have now won 12 straight NCAA tournament games.
To do it, it had to get through a competitive Big East, although the program that resides in Storrs, Connecticut has dominated the league. How does the Big East stack up for this season? Let’s get into it.
UConn Huskies
2024-25: 37-3 (18-2 Big East), won national championship
One of the biggest storylines will be whether the Huskies can be the first threepeat in the sport since the UCLA dynasty of the late 60s and early 70s.
Usually you get into players who are returning, but the biggest returner is coach Dan Hurley, who turned down gigs with both Kentucky and the Los Angeles Lakers to remain in Storrs and go for three straight. He got a hefty pay raise for doing so.
However, as for players, the Huskies don’t return a ton. Alex Karaban, however, is back after he averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game last year that led to him flirting with the NBA over the summer. From there, it is depth and bit players such as Hassan Diarra (6.1 PPG), Samson Johnson (5.5 PPG) and Solomon Ball (3.3 PPG). Johnson and Ball seem like candidates to have breakout campaigns.
Hurley went to the transfer portal and picked up Aidan Mahaney, who averaged 13.9 PPG with Saint Mary’s and shot over 35% from three. Tarris Reed Jr. also arrives after he averaged 9.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game at Michigan.
Five-star forward Liam McNeeley should have a role early as a freshman. Ahmad Norwell is a top-40 prospect, and Isaiah Abraham ranks in the top 60.
It might not feel like a national title-winning team right now, but there is very little doubt that the Huskies will be right there come March.
Creighton Bluejays
2023-24: 25-10 (14-6 Big East), lost in Sweet 16
After a solid season in Omaha, Creighton brings some talent back for 2024-25.
One of three-headed monster of Baylor Scheierman, Trey Alexander and Ryan Kalkbrenner returns, and that is Kalkbrenner. He averaged 17.3 points and 7.6 rebounds per game last year and will be the go-to guy for the Bluejays. Steven Ashworth also returns after dropping 11.1 PPG last year. Depth piece Mason Miller (5.6 PPG) is also back.
Coach Greg McDermott brought in transfer Pop Isaacs, who averaged 15.8 PPG at Texas Tech, as well as Jamiya Neal, who averaged 11.0 PPG at Arizona State.
Six-foot-nine forward Jackson McAndrew should have an early role as a freshman, while Creighton also brings in top-100 prospect Larry Johnson.
All in all, another good run should be in store here.
Marquette Golden Eagles
2023-24: 27-10 (14-6 Big East), lost in Sweet 16
Continuity is the name of the game for Shaka Smart’s squad this season.
The Golden Eagles bring nine players back, the most of any team in the league. Leading that charge is leading scorer Kam Jones, who averaged 17.2 points per game, as well as David Joplin, who had 10.8 points per game as a forward. Stevie Mitchell had 8.8 PPG as well.
The rest coming back are depth pieces who should have a larger role this season, including Chase Ross, Sean Jones and Ben Gold. That production will have to replace the production of Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro, who are both gone.
No transfers here. Damarius Owens is a top-100 prospect, while the Golden Eagles also bring in four-star prospect Royce Parham.
With a ton of players back, it is wise to think that Marquette can make the jump to the top echelon of this league.
Seton Hall Pirates
2023-24: 25-12 (13-7 Big East), won NIT
Seton Hall may have missed the NCAA tournament, but it finished its season celebrating after winning the NIT, a nice consolation prize.
Not much is back from that team, though. Dylan Addae-Wusu is the only key player back, he averaged 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Depth piece Isaiah Coleman is also back.
Coach Shaheen Holloway went hard in the portal. The Pirates picked up Chaunce Jenkins, who averaged 15.9 PPG at Old Dominion, Zion Harmon, who had 14.6 PPG at Bethune-Cookman, and Yacine Toumi, who averaged 10.6 PPG at Evansville. He also brought in role players from high-majors, including Prince Aligbi (Boston College), Scotty Middleton (Ohio State), Garwey Duel (Providence) and Emmanuel Okafor (Louisville). All should see playing time.
Four-star prospect Godswill Erheriene is a six-foot-nine forward/center and Jahseem Felton is a three-star combo guard who is an interesting project.
St. John’s Red Storm
2023-24: 20-13 (11-9 Big East), no postseason
Year one of the Rick Pitino era with the Johnnies didn’t go fully as planned, missing the NCAA tournament.
That should change this year. Pitino went out and got what could be one of the better 1-2 punch guard duos in the country in Kadary Richmond, taking him from crosstown rival Seton Hall, and Deivon Smith, who averaged 13.3 PPG at Utah. Add that in with returner RJ Luis Jr., and the Red Storm could be great at the guard position.
Another addition is Aaron Scott, who averaged 11.0 PPG at North Texas. As is seven-footer Vincent Iwuchukwu, who had 5.6 PPG for USC and earned 11 starts.
Returners Zuby Ejiofor, Brady Dunlap and Simeon Wilcher should all see expanded roles. As for freshman, Jaiden Glover is a top-100 guy.
In year two with the hall of fame coach, NCAA tournament needs to be the goal.
Providence Friars
2023-24: 21-14 (10-10 Big East), lost in NIT first round
It was a decent season for Providence in year one of the Kim English era, winning 20 games, but that was not enough to reach the NCAA tournament.
The Friars will look to rebound back into the tournament in 2025.
Bryce Hopkins will return after he averaged 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game before he suffered a season-ending knee injury 14 games into the season. Jayden Pierre is also back after averaging 9.5 PPG. From there it is role players, including Corey Floyd (4.8 PPG), Rich Barron (4.4 PPG) and Justyn Fernandez, who did not play last year but averaged 4.1 PPG for George Mason in 2022-23.
English brought in a very interesting transfer in Wesley Cardet, Jr., who averaged 18.7 PPG at Chicago State of all places last year. Jabri Abdur-Rahim averaged 12.2 PPG at Georgia, Bensley Joseph dropped 9.6 PPG at Miami. Finally, seven-foot big man Christ Essandoko averaged 8.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game at St. Joseph’s.
As for freshmen, top-40 prospect Oswin Erhunmwunse joins the fold.
As previously stated, Providence will hope to get back to the tournament.
Villanova Wildcats
2022-23: 18-16 (10-10 Big East), lost in NIT first round
The headlines surrounding Villanova is the job status of Kyle Neptune coming into the season. Neptune is 35-33 overall and 20-20 in Big East play since he took over for the legendary Jay Wright in 2022.
Neptune likely knew this in the off-season. He went into the portal and got decent pieces, including Jhamir Brickus, who averaged 13.9 PPG at La Salle, Tyler Perkins, who had 13.7 PPG at Penn, and most notably picked up Wooga Poplar, a former Miami star who averaged 13.1 PPG with the Hurricanes.
That is to replace the production of several departing players. Eric Dixon does return, though, after he led the team with 16.1 PPG while also grabbing 6.5 rebounds per contest. Jordan Longino (6.6 PPG) is also back.
Two top-100 prospects in Josiah Moseley and Matthew Hodge come in.
This is a make-or-break year at Villanova. It seems that if Villanova misses the tournament for a third straight year, the Neptune era will be over.
Butler Bulldogs
2023-24: 19-15 (9-11 Big East), lost in NIT first round
After a somewhat underwhelming season the Bulldogs are another team with continuity, bringing back seven players.
Two of them were double digit scorers: Pierre Brooks, who averaged 14.8 points per game, and Jahmyl Telfort, who averaged 13.9 points per game. The rest are role players, although one in Andre Screen seems poised for a breakout season after averaging 5.2 points per game in very limited minutes.
Transfers coming in include Kolby King, who averaged 10.4 PPG at Tulane, and Patrick McCaffery, who averaged 8.9 PPG at Iowa.
It’s hard to believe that Butler has not been in the NCAA tournament since 2o18. It may be tough for this squad to break that drought, but stranger things have happened.
Xavier Musketeers
2023-24: 16-18 (9-11 Big East), lost in NIT first round
Xavier suffered from the injury bug in 2023-24 and it showed, hard.
Thankfully, some of those key guys are back.
Most notably, Zach Freemantle will return to college basketball after missing all of last season. He was one of the best players in the Big East in 2022-23, averaging 15.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game before going down after 22 games with that foot injury. Jerome Hunter also missed all of last season after averaging 7.8 PPG in 2022-23.
A non-injured returner is Dayvion McKnight, who averaged 12.4 PPG at the point for the Musketeers.
Coach Sean Miller got seven players in the portal. That includes mid-major stars Marcus Foster, who averaged 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game at Furman, Ryan Conwell, who had 16.6 points per game at Indiana State, and Dante Maddox, Jr., who had 15.6 PPG at Toledo.
Also joining the fold are Lassina Traore (11.9 PPG at Long Beach State), John Hugley IV (8.4 PPG at Oklahoma), Cam’Ron Fletcher (6.7 PPG at Florida State) and Roddie Anderson III (6.5 PPG at Boise State).
It’s an impressive collection of talent for Xavier. We will see how it unfolds on the court.
Georgetown Hoyas
2023-24: 9-23 (2-18 Big East), no postseason
It was an extremely rough first season in the Ed Cooley era at Georgetown. The Hoyas’ only two league wins came against lowly DePaul and it went 3-21 against power conference teams.
The rebuild continues with another young team. Jayden Epps does return after he averaged 18.5 PPG, but he needed to tale 15.6 shots per game to get there. Drew Fielder (5.2 PPG), also returns, but that’s the end of the list for returning players.
A freshman-laden team will include seven first year players. It has a pair of top-100 prospects in Thomas Sorber and Kayvaun Mulready, while also bringing in four-star prospect Caleb Williams and three-star Jayden Fort.
Transfers here include Malik Mack, who averaged 17.2 PPG at Harvard and Micah Peavy, who had 10.9 PPG at TCU. Curtis Williams was a role player with Louisville and Jordan Burks played sparingly at Kentucky.
It may be another long year for the Hoyas. The NCAA tournament seems like a far-fetched goal, but there should be at least some marginal improvement.
DePaul Blue Demons
2023-24: 3-29 (0-20 Big East), no postseason
DePaul was the laughingstock of college basketball in 2023-24. Three total wins were the least of any power conference team. It did not win a game after Dec. 30, losing 20 games in a row to end the season.
Tony Stubblefield was fired as coach mid-season and replaced in the interim by Matt Brady, who went 0-14.
New head coach Chris Holtmann, the former Ohio State coach, is in for quite the rebuild job.
There is not a single player from the 2023-24 team returning. Holtmann brought in 10 transfers. Five of them, Jacob Meyer (Coastal Carolina), Isaiah Rivera (UIC), David Skogman (Davidson), David Thomas (Mercer) and JJ Traynor (Louisville) were all double digit scorers at their last stops. Two more in CJ Gunn (Indiana) and Layden Blocker (Arkansas) played at high-major schools last year.
Holtmann was also able to bring in a three-star freshman in Chris Riddle, who stands at six-foot-five.
DePaul has the longest NCAA tournament drought of any power conference program, dating back to 2004. It won’t happen this year, but this year can’t be worse than last year, right?
AJ Hoops 