NEC Media Day Photo Gallery

Photos from Northeast Conference media day at Barclays Center, on Wednesday, October 24, 2018:

(All photos by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

Previewing the 2018-19 Big East season

National champions last season for a second time in three years, Villanova should once again be forwardly placed, even as Big East grows much deeper at top. (Photo by Sports Illustrated)

Even with one program seemingly dominating its upper echelon since the 2013 restructuring, the Big East Conference projects to be as open as any point during its current basketball-centric incarnation.

Yes, Villanova -- and its two national championships in three seasons -- is the team to beat once again as Eric Paschall and Phil Booth return from last year's outfit to pace the Wildcats in their senior campaigns. And while most other programs go through the motions when retooling, Jay Wright has not missed a beat, returning a young core of players such as Collin Gillespie and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree -- plus graduate transfer Joe Cremo from Albany -- to team with three highly-touted freshmen headlined by five-star recruits Jahvon Quinerly and Cole Swider.

But who lies in wait as the biggest challenger for the residents of the Main Line? The answer could be Marquette, with junior sharpshooter Markus Howard poised to build off an efficient and productive sophomore season by contending for the national scoring title. The 19-year-old junior -- yes, you read that right -- will be featured off the ball more prominently this season, thanks to the arrival of Fordham transfer Joseph Chartouny at the point guard spot. With Sam Hauser up front and mounds of potential from freshman forward Brendan Bailey, Steve Wojciechowski will not have to worry about his front line producing, especially when Ed Morrow and Matt Heldt factor into the equation. Behind the Golden Eagles, Providence is on the precipice of what could be Ed Cooley's magnum opus as the Ocean State native enters his eighth season at the helm in Rhode Island's capital. With only two seniors -- Isaiah Jackson and the returning Emmitt Holt -- on the Friars' roster, the future is exceedingly bright, and paced by junior Alpha Diallo, who should be a double-double threat on any given night. Nate Watson and Makai Ashton-Langford will only grow as sophomores, and if David Duke lives up to half the hype surrounding his homegrown talent, Providence could easily find itself cutting down a net at Madison Square Garden come March.

The New York/New Jersey contingent should be in line for promising results this season as well, particularly at St. John's, where Chris Mullin has his deepest and most talented roster since assuming the reins at his alma mater. Shamorie Ponds will undoubtedly be named the Preseason Player of the Year, and the Brooklyn wunderkind has more backcourt help now that Mustapha Heron received approval of the hardship waiver the school sought for him in the offseason. Justin Simon and Marvin Clark II should continue to be understated difference-makers for the Red Storm, whose bench is also capable of scoring in bunches. As for Seton Hall, the spotlight is now firmly entrenched upon Myles Powell, who takes over the leadership role for the Pirates in the wake of Kevin Willard's most successful senior class having graduated. It remains to be seen how well Quincy McKnight will make the same transition to point guard that Khadeen Carrington handled magnificently, but with Taurean Thompson and Michael Nzei combining to replace Angel Delgado down low; coupled with an emerging Sandro Mamukelashvili, there is reason aplenty to be confident in South Orange.

Butler surprised some critics last season, as LaVall Jordan returned to the program he played for and coached under as an assistant to guide the Bulldogs back to the NCAA Tournament in a year where not much was expected following Chris Holtmann's departure to Ohio State. This season, Jordan has a potential Player of the Year in junior guard Kamar Baldwin, who should see the ball early and often in every game. Paul Jorgensen and Sean McDermott are more than capable of providing a jolt as well, and when Duke transfer Jordan Tucker becomes eligible, Hinkle Fieldhouse will see its fair share of magic more often than not. Staying in the Midwest, Creighton may be picked in the middle of the pack, but the Bluejays have underrated depth as Martin Krampelj returns from a torn ACL. Expect Jacob Epperson to take on more of a role in the paint as a sophomore, while the trio of Davion Mintz, Mitch Ballock and Kaleb Joseph handle the backcourt affairs.

Georgetown should be much improved this season, and Patrick Ewing's development of Jessie Govan has already paid off handsomely. Now a senior, the Wings Academy product will shine prominently for the Hoyas, whose backcourt duo of Jahvon Blair and Jamorko Pickett becomes stronger and deeper with the additions of freshmen James Akinjo and Mac McClung, leaving Jagan Mosely more room to become an X-factor along with Kaleb Johnson on the wing. If NC State transfer Omer Yurtseven becomes eligible, the halcyon days on the Hilltop could soon return. Xavier welcomes a new head coach, but a familiar face in Travis Steele, who ascended to the top spot after Chris Mack left for Louisville. The continuity is also prevalent in the Musketeers' roster, now anchored by point guard Quentin Goodin and forward Tyrique Jones. Sophomores Paul Scruggs and Naji Marshall will threaten for all-conference honors by the end of the season, and Columbia transfer Kyle Castlin will make an impact as well. Finally, DePaul will be counting on Max Strus and Eli Cain to lead the way once more as Dave Leitao pushes forward in his attempt to lead the Blue Demons out of the cellar. A supporting cast headed by Jalen Coleman-Lands will be key for this development, though, as the rest of the league has only gotten stronger in front of them.

Predicted Order of Finish:

1) Villanova - Champions until proven otherwise, the Wildcats are still the class of the field, and Jay Wright's reload game is just as strong as his suit game.

2) Marquette - The most impressive part of the Golden Eagles' makeup this season may just be the fact that Sam Hauser is still only a junior.

3) Providence - If you thought Ed Cooley was a magician for his work over the past few seasons, get ready for what lies ahead this year. Alpha Diallo will be the next Angel Delgado.

4) St. John's - Chris Mullin has the pieces, but can he execute when it matters most? There are no excuses this time around for the Red Storm, and its fan base will be the first to reference that.

5) Seton Hall - On potential, the Pirates are NCAA Tournament-caliber, and Kevin Willard does his best work when his teams fly under the radar. Myles Powell could average 20 points per game this season.

6) Butler - Kamar Baldwin will be the Player of the Year in the Big East if the Bulldogs can crack the top half of the standings, and he still may be even if they don't.

7) Creighton - If Martin Krampelj can get back to 100 percent by the start of conference play, look out for the Bluejays, who might have the most underrated backcourt in the league.

8) Georgetown - The process continues for the Hoyas, who will be far more competitive than they were a year ago.

9) Xavier - Quentin Goodin will be the steady hand the Musketeers need, but the key to the season rests in the hands of Naji Marshall.

10) DePaul - Another tall task for the Blue Demons. Rinse and repeat.

Rider unanimous pick to win MAAC, Iona picked in 3rd-place tie

Stevie Jordan is one of two first-team all-conference selections for Rider, whose regular season title last year and incumbent rotation's return earned Broncs distinction of unanimous pick to win MAAC. (Photo by Vincent Simone/NYC Buckets)

Rider overachieved last season, winning 22 games and a regular season Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship with the aid of everyone in its rotation returning for the 2018-19 campaign, where the Broncs were immediately projected to be a force in the MAAC despite Iona having wrapped up its third consecutive conference tournament crown last March.

The positive sentiment regarding Rider carried through the offseason, and presented itself officially Tuesday evening, as the Broncs were revealed as the unanimous choice to win the MAAC, receiving all eleven first-place votes for a total of 121 points. Iona, the league's NCAA Tournament representative in five of the past seven seasons, was picked in a third-place tie with upstart Quinnipiac, whose guard play and upside under head coach Baker Dunleavy projects for an ascending trajectory.

Canisius, the team with whom Rider shared regular season title honors last season, split the Broncs, Gaels and Bobcats, receiving 105 points to earn the second-place honor in the preseason poll. The Golden Griffins also nabbed Preseason Player of the Year honors, as junior guard Isaiah Reese -- one of only two unanimous first-team all-MAAC selections, Rider's Dimencio Vaughn being the other -- built off his impressive sophomore season with the title of top player in the league bestowed upon him.

Rider and Iona were the only schools to place one player on each of the three preseason all-conference teams. Joining Vaughn on the first team for the Broncs is junior point guard Stevie Jordan, while sophomores Frederick Scott and Jordan Allen landed on the second and third teams, respectively. For the reigning postseason champion Gaels, senior floor general Rickey McGill was a first-team preseason honoree, with Roland Griffin selected to the second team and E.J. Crawford, whose basket in overtime of the 2017 MAAC Championship proved to be the game-winner, on the third team.

Following the top four, Monmouth was selected fifth in the poll, with Marist and new head coach John Dunne a close sixth. Fairfield, Manhattan, Niagara, Saint Peter's, and Siena -- the latter two programs welcoming new head coaches in Shaheen Holloway and Jamion Christian -- completed the prognostications.

2018-19 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll

1) Rider (121 points - unanimous first-place selection)

2) Canisius (105)

T-3) Iona (94)

T-3) Quinnipiac (94)

5) Monmouth (66)

6) Marist (59)

7) Fairfield (50)

8) Manhattan (46)

9) Niagara (45)

10) Saint Peter's (28)

11) Siena (18)

2018-19 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason All-Conference Teams

First Team

Isaiah Reese, Canisius (Preseason Player of the Year, unanimous selection)

Dimencio Vaughn, Rider (unanimous selection)

Stevie Jordan, Rider

Rickey McGill, Iona

Cameron Young, Quinnipiac

Second Team (in alphabetical order)

Roland Griffin, Iona

Takal Molson, Canisius

Brian Parker, Marist

Pauly Paulicap, Manhattan

Frederick Scott, Rider

Third Team (in alphabetical order)

Jordan Allen, Rider

E.J. Crawford, Iona

Deion Hammond, Monmouth

Rich Kelly, Quinnipiac

Marvin Prochet, Niagara

Previewing the 2018-19 NEC season

Keith Braxton and Saint Francis University should be forwardly placed in NEC this season, as Red Flash return one of most complete teams in conference. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

Four different schools have won the Northeast Conference championship in the past four seasons, a testament to the parity of one of the nation's most intriguing mid-major leagues in recent years just as much as it speaks to the wealth of talent being cultivated at each of the conference's ten institutions.

If recent trends and speculation on paper is any indication, that number could very likely expand to five schools in as many years, as Saint Francis University has emerged as the consensus favorite in the NEC after returning each of its eight top scorers -- including Isaiah Blackmon, who missed all but three games to injury last season -- in a year where head coach Rob Krimmel and double-double threat Keith Braxton should finally receive their just deserts after shepherding the Red Flash into one of the more consistent threats in a wide-open league. Not far behind is 2016 champion Fairleigh Dickinson, angling for a second NCAA Tournament appearance in four seasons under the tireless and watchful eye of the affable Greg Herenda. Seniors Darnell Edge and Mike Holloway have the experience needed to navigate March, and Jahlil Jenkins should take the next step forward as the Knights continue to retool.

Reigning champion LIU Brooklyn loses the services of warrior Joel Hernandez, but Derek Kellogg's backcourt remains intact otherwise, with Raiquan Clark back to lead the scoring efforts while Jashaun Agosto and Julian Batts set up what should be another positive note for the Blackbirds. The front line may be a work in progress, but veteran guards have always been a key to long-term success in the NEC, something LIU possesses in spades. Wagner, the team against whom LIU punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament last March, has undergone a makeover of sorts after the graduation of JoJo Cooper and transfer of Blake Francis, but veteran Romone Saunders returns for a fifth year in Staten Island to mentor a hungry pack of young players as Bashir Mason reprises his role as of the league's best defensive minds. Staying in the Big Apple, St. Francis Brooklyn also possesses a fifth-year senior guard in Glenn Sanabria, something the Terriers will hope to ride to another postseason appearance as the climb from a 4-27 season in 2016-17 continues. The same could be said for Robert Morris, as the Colonials have managed to tread water despite an unusually large exodus of transfers over the years.

Moving into New England, Central Connecticut is poised to finally emerge from the morass that has plagued the program since the retirement of longtime head coach Howie Dickenman. Senior swingman Tyler Kohl should be a first-team all-conference talent for head coach Donyell Marshall, who has the most experience returning to New Britain since assuming the reins. Elsewhere in the Nutmeg State, Sacred Heart has work to do if it is to return to the conference tournament, and head coach Anthony Latina must attempt to replace a pair of heart-and-soul seniors in Joe Lopez and Mario Matasovic. Bryant is the intriguing program in the region now under new head coach Jared Grasso, and the former Iona assistant has wasted little time instilling the uptempo attack that he and Tim Cluess turned into a four-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference-winning outfit. Finally, Mount St. Mary's brings a new head coach into the fold as well, welcoming Dan Engelstad to Maryland to succeed Jamion Christian, but the Mountaineers will have to overcome one of the nation's youngest rosters in order to parlay his first season into a run through March.

Predicted Order of Finish:

1) Saint Francis University - With everyone back from last year's postseason team, the choice is easy on paper, and the Red Flash certainly have the tools to back it up on the hardwood. Keith Braxton and a healthy Isaiah Blackmon could easily be two of the best players most of the nation has never heard of by the end of the year.

2) Fairleigh Dickinson - Greg Herenda has his best team since the 2015-16 championship outfit led by Darian Anderson and Earl Potts, Jr. As Mike Holloway and Darnell Edge go this year, so too will the Knights.

3) LIU Brooklyn - Three of the Blackbirds' four guards in last year's championship-winning backcourt return this year, led by 20-point threat Raiquan Clark. The front line will have its share of growing pains, but no backcourt outside of Saint Francis is as deep as the one Derek Kellogg leads into battle.

4) Bryant - Jared Grasso will make an impact before the conference season even starts. Adam Grant and Ikenna Ndugba are capable of logging minutes on high-major rosters, and a healthy Bash Townes will cause matchup problems for each of the Bulldogs' opponents this year. If you're looking for a sleeper, you may want to put Smithfield, Rhode Island into your GPS.

5) Robert Morris - Few coaches in the nation do more with what is perceived to be less than Andy Toole. Koby Thomas and Matty McConnell are two of the more underrated players in the NEC, and Jon Williams is on the precipice of a breakout sophomore season.

6) Wagner - Bashir Mason has his work cut out for him replacing JoJo Cooper and Blake Francis, but a returning Romone Saunders will solve most of those problems. If the Seahawks can get more mileage out of AJ Sumbry and Nigel Jackson, they will finish higher, and possibly get a home tournament game.

7) Central Connecticut - Remember Tyler Kohl's name now, because he'll be one of the players everyone in the league is talking about. Fellow senior Deion Bute, along with junior forward Joe Hugley, are a pair of burgeoning big men that Donyell Marshall will be more than happy to count on for the Blue Devils this year.

8) St. Francis Brooklyn - Glenn Sanabria's final season is one where he and Jalen Jordan will hope to lift the Terriers back into the conference title picture. Junior college transfer Christian Rohlehr could be a difference-maker early and often.

9) Sacred Heart - Anthony Latina will need to rely on Sean Hoehn and E.J. Anosike throughout the year, but the Pioneers are still a piece or two away at best.

10) Mount St. Mary's - The Dan Engelstad era will see its share of adversity early in the form of a young roster that will gain much-needed experience in year one.

Fairfield progressing as life without Nelson beckons

Sydney Johnson has spent past seven months reconstructing Fairfield in aftermath of Tyler Nelson's graduation, and believes Stags can still contend in MAAC this season without all-time leading scorer. (Photo by Vincent Simone/NYC Buckets)

By Dan Gardella (@GardellaDan)

Special To Daly Dose Of Hoops

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Seven months ago, the Fairfield Stags fell a few points short from preventing a three-peat by the Iona Gaels and earning a spot in the program's first NCAA Tournament since 1997. Now, there is what seems like a culture swing since last season.

While Fairfield loses its all-time Leading scorer in Tyler Nelson -- selected third overall in Saturday's NBA G League Draft by the Greensboro Swarm -- along with second-leading scorer Ferron Flavors, Jr., who transferred to Cal Baptist, head coach Sydney Johnson brings in four newcomers -- three freshmen and a junior college transfer -- to fill out the roster while key players such as Jonathan Kasibabu, Jesus Cruz, and Matija Milin return for another season.

The difference from this year’s team to last year’s, you ask? Depth. Especially at the guard spot. Last season, five guards saw significant time on the court. Three of them are gone (Nelson, Flavors, and Jerome Segura). In their place, the Stags welcome Neftali Alvarez, Felix Lemetti, and Landon Taliaferro to the backcourt along with returning Cruz, Aidas Kavaliauskas, and Taj Benning to the rotation. Having such depth in the backcourt allows Fairfield the opportunity to return to the uptempo ways that have earned the program the "Running Stags" moniker.

“We want some fluidity. We want to get up and down,” Johnson said. “That’s what we’ve
embraced. We really want to score, we want to share the ball, we want to get up threes. We want to play fast.”


In the summer, Johnson expressed his desire to, at times, utilize a four-guard lineup, allowing the Stags to turn up the tempo and outrun teams. Now, his dream is a reality. Among the newcomers preparing for their Stags debuts, Neftali Alvarez comes to Fairfield as the top-ranked point guard in the state of Florida last year and brings a new dynamic to the team. Along with Kavaliauskas, Alvarez brings both a scoring and passing mentality to the program. Another guard who enters the season under the radar is Taj Benning. Benning, a sophomore from New Jersey, appeared in 25 games last season and only averaged ten minutes per contest. However, he made significant progress throughout the spring and summer and could see time in the rotation.

“I want Taj to be aggressive," Johnson said. "He’s a strong kid who is fundamentally sound. I want him to bring his personality on the court. I think he’s had a really good spring, summer, and fall. I see him in the mix.”

This season, similarly to last season, Jonathan Kasibabu’s voice will speak volumes to a young locker room who will grow as the season progresses. Along with Matija Milin, Kasibabu will lead the Stags with a unique form of leadership: Trust.

“The way I lead is I like to believe in guys and I like to encourage guys.” Kasibabu said. “I
realized that you get a better response from a guy if you encourage them and believe in them, because they believe in you.”

So far, the message Kasibabu, as well as other players who have been through the college grind before have said, has gotten through to the underclassmen.

“I talk with Jonathan, Aidas, and Wassef (Methnani) two times a week," Alvarez said when asked about what he has learned from the leaders of the team. "What I learn from them
is how you practice is how you should play. In practice you can make mistakes. In games, you cannot.”

With the spring, summer, and now fall sessions coming to a close, it is almost time to put
months of preparation to the court as a new season begins. In Johnson’s eyes, the game plan is laid out. All that is left to do is execute.

“I think it is reps and experience," he said. "Every team needs their time to grow. This team needs its time to grow. There’s specific players that things are a little bit new to them. When they get that time, the result is going to be really really good. I feel like there is a championship that rests in this team.”

Marvin Clark relishing opportunity to mentor, potential for special senior season

The lone senior on a St. John's team with experience and upside, Marvin Clark II has served as voice of leadership while determined to end his career on highest possible note. (Photo by the New York Post)

St. John's has dominated recent headlines with the infusion of Mustapha Heron to a backcourt already boasting an all-Big East Conference selection and potential Player of the Year in Shamorie Ponds, and justifiably so. Add Justin Simon into the cadre of guards that Chris Mullin has at his disposal in Queens, and you have a unit that should win the Red Storm a number of games on talent alone.

But for all the accolades that are being received on the perimeter and behind the three-point line, the overshadowed man is one with the most experience on the roster, forward Marvin Clark II. A fifth-year senior who served as arguably the most indispensable piece to the puzzle aside from Ponds last season, Clark is the grizzled voice of veteran battles, and the former Michigan State expatriate would not have it any other way.

"No question," he said when asked if he finds himself becoming more of a mentor to an evolving St. John's front line that welcomes Sedee Keita from South Carolina and freshmen Josh Roberts and Marcellus Earlington to a unit searching for consistency amid the losses of Bashir Ahmed and Tariq Owens, but also to the team as a whole. "We've got three very talented freshmen that are coming in, and also a lot of new faces that are talented as well. However I can help them hit the ground running, that's really what I take day-to-day."

With the added role of student-teacher to his repertoire, Clark is also balancing the concept of being a hungry performer in his own right, determined along with the rest of his teammates to lift the Red Storm from the morass that has enveloped the program for most of the past two decades into a feel-good NCAA Tournament run that would represent -- in many ways to many long-suffering fans -- a cathartic turning point and signal of having overcome one of the darkest points on the corner of Union and Utopia.

"I wouldn't say pressure or anything like that, but I came here to try to help this program get back to prominence," he intoned. "I feel like it would be a waste if I didn't move with a sense of urgency this year. I work hard in everything I do, but this year, I definitely tried to maximize my time a lot more than summers past. This is my last go-round, so I didn't want to leave anything to chance."

Going through the doldrums of an eleven-game losing streak to begin Big East play last year took the bloom off what the most optimistic of fans thought was a budding rose, but if nothing else, the rough start to the year for St. John's has hardened its incumbent core and become an instructional tool, particularly for one of its transfers from last season, who has been one of the key cogs in the program's gradual resurgence under head coach Chris Mullin.

"I learned a lot," Clark said of his journey over the past two seasons, including his sit-out year of 2016-17, when the Red Storm went 14-19. "Being a transfer, sitting down and watching everybody play is hard, but it's also tells yourself not to think things are going to be easy. It's not easy when you step out on the floor, and I had to learn the hard way. I went through a little slump my first 10-12 games and I was able to get out of that, so last year was really, for me, learning about what not to do, how to overcome adversity, and I think that's going to be pivotal."

"Everything happens for a reason, and I think last year -- and us going through that losing streak -- was for a reason, and now with the leadership of me, Justin and Shamorie, we know what to do when we lose a game, and we know not to make the same mistakes."

Heron eager to prove his mettle for St. John's

Now eligible after hardship waiver was approved, Mustapha Heron is wasting no time immersing himself in fabric of St. John's makeup as Red Storm hope to live up to massive hype. (Photo by Amanda Negretti/The Torch)

JAMAICA, NY -- It was a sigh of relief.

That was how Mustapha Heron described the approval of his hardship waiver, granted last Saturday, allowing the Connecticut native to suit up for St. John's this season without penalty of sitting out a year following his transfer from Auburn to be closer to his ailing mother, Thalia.

"I waited the whole summer for it," Heron recounted Tuesday, discussing the circumstances of his dilemma before a throng of reporters gathered for St. John's annual media day. "But we still had practice during the summer, and I just went to practice every day as if I was playing, as if I was cleared already. I didn't want to get to this point of the season and just be getting ready to try to learn plays and stuff, so we came in with the idea that I'm playing right away, so we learned the plays, we learned the sets. I'm ready as if I was told from day one that I was able to play."

"I went in with the mindset that I was playing, so I didn't think about the waiver that much. If it didn't come this year, then next year would be the year. It wasn't a hard process."

To paraphrase the rally cry of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, this is next year, and Heron joins a St. John's lineup that boasts perhaps the Big East Conference's best all-around talent in junior point guard Shamorie Ponds, plus a Swiss Army knife in Justin Simon and war horse down low in senior Marvin Clark II. That quartet, together with incoming transfers Mikey Dixon and Sedee Keita, form a deep rotation that projects as the Red Storm's most talented roster since head coach Chris Mullin returned to the program in 2015, but among the newcomers, it is clear who stands out most.

"We both play off each other," Ponds said of the interplay between he and Heron, with whom he played and competed against in various high school tournaments over the years in the tri-state area, and quickly becomes his primary running mate in one of the Big East's most formidable backcourts. "We've both developed to be great leaders, and I feel like if I'm off the ball and he's on the ball, we're pretty confident. He helps us a lot. He can definitely go down there and bang, push the tempo. When I first committed, I was trying to convince him to come, but it didn't work out. It's definitely exciting because we've got a lot of chemistry."

Early returns have indicated Heron already stands as a consummate teammate, but his true leadership values have yet to translate to the rabid fan base who now places its trust in him to help carry St. John's back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years. Having won a game on that stage at Auburn last season, he has a distinct sense of what it takes to get there and prevail, and is ready for the challenge of instilling that in his brethren, along with that of being a leader by example on and off the floor.

"I think it's valuable," he said of his postseason experience. "We have three guys that made it, and we can talk to the younger guys about what it means, what it takes to get to the tournament. I think it's just about going out and having fun, and at the end of the day, it's just a game that brings people together. As long as we go out and have fun and play hard, the end result will take care of itself."

"I try to pride myself on being one of the hardest workers every time I step into any type of arena. From a leadership standpoint, I'm just being as vocal as I can and being a guy who leads by example, I go out and play hard every night with the mindset that we're gonna get better and just try to learn."

Mullin satisfied with progress entering year four, not dwelling on past at St. John's

Chris Mullin may be on hot seat among St. John's fans, but Red Storm coach is not conceding to pressure, admitting his satisfaction with progress through first three years at helm. (Photo by Josh Adams/College Hoops Digest)

JAMAICA, NY -- Not even the title of most decorated player in his alma mater's history has been able to save Chris Mullin from the inevitable criticism he has faced through the first three years of his second career as the head coach of the St. John's Red Storm.

Entering year four, Mullin has emerged as a battle-tested veteran of the impatient reactions of boosters and fans who feel the program should have returned to its once-perennial postseason stage sooner, and continues to employ the same never-say-die mentality he vehemently displayed last season in the throes of an 11-game losing streak to begin Big East Conference play as he shepherds what ranks as his most talented roster since the Hall of Famer and two-time Olympic gold medalist was tabbed to replace Steve Lavin in 2015.

"It was bare," Mullin said of the prospective cupboard he inherited three years ago, a roster pieced together from graduate transfers and role players that ultimately finished 8-24, managing only one league win in the process. "But that's in the past, and we're here now with what I think is some nice depth, some good versatility. That's the way it's supposed to be, but it takes time to get there. In the NBA, we would cut people and make trades, but here, it's a little more of a slower process. We're glad with where we are now."

"I'm probably never satisfied, but again, the progress has been steady, somewhat miraculous if you look at where we came from. But that's in the past, and we're focused on this season."

Coming off a 16-17 campaign highlighted by a resurgent February that began with historic victories over preseason No. 1 Duke and eventual national champion Villanova, Mullin returns a cadre of experienced and multifaceted players to the corner of Union and Utopia, beginning with junior point guard Shamorie Ponds, considered by most to be the frontrunner for Preseason Player of the Year honors in the Big East when the award is announced at next Thursday's media day. Ponds' backcourt partner, Justin Simon, returns for his junior season as well, and the arrival of incoming transfer Mustapha Heron from Auburn only accentuates the Red Storm's massive upside. In addition, fifth-year senior Marvin Clark II is back as the elder statesman of a burgeoning front line that should be closer to the desired common goal of not only playing faster, but maintaining the unmistakable defensive energy that has created chaos in many forms against varying classes of opponents.

"We've got a lot of offensive players, guys that have scored big-time in college basketball," said Mullin. "So with that, my thought's not really with two (Ponds and Heron), but with five guys on the court that have to share the ball, set screens, be unselfish. They'll be a big factor for us on the defensive end, be able to force turnovers and increase possessions so everyone gets a piece of the pie."

"We can put guys on the court at every position that can really score the ball. You could line up five guys that can get off the dribble and make a three, so when you have lineups like that, it's gonna open up the floor. We can put guys in the post, and they'll have room to operate and make plays for their teammates. Over the last few years, we've gotten better in a lot of areas, and they've gotten better as we've gotten better players."

With that said, expectations for a program now entering its 19th season since its last NCAA Tournament victory have become clearly defined as a bar where anything less than a win on the highest stage in March -- maybe even two wins depending on whom you ask -- would be seen as a disappointment. Nevertheless, the architect of the resurgence is unfazed by the external perception of what constitutes success, finding peace of mind in the circuitous road traveled back to respectability.

"I like this team," Mullin reiterated. "It takes time to get there. If we could waive people and trade people, we might have made some transactions, but we did it the old-fashioned way. Along the way, I think we've gained a lot of great experience."

"Experience doesn't always come in sugar and smiles. Sometimes you've got to deal with some adversity, which I think is probably the best thing for you. It's been a nice, natural progression, we've respected the journey, but it takes wins and losses. We've never shied away from it, we've never blamed anybody, and hopefully this year will be a nice, winning season."

Mustapha Heron to receive hardship waiver, will be eligible immediately for St. John’s

St. John’s chances of returning to the NCAA Tournament for the third time this decade — and first under all-time leading scorer-turned head coach Chris Mullin — received a significant boost shortly after Friday night turned into Saturday morning in the Big Apple.

The Red Storm’s outlook was bolstered with the long-awaited news that Mustapha Heron — who joined the program at the end of May after transferring from Auburn — is expected to receive the hardship waiver that the university applied for shortly after his arrival. As a result, the junior from Connecticut will be eligible immediately, and instantly becomes the second-most talented player on a roster that returns the likely Big East Conference Preseason Player of the Year in Heron’s classmate, junior guard Shamorie Ponds.

“Family takes precedence over everything,” Heron told Zach Braziller of the New York Post shortly after his commitment to St. John’s. “I wanted to be able to find a way to be close to home and still be playing in a great conference. Hopefully I can come here and have a great career here.”

“I’m incredibly thankful that the NCAA has decided to allow me to play right away closer to home,” he added Saturday morning. “I would like to thank all the staff at St. John’s that fought to make this a possibility for me and my family.”

ZagsBlog founder and New York Times contributor Adam Zagoria was first to break news of Heron’s waiver receipt shortly after midnight, a news item that was later confirmed by several other college basketball insiders after dawn. Heron, a 6-foot-5 slasher, averaged 16.4 points per game last season as Auburn defied expectations en route to a Southeastern Conference regular season championship and second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where his Tigers were the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Regional. Now, he gets to ply his wares much closer to home, and will be counted on by a long-suffering fan base to get the Red Storm back to a place many feel should be a regular destination for the program that bills itself as New York’s team.

“With the pieces we have, we definitely can be special,” Heron told the Post.

DeAndre Wilkins commits to Wagner

6-foot-10 DeAndre Wilkins committed to Wagner Monday, signifying a huge coup for Bashir Mason and Seahawks on recruiting trail. (Photo by ZagsBlog)

By Jonathan Reyes (@werdynerdy)

On Monday, Wagner College’s Bashir Mason caused chaos on the hill himself with the recruitment news of a verbal commitment from DeAndre Wilkins, a 6-foot-10, 245-pound center from Edenton, North Carolina.

Currently a senior at Great Bridge Christian Academy in Chesapeake, Virginia, an hour-plus drive to and from his hometown, Wilkins' reasons for why he chose Wagner were its academics, close proximity to Manhattan and winning program. He also noted the brotherhood atmosphere the players on the team gave off, and said he thinks his large presence and eye for blocking shots in the post fits right into the high-intensity practices and coaching Mason offers.

“It’ll be a completely new experience for me,” Wilkins said of transitioning from North Carolina to New York, “and it’ll challenge me and it’s something I’m not quite comfortable with. I feel that being in that situation I’ll grow as a person and extend my horizons.”

Previewing the 2018-19 MAAC season

While Iona prepares for another MAAC championship defense, Dimencio Vaughn leads Rider into season where Broncs return nearly everyone from regular season title-winning outfit. (Photo by Vincent Simone/NYC Buckets)

The words of caution exercised around the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference last season were a warning to expect the unexpected, as many pundits did not know what to make of the league in the wake of a conference-wide graduation of many senior leaders, the rebuilding of a Monmouth program that had dominated the two prior campaigns, or even the emergence of Canisius and Niagara, each with tremendous upside that carried the Western New York institutions into the postseason.

Come March, though, the end result was far from unexpected, as Iona emerged from a chaotic MAAC Tournament to pick up the pieces with its third consecutive conference crown, joining La Salle and Siena as the only league members to accomplish that feat.

The Gaels, having retooled once again as head coach Tim Cluess attempts to make additional history in New Rochelle, will blend a new look with incoming talent such as Asante Gist and Isaiah Still with incumbents Rickey McGill and Roland Griffin, not to mention junior wing E.J. Crawford. Iona's losses of both Schadrac Casimir and Zach Lewis in the backcourt will be hard to overcome, as will the well-deserved opportunity associate head coach Jared Grasso earned this offseason by taking the vacant head coaching job at Bryant, but the wise man knows that picking against the proven commodity is only signaling his own peril. Nonetheless, a glut of challengers stands ready to knock the champion off its seemingly perennial throne, beginning with the team that overachieved, in some aspects, last year to earn the regular season championship and automatic National Invitation Tournament berth that comes with it.

Rider rode a quintet of double-figure scorers to a 15-3 MAAC record last year, allowing Kevin Baggett to be recognized as the MAAC's Coach of the Year for a second time in his six seasons at the helm in Lawrenceville. In an even more encouraging nod to the state of affairs in the southern portion of New Jersey, nearly everyone who contributed to the Broncs' success last season is back, namely junior point guard Stevie Jordan and redshirt sophomore Dimencio Vaughn. The arrivals of Ahmad Gilbert and Kimar Williams, both of whom sat out last year, only makes Rider even more formidable behind rotation mainstays Frederick Scott, Jordan Allen and Tyere Marshall, the latter of whom Baggett believes is in line for a breakout junior season.

Having shared the title of top dog with Rider last season, Canisius is poised to replicate what will go down in program history as one of the finest seasons for the Golden Griffins since the days of John Beilein in the mid-1990s. Jermaine Crumpton will be irreplaceable for Reggie Witherspoon, but a pair of likely first team all-conference talents in Isaiah Reese and Takal Molson will go a long way toward mitigating the blow. Point guard Malik Johnson is as impactful as any player in the conference, even if his scoring numbers may not be truly indicative of his value, and if Jibreel Faulkner -- who showed promise in the latter stages of last season -- can blossom into a serviceable scorer, the future will remain bright in Buffalo.

Quinnipiac went through the expected peaks and valleys of year one under Baker Dunleavy, sharpening its teeth in a number of close games throughout the year and developing a battle-tested will that carried the Bobcats to the semifinals of the MAAC Tournament. Getting Cameron Young for another year will only be a boon to the system in Hamden, and if transfers Kevin Marfo and Travis Atson are as good as advertised, the number of options in Dunleavy's arsenal will be limitless. Australian wing Jacob Rigoni worked on his all-around game last season while putting up otherworldly numbers from long distance, and should be more of a two-way threat this season in a perimeter-oriented attack that loses only Chaise Daniels, while experiencing an influx of incoming guards to ease the burden on Rich Kelly.

In the next flight of teams, Monmouth took its first steps toward replacing Justin Robinson in a year that head coach King Rice admitted could have been better. Losing Micah Seaborn will hurt, but in many ways, his injury-related absence last year afforded the Hawks the chance to grow on the fly, with Deion Hammond leading the charge as he heads into his sophomore season. Look for Louie Pillari to take on more of a leadership role in West Long Branch this year, as will point guard Nick Rutherford, who is eligible after sitting out a year ago following his arrival from Florida Atlantic. Monmouth's cadre of big men is still among the best in the MAAC, and Rice's deep rotation will always be a tough out as the season goes on. Fairfield will experience this season what Monmouth went through last year post-Robinson, as Tyler Nelson and his all-time leading point total have graduated. However, eternal optimist Sydney Johnson is confident in his players' ability to shoulder the load, beginning with seniors Jonathan Kasibabu and Matija Milin up front, and continuing with incumbent guards Jesus Cruz and Aidas Kavaliauskas. Early buzz around the Stags program seems to indicate incoming freshman Neftali Alvarez will quickly make a name for himself in and around the league as one of the MAAC's premier freshmen. Niagara, now without the services of senior warriors Kahlil Dukes and Matt Scott, is once again an intriguing conundrum this year. James Towns will have the chance to establish himself as the face of the Purple Eagles' offense as head coach Chris Casey builds off a postseason appearance, and senior forward Marvin Prochet may very well be the most underrated player in the conference. Dominic Robb adds a shot-blocking facet that very few teams in the MAAC will be able to match.

Marist has senior leadership on its roster and a potential first team all-conference player in Brian Parker, and a new -- but familiar -- face on its bench in John Dunne, who moved within the league this offseason, leaving Saint Peter's after twelve years to replace Mike Maker in the Hudson Valley. The Red Foxes should be much improved on the defensive end, and Dunne's ability to squeeze a lot out of a little will make the one-time contender a threat more often than Marist has been in recent years. Speaking of Dunne, his former Saint Peter's program returns impactful pieces in Sam Idowu and Quinn Taylor for new pilot Shaheen Holloway, who promises a more uptempo style in Jersey City as the Peacocks attempt to navigate through the league two years removed from a CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament championship.

The one other MAAC program under new leadership this season is Siena, where Jamion Christian has injected new life and youthful enthusiasm into one of the conference's most rabid fan bases after Jimmy Patsos resigned in the offseason. The Saints will be led by a pair of incumbent guards in Khalil Richard and Ahsante Shivers, but Christian's greatest challenge this year will be finding consistency in the paint, where Evan Fisher projects to be the top player down low after Prince Oduro was one of several players who transferred out of the Capital Region following Patsos' departure. Finally, Manhattan presents a situation that head coach Steve Masiello has already compared to his first year at the helm in Riverdale. Only five scholarship players saw minutes last season for the Jaspers, led by MAAC Defensive Player of the Year Pauly Paulicap. The dynamic force under the rim will team with senior Tom Capuano to be the two de facto leaders of the Jasper program, but it is the development of five true freshmen and redshirt Warren Williams that will be the biggest key for the former champions this season. Everyone knows of Masiello's ability to motivate and get his team to play its best when it matters most, and if his quiet confidence as of late suggests anything, it is that Manhattan will be surprising a lot of people.

Predicted Order of Finish:

1) Rider - The knock on the Broncs is the inability to get past the quarterfinals in Albany. With over 90 percent of last year's scoring back again, there is no excuse not to be playing for a championship this year. The talent is there, and should reveal itself early and often.

2) Iona - It remains to be seen how soon the Gaels will find the championship groove, but while Rider has the horses to carry the regular season, Iona will likely do what it does best when the calendar flips to March.

3) Quinnipiac - Last year was only the beginning for Baker Dunleavy. With his system now in place and the type of athletes necessary to perfect it now in the fold, the Bobcats should be much closer to the top of the league this time around.

4) Canisius - Even without Jermaine Crumpton, the Griffs have the favorite for Player of the Year honors in Isaiah Reese, and more than enough ancillary options for Reggie Witherspoon to continue building a contender in Buffalo.

5) Monmouth - The cycle begins again for the Hawks. In Monmouth's first year in the MAAC five years ago, growing pains were endured before an 18-win season in 2014-15 set the tone for two postseason appearances, 55 wins, and the legend of Justin Robinson. Expect this year to be more in line with 2014-15, with Deion Hammond taking the next step toward becoming an all-league player.

6) Marist - The Red Foxes are already being projected in a wide range across the second half of the league standings. However, two proven winning qualities already exist on the roster: Seniors, and a veteran coach. John Dunne alone will win Marist more games in the heat of conference play than most others in the business.

7) Fairfield - Tyler Nelson will be impossible to replace, but Neftali Alvarez should soften the blow for the Stags. Aidas Kavaliauskas getting the point guard reins for a full season will make Fairfield a more stable unit in the backcourt, and if the forwards can stay out of foul trouble, a more cohesive one on all fronts.

8) Niagara - Take note of James Towns now, as he will be among the conference leaders in scoring soon after. Chris Casey's ability to develop his supporting cast will be what defines the year on Monteagle Ridge for better or worse.

9) Manhattan - This year is arguably the most pivotal for Steve Masiello since he returned to Riverdale as head coach in 2011, and he has proven on multiple occasions that he works best under pressure. Look for the Jaspers to play in his own image this season, overcoming adversity while enduring some bumps in the road, but coming away having learned more every night.

10) Saint Peter's - Shaheen Holloway has already hit the ground running this offseason, and has a full cupboard with which to work in year one. The Peacocks should be much better than this four months from now.

11) Siena - The long road begins for Jamion Christian, and if his work at Mount St. Mary's has shown anything, it is that the Saints will be contenders in very short order. However, tough sledding awaits for a team who lost each of its top four players to transfers in the offseason.

Asante Gist receives waiver, eligible for full season at Iona

Asante Gist, who transferred to Iona in January, will be eligible for full season as Gaels look for fourth straight MAAC championship. (Photo by ZagsBlog)

The Iona backcourt, which experienced greater transition this offseason than in recent years, just received a shot in the arm six weeks from the opening tip of the season.

Asante Gist, who transferred into the Gaels' program this past January and was expected to suit up for the first time in December after being ineligible for the fall semester, received a waiver from the NCAA early Friday evening and will be able to play the full season as Iona prepares for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship. News of the waiver, initially reported by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein, ZagsBlog's Adam Zagoria, and Josh Thomson; the Journal News' Iona basketball beat writer, was quickly confirmed by an Iona spokesman.

Gist, a 5-foot-11 guard who committed to Eastern Kentucky after a stellar high school career that culminated by playing Bob Hurley at St. Anthony after winning a Tournament of Champions at Roselle Catholic, will have three years of eligibility remaining, beginning with the coming season. In 37 games for the Colonels, the East Orange native averaged 14.6 points and 3.6 assists per contest in head coach Dan McHale's uptempo attack. As a freshman, he averaged nearly 16 points per game and scored 20 or more points on twelve occasions, reaching double figures on the scoreboard in all but six games. In just six contests last season before transferring, Gist scored 48 points, but shot nearly 39 percent from three-point range, a figure that should see many chances to improve in Iona's high-octane offense.

Gist joins Isaiah Still, who sat out this past year after transferring from Robert Morris, as new pieces to an Iona arsenal that returns point guard Rickey McGill for his senior year along with junior E.J. Crawford and senior forward Roland Griffin, the latter of whom is expected to have a breakout season.

Mike Cragg to become next St. John's athletic director

Mike Cragg, longtime deputy athletic director at Duke, appears to be next athletic director at St. John's. (Photo by Duke University Athletics)

St. John's is on the verge of hiring its next athletic director, and if his basketball pedigree is any indication, the new sheriff on the corner of Union and Utopia is considered to be a big get for a program whose flagship sport has been mired in a decade-and-a-half of stop-and-go traffic.

Mike Cragg, the current deputy athletic director for operations at Duke University, has agreed in principle to become the next director of athletics at St. John's, a development first reported by college basketball insider Jon Rothstein. Once the hire is officially consummated, he will replace Anton Goff, who resigned unexpectedly this past June after nearly two years in the position, citing family reasons.

Cragg, 53, has spent the past 31 years as an administrator at Duke, beginning when he was hired as an assistant sports information director in 1987. During his time in Durham, he quickly ascended up the ranks, moving from the sports information office into an associate athletic director role in 2004 and a senior associate capacity four years later. Among his many duties include serving as the senior administrator for the nationally renowned men's basketball program, which has won five national championships under Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski, the winningest men's basketball coach in Division I history. Three of those five titles have occurred under Cragg's watchful eye, as he spearheaded all operations and fundraising efforts for Duke men's basketball. Among his greatest accomplishments with the Blue Devils include the establishment and formation of the Duke Basketball Legacy Fund, which has brought over $115 million into the program. He is also the leader of Duke's athletic facilities team, which has facilitated $300 million worth of new or planned construction for the facilities at the Atlantic Coast Conference institution.

To corroborate the Rothstein report, Zach Braziller -- who covers St. John's basketball for the New York Post -- stated that Cragg will have full autonomy over all of St. John's athletic programs, including men's basketball. Braziller further states that Cragg will have more power over men's basketball than his predecessor, Goff, did.

An official announcement on Cragg's impending hire is expected within the coming days.

Big East all-conference predictions

While Shamorie Ponds will likely receive preseason accolades, Villanova's Eric Paschall is primed to shoot his way into all-Big East honors in senior season. (Photo by The Journal News)

College basketball season appears closer than ever before as we transition into the start of practice for each Division I team, and in a Big East Conference where many teams are retooling in the wake of Villanova's second national championship in three seasons, the speculation surrounding preseason all-conference honors is as widespread as the predictions of where each of the league's ten teams will finish.

Yes, there are certainties abound just as much as there are the ever-present question marks and intrigue just over one month removed from media day at Madison Square Garden. Selecting 15 players to fill three teams is always a tall order going into any year, but nonetheless, we will make the attempt to offer a mild prognostication before the Big East descends upon the Big Apple in October:

First Team

Preseason Player of the Year: Shamorie Ponds, St. John's (21.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.7 APG, 2.3 SPG, 42% FG, 86% FT in 2017-18)

Kamar Baldwin, Butler (15.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 44% FG, 78% FT, 33% 3-pt FG)

Jessie Govan, Georgetown (17.9 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.1 BPG, 51% FG, 76% FT, 35% 3-pt FG)

Markus Howard, Marquette (20.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 46% FG, 94% FT, 40% 3-pt FG)
Eric Paschall, Villanova (10.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.2 APG, 53% FG, 81% FT, 36% 3-pt FG)

Analysis: Ponds, the reigning Haggerty Award winner who easily could have challenged Jalen Brunson for Player of the Year honors last season had St. John's not started Big East play 0-11, is the consensus choice entering his junior season, and rightfully so. The Brooklyn native followed up his rookie campaign with a multifaceted and well-rounded sophomore season, stuffing the stat sheets on a nightly basis and captivating the rabid Red Storm fan base with a commanding month of February that transcended the league and included a 44-point outburst against Marquette to set a Carnesecca Arena scoring record. Not to be outdone, Baldwin continues to be an emerging star for Butler, and the most unbelievable part of the explosive guard's game is that he is only a junior. A perennial mainstay on these lists in just a short amount of time, Baldwin will lead the Bulldogs to greater heights in year two under LaVall Jordan, who has exhibited the calm demeanor under which Brad Stevens led the former mid-major darling to two national championship games, and continues to grow each time he leads his alma mater onto the floor. With Angel Delgado having graduated, Govan now takes over the title of dominant big man in the Big East, and should have no problem replicating his double-double per game numbers from his junior season. Howard is Ponds' primary challenger for the conference scoring title this season, and with Andrew Rowsey having graduated, the stage should grow wider in Milwaukee for the 19-year-old junior to take his already dynamic game to yet another level. The wild card here is Paschall. It speaks to just how strong Villanova is that the Wildcats could conceivably lack a first-team all-conference selection going into a national championship defense, but Paschall has drawn rave reviews from nearly every major basketball aficionado this offseason as he steps into the role of team leader with each of Jay Wright's top four scorers having turned pro early -- something not usually seen on the Main Line -- while immersing himself further into the fabric of a contender.

Second Team

Alpha Diallo, Providence (13.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 47% FG, 73% FT)

Sam Hauser, Marquette (14.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 50% FG, 84% FT, 49% 3-pt FG)

Myles Powell, Seton Hall (15.5 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 43% FG, 79% FT, 38% 3-pt FG)

Justin Simon, St. John's (12.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 5.0 APG, 2.5 SPG, 47% FG, 66% FT, 42% 3-pt FG)

Max Strus, DePaul (16.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 41% FG, 80% FT, 33% 3-pt FG)

Analysis: Diallo had arguably the quietest and most underrated productive season in the Big East a year ago, helping lead the Friars to an unprecedented fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament. Much like head coach Ed Cooley, the burgeoning big man gets nowhere near the amount of credit he deserves for helping maintain the status quo in the Ocean State, but that notion should undoubtedly change this season. Hauser will likely be a first-team player by season's end, but his recovery from offseason hip surgery may hinder his progress in the early going. Either way, when the marksman is back at 100 percent, he and the aforementioned Markus Howard will have the Golden Eagles firing on all cylinders. The Most Improved Player in the Big East last season, Powell is now the unquestioned leader for Kevin Willard in South Orange, and will have more than his share of opportunities to score and facilitate in equal parts for the Pirates, who have a deceptively strong core to back him up. Simon reprises his role as Shamorie Ponds' wing man in Queens for St. John's, and the redshirt junior could average a double-double if his breakout last year is any indication. Simon has been a big part of the Red Storm's transition defense game since becoming eligible, and projects to do exactly that once again for Chris Mullin. Finally, Strus returns to DePaul for his senior season to give the Blue Demons their most formidable scoring presence since the days of Cleveland Melvin (remember him?), something Dave Leitao will need more often than not if he is to navigate out of the cellar.

Third Team

Eli Cain, DePaul (11.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.7 APG, 35% FG, 66% FT, 31% 3-pt FG)

Marvin Clark II, St. John's (12.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.2 SPG, 46% FG, 85% FT, 41% 3-pt FG)

Emmitt Holt, Providence (12.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.0 APG, 52% FG, 68% FT, 34% 3-pt FG in 2016-17)

Paul Jorgensen, Butler (10.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 42% FG, 84% FT, 35% 3-pt FG)

Martin Krampelj, Creighton (11.9 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.3 APG, 67% FG, 62% FT)

Analysis: This may finally be the year that Cain, now just a senior even if it feels as though he has been at DePaul for a decade, finally gets his due. The Blue Demons should be much improved from last season, but unfortunately for those around Chicago, the rest of the conference has gotten better as well. Either way, the steady hand of the New Jersey product at point guard will help ease the pain in spurts throughout the year. Clark, the third piece of St. John's troika of scorers, could average a double-double provided he is able to stay out of foul trouble, no easy feat considering the Red Storm will have to break in yet another big man alongside him now that Bashir Ahmed has graduated and Tariq Owens has transferred to Texas Tech. Holt makes his return to the Providence lineup after abdominal surgery sacrificed what would have been his senior season, and he appears to be back in his old form as the Friars gear up for a sixth-straight NCAA Tournament run. Jorgensen possesses the two-way ability to make Kamar Baldwin a factor off the ball, which will only aid Butler in its progression this year. Last, but certainly not least, is Krampelj, who is still recovering from a torn ACL. Before his injury last season, head coach Greg McDermott proclaimed on a Big East coaches' conference call that "if there's a more improved player in our league from last year to this year, I'd like to see him." The same holds true this season with the Bluejays' Slovenian import, one who is eager to make up for lost time and return Creighton to the postseason in what would be both a feel-good story and a well-deserved piece of redemption.