Creighton hoops is just weeks away from making history. Following a whirlwind courtship, the university left the Missouri Valley Conference for the Big East this summer. When Greg McDermott’s team takes the court for a November 1 exhibition, “BIG EAST CONFERENCE” will be on the newly redesigned court. A new era is upon us.
Today is Big East Conference Media Day in New York. The league’s preseason poll and individual honors will be unveiled at that event. As we always have, the White & Blue Review staff got together to submit our own picks — our own unscientific, probably-sort-of-biased poll — of the predicted conference standings and awards. Here is what we have come up with:
Standings
- Marquette (7)
- Creighton (1)
- Georgetown (1)
- St. John’s (1)
- Villanova
- Xavier
- Providence
- Butler
- Seton Hall
- DePaul
A couple of things most of us could agree on is that Marquette is the favorite this season in the Big East and Seton Hall and DePaul will finish at the bottom of the league. Creighton and Georgetown were solid second and third picks. I could see why we all stayed away from making Creighton the favorite. We know the Big East will be a tough conference. Being able to finish as high as second could be a pretty gigantic task.
The middle of the league is where things could get interesting. St. John’s was ranked anywhere between first and fifth place, while Xavier was all over the board as high as third place to as low as seventh.
Could this projected parity ultimately lead to an influx of bids to the NCAA Tournament? It likely will depend on what the ten teams do in the non-conference portion of their schedules.
First Team All-Big East and Player of the Year
Player of the Year — Doug McDermott, Creighton: It may seem biased, but it is the truth and a unanimous selection. The 2-time All-American and 2-time MVC Player of the Year comes in the favorite to exit his collegiate career with some Big East hardware.
First Team Selections:
- Doug McDermott, Creighton (6 votes)
- Devante Gardner, Marquette (6 votes)
- Markel Starks, Georgetown (5 votes)
- Bryce Cotton, Providence (5 votes)
- Semaj Christon, Xavier (5 votes)
Honorable mention:
- Grant Gibbs, Creighton
- Ethan Wragge, Creighton,
- JaKarr Sampson, St. John’s
- Rysheed Jordan, St. John’s
- JaJuan Johnson, Marquette
Exciting Games
With all of the new opponents and venues, here is what the staff had to say on what game they were most excited about this season:
Max Univers (Writer) — I feel like everyone will say “Marquette on New Years Eve” here, so I’ll go a different direction. Given the pandemonium, pomp, and circumstance of that Marquette game being at 9pm on New Years Eve, it doesn’t quite seem real — it seems less like a conference game and more like a made-for-TV event. The next two home games are against fellow newcomers Xavier and Butler, teams that feel like they could have been and (in Xavier’s case, were) on the non-conference schedule during CU’s Valley days. But when Georgetown comes to Omaha on January 25… hoo boy, that’s BIG EAST basketball. As Bart Scott would say, “Can’t wait.”
Creighton Otter (Writer) — The Marquette games, of which there technically could be five this season, a statistical anomaly made possible by the two schools’ participation in the Wooden Legacy in Anaheim over Thanksgiving weekend; a potential meeting in Madison Square Garden in March; and a late-round NCAA Tournament game.
But the reason I’m so excited for those? My dad, a Creighton grad and the person who sparked my love of Bluejays basketball, relished the CU-MU matchups of the past. He tells great stories about being at those games. And since we still go to games together, I’m pumped to witness the rebirth of what once was a fairly regular occurrence.
Patrick Marshall (Writer) — I would be a fool not to say the Marquette game on New Year’s Eve, especially since I will be celebrating my 16th wedding anniversary that night. It will be great to relive some great memories on and off the court. My other choice will be the Georgetown game since I feel that one will be the key to whether the Jays can walk away with a Big East championship in their first season. High expectations, sure, but why not? You have to beat the best and want to beat the best.
Panon (Writer) — Marquette game, to ring in the new conference and the New Year. Runner up for me is the Providence game on Senior Night.
Paul Liberty (Writer) —Marquette game.
Patrick Murray (Writer) — Senior night against our HATED ARCHRIVAL, Providence, is going to be great. One last hurrah for Doug, Wragge, Jahenns, and probably Grant. Jays fans will give those four the send-off they deserve, but we’ll also have a chance to look back on this season before Creighton’s imminent Sweet Sixteen run.
Joey Tempo (Writer & Recruiting Expert) — Creighton v. Marquette, first Big East game, New Year’s Eve, Omaha. New rivals. Let’s Go.
Rob Simms (Writer) — I have to believe I’m in the majority when I say that the Marquette home game on New Year’s Eve is easily the game I’m most excited about. The Big East debut is huge. Any New Year’s Eve game is huge. Any game at 9 p.m., regardless of the date, is huge. A game against a Jesuit rival and what the fan base is targeting as the likely “go-to” rivalry game for the Bluejays in the new-look Big East is huge. Happy New Year everyone, it’s going to be HUGE! Honorable Mention: UMKC or Chicago State because I love WAC basketball! Yes, they are both in the WAC. I checked. Twice.
Matt DeMarinis (Writer) —Georgetown at Creighton (Pink Out Game). As the son of a breast cancer survivor the Pink Out games have always been my favorite events. The amount of support for the event is always really great to see. The fact that Georgetown, with all of the school’s rich basketball history, will be the opponent that day is the cherry on top.
Adam Streur (WBR Photographer) — The game I’m most excited for is the conference opener on New Years Eve. It will be hard to top that atmosphere not only in the CenturyLink Center but downtown as well.
It should be an exciting season. Do you agree with the picks? What would you change?