Big East Champ MU or Creighton?

[Goose85]

Two of ESPN writers have mixed thoughts on who will win the new Big East.

Medcalf picks Creighton and King picks MU.


http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/86136/take-two-picking-the-big-east-favorite

[ValiantSailor]

Creighton should be the early favorite. Marquette has potential to be very good, but that requires contributions from people who've never played a minute of D1 ball and upperclassmen (Wilson and Mayo) who need to improve over the past year. All of these are possible, even predictable, but until it actually happens, Creighton is a safer pick.

VS

[kneelb4zerg]

Medcalf is the same guy who ranked Marquette as the worst S16 team last year. Creighton is fine but no way should they be the favorite.

[MU88]

Creighton doesn't play defense and I am not sold on McDermott, the coach. I knew someone in the Iowa State program and let's just say they were not impressed. Losing the big guy won't help on the defensive end. I also wonder what it will be like for them during their second run through the conference. The Valley caught up with them a bit after Creighton blew through the first half of the season. Drake beat them the second time they played and gave them a pretty good run for 35 minutes in the MVC tourney. Given how poorly coached Drake was last year (as were some of the other Valley teams), I wonder how Creighton will fair when they step up in competition. Creighton isn't overly athletic, but they do have a bunch of shooters. They are going to beat some teams simply because they are hot. I wonder what happens when a team like Georgetown pounds on them.

I think one advantage they have in the league race is that they open at home against MU. The arena will be sold out and the place will be rocking (much like MU's first game against UConn). I think they beat us on New Year's eve, which makes the second game in Milwaukee even more important.

[warriorfan4life]

I will probably settle on 4th-5th for Creighton, but I would not be surprised if Jon Rothstein's recent Big East ranking that had them 7th comes to fruition. They got by playing bad D in the Valley, but that will not fly in the Big East.

[TheSultan]

Creighton doesn't play defense and I am not sold on McDermott, the coach. I knew someone in the Iowa State program and let's just say they were not impressed. Losing the big guy won't help on the defensive end. I also wonder what it will be like for them during their second run through the conference. The Valley caught up with them a bit after Creighton blew through the first half of the season. Drake beat them the second time they played and gave them a pretty good run for 35 minutes in the MVC tourney. Given how poorly coached Drake was last year (as were some of the other Valley teams), I wonder how Creighton will fair when they step up in competition. Creighton isn't overly athletic, but they do have a bunch of shooters. They are going to beat some teams simply because they are hot. I wonder what happens when a team like Georgetown pounds on them.


I think this is a really good point. When they have to start flying out east regularly and playing against some athletic teams like SJU or Providence, that could get difficult for them too.

[TedBaxter]

St. John's is the sleeper. If Harrison can come back with a solid attitude to join Sampson, Pointer, Chris O., God's Gift and Branch, they could be very good. Their freshman guard from Philadelphia is very good also. They will not be a fun team to play.

[CaribouJim]

St. John's is the sleeper. If Harrison can come back with a solid attitude to join Sampson, Pointer, Chris O., God's Gift and Branch, they could be very good. Their freshman guard from Philadelphia is very good also. They will not be a fun team to play.

Agreed - didn't they lead the league in blocked shots last year? Very athletic. If they finished in the top 3 I would not be the least surprised.

[Goose85]

It would be great for the league if St. John's was a ranked team this season. Hopefully generate some Buzz for the league and tourney.

[bleedbluegold03]

I would be more worried about STJ; they are a far more athletic bunch that are acclimated to the physicality that exists in the BEast.

I am pretty bearish and could see Creighton even finishing outside of the top 3 (Gtown the 3rd), I want to see McDermott go up against an athletic 3/4 and sustain his game.

[TedBaxter]

I'm not real sure what DePaul and Seton Hall will have this year since I haven't looked closely enough. The other 8 teams are not going to be pushovers by any means.