DePaul

The Starting Fives: Big East Part 1

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:14:03 -0700

Unlike the NBA, where most starting lineups are set in stone weeks before the season, NCAA starting fives are highly unsettled and constantly in flux. Going through the BCS leagues this week, I'll be projecting the starting fives for each team. Also included is the team's most important bench option, and some notes on other possible lineups.

In the case where a quality player is ineligible for the fall semester or suspended for the opening few games, I've still included them in the projections. These are really supposed to be projections of how lineups will look in February and March.

Next week, based on these lineups, I'll be throwing out statistical projections for major BCS contributors.

BIG EAST: PART ONE

Cincinnati

G Deonta Vaughn So
G Cashmere Wright Fr
F Rashad Bishop So
F Yancy Gates Fr
F Mike Williams Sr

6 Anthony McClain (C)

Notes: With this lineup, Cincy could be pretty solid or pretty awful. Wright isn't a lock to start, and could be replaced by Larry Davis. I expect Davis though to be the first guard off the bench. Wing-man Alvin Mitchell will be the other player in Cincy's 8-man rotation, and should see 15-20 mpg.

Connecticut

G AJ Price Sr
G Jerome Dyson Jr
F Gavin Edwards Jr
F Jeff Adrien Sr
C Hasheem Thabeet Jr

6 Craig Austrie (PG)

Notes: The recent expulsion of Nate Miles was a huge blow. UCONN doesn't have another wing on its roster, and Edwards has no business starting alongside Adrien. Besides Edwards, the other possible starters are freshmen Ater Majok (likely) and combo-guard Kemba Walker in a 3-guard lineup (unlikely). The other contributor will be freshman shooter Scottie Haralson.

DePaul

G Will Walker Jr
G Jabari Currie Sr
G Dar Tucker So
F Mac Koshwal So

C Matija Poscic Sr

6 Krystopher Faber (C)

Notes: Faber is probably DePaul's best freshman, and could push Poscic for the starting role by season's end, especially if DePaul struggles. Mario Stula, who has to sit out for the first couple of weeks, will be DePaul's main scoring option off the bench.

Georgetown

G Chris Wright So
G Jessie Sapp Sr
F Austin Freeman So
F DaJuan Summers Jr
F Greg Monroe Fr

6 Julian Vaughn (PF)

Notes: The Hoyas biggest flaw will be backcourt depth. Omar Wattad and freshman Jason Clark are the lone reserve guards, but neither seems capable of handling PG duties. Besides Vaughn, a transfer from FSU, the other reserve big-man is Top-50 recruit Henry Sims.

Louisville

G Andre McGee Sr
G Jerry Smith Jr
F Terrence Williams Sr
F Earl Clark Jr
C Samardo Samuels Fr

6 Edgar Sosa (PG)

Notes: Sosa is the backup PG, but he's also capable of playing along with McGee & Smith in a 3-guard attack. Besides Sosa, the other main reserve will be Mississippi State transfer Reginald Delk. Delk is a wing who can back up the 2 or the 3, and figures to play 20 mpg. Frontcourt depth is an issue, as a lot of unproven bigs will be on the bench. George Goode, a freshman who didn't play last year, might be the top option there.

Marquette

G Dominic James Sr
G Jerel McNeal Sr
G Wesley Matthews Sr
F Lazar Hayward Jr
F Dwight Burke Sr*

6 David Cubillan (PG)

Notes: A rare team with three returning senior starters, Marquette lacks front-court talent as usual. The best forward off the bench will probably be JUCO addition Joseph Fulce, unless freshman Chris Otule develops faster than expected. Cubillan might be slowed by off-season surgery to start the year, and will be joined by junior Maurice Acker as backcourt options off the bench.

* I had originally mentioned Trevor Mbakwe starting, but he's left the program to play at Miami-Dade Community.

Notre Dame

G Tory Jackson Jr
G Kyle McAlarney Sr
F Ryan Ayers Sr
F Zach Hillesland Sr
C Luke Harangody Jr

6 Luke Zeller (PF)

Notes: Barring injury, it would be a big surprise if this wasn't Notre Dame's starting lineup throughout the season. Besides Zeller, the other feature reserves figure to be Jonathan Peoples, ~~Ty Proffitt~~ (see comment below), and Tyrone Nash

Pittsburgh

G Levance Fields Sr
G Jermaine Dixon Fr
F Gilbert Brown So
F Sam Young Sr
F DeJuan Blair So

6 Tyrell Biggs Sr

Notes: Instead of Dixon starting, Pitt could go with Brown at the two, Young at the three, and Biggs at the four. Either way, the six listed above form Pitt's core along with freshman backup PG Travon Woodall. Ashton Gibbs, another freshman, might be to good to sit on the bench all year.

Part Two: Providence to West Virginia

Think my projections are off, let me know below where you differ!

DePaul's Jerry Wainright: Head Coach Q&A

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:58:49 -0700

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College Basketball's Best Coaches

CollegeHoops.net is lucky to have access to some of the best coaches in college basketball. As part of our preseason interview series, we thought it would be appropriate to ask these basketball minds about the best things that their team and college basketball has to offer.

Jerry Wainright: DePaul

We continue this month long Q&A Series with 4th year DePaul coach Jerry Wainright, who has led various teams to 7 postseason trips. Coach Wainright was kind enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to answer questions for CollegeHoops.net:

CollegeHoops.net) What will be the best strength of this year's team?

Jerry Wainright) I'd say our versatility.

CHN) Who is the best leader on this year's squad?

JW) Will Walker, our junior guard.

CHN) What's the best change you've made in your coaching style in recent seasons?

JW) We've been trying to use the dribble more effectively in our offense.

CHN) If everything goes according to plan, what's the best case scenario this season?

JW) We finish in the upper half of the Big East and get selected for the NCAA Tournament.

CHN) What's the best arena you guys play at in the Big East?

JW) Freedom Hall

We'd also like to commend Coach Wainwright for participating in Operation Hardwood V this past summer!

CollegeHoops.net 08-09 Preview: Interviews | Complete Top 144 Ranking | 08-09 Preview Homepage | Discuss the Preview

State of '08: Illinois

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:40:02 -0700

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

Up today: Illinois. For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

ILLINOIS

ILLINOIS - In 2005, Bruce Weber led Illinois to the National Title game behind the amazing backcourt duo of Deron Williams and Dee Brown. But those were Bill Self's guys, and Weber's teams have gotten worse every season. Last year the Illini missed out on the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999.. and have little shot of making it this year as well. While Illinois is still the class of the state, SIU continues to the close the gap. The Illini's 2010 class can't get on to campus quickly enough.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - Before last season, SIU had made 6 NCAA Tournaments in a row, including two Sweet Sixteen runs along the way. Even last year, despite the mediocre 11-7 MVC record, the Salukis were better than many think.. as they knocked off Top 40 foes like Mississippi State, Saint Mary's, and Western Kentucky.. all of whom made the Big Dance.

BRADLEY - In 2006, Bradley made a name for itself, shocking many pundits by making the Sweet Sixteen. 2007 was arguably an equally successful regular season (an RPI of 38 vs 33 the previous season), but the Braves ended up in the NIT. Bradley has topped DePaul in the RPI each of the last 3 seasons (also beating them 3 times in a row), and should accomplish that feat again in 2009

DEPAUL - Still trying to find its groove in the Big East, DePaul should most likely finish in the conference's bottom 3 in 08-09. The program has made just 2 NCAA Tourney trips in the last decade, in 2000 & 2004. Fourth year coach Jerry Wainright has some work to do getting DePaul back to that level.

UIC - Veteran coach Jimmy Collins has led UIC to 3 NCAA Tournaments since taking over in 1996. Since their last trip in 2004, the Flames have been mired in mediocrity, going 32-34 in Horizon League games in that period. Another similar middle of the pack finish is expected in 08-09.

6. ILLINOIS STATE - 1998 was the last time the Redbirds made the Big dance, but 07-08 was the best since then. First year Tim Jankovich led his team to a 13-5 MVC record, and an RPI of 34. Illinois State had the 2nd highest RPI of any team that didn't make the Big Dance.. and got screwed by playing the only higher team (Dayton) in the 2nd round of the NIT. Another NIT is possible this season, but the NCAA Tournament will have to wait.

7. NORTHWESTERN - The Wildcats' futility is known to all fans, as the program has yet to reach the NCAA Tournament in its 100+ year existence. The last postseason trip (one of 3 ever) was in 1999, a first round loss in the NIT. From 02-04, BIll Carmody supplied some hope as NU finished with a .500 Big Ten record in '04 for the first time since 1968. But the hope has mostly fizzled out with just 3 wins in their last 34 conference games.

8. LOYOLA - Coming off a down season, Loyola is hoping to repeat the success they had in 06 & 07 when Blake Schilb led the Ramblers to 19 & 21 win seasons. Jim Whitesell's crew should most likely improve on last year's RPI of 222.

9. NORTHERN ILLINOIS - The Huskies are coming off two brutal seasons (just 12 D1 wins combined), and should once again be one of the worst teams in the MAC this season. But every couple years NIU has a decent run: In 2006, they upset DePaul (for the 2nd year in a row), as well as Kansas State, and Ohio. In 2003, they finished 3rd in the MAC and won two conference tourney games

10. CHICAGO STATE - From 2001 to 2003, Chicago State may have been the country's worst program. Now CSU is simply bad, and lacks a conference affiliation since leaving the Summit League after 2006. (2006 was oddly one of CSU's best ever D1 seasons, as they finished on a tear and went to the conference title game). Its hard to expect much from the Cougars any time soon.

11. WESTERN ILLINOIS* - One of the country's usual doormats, WIU is arguably coming off its best season since 1999. Which isn't saying too much considering the Leathernecks won just 10 D1 games and only beat one Top 200 team all season (North Dakota State). There's every reason to expect another 290-300 RPI this year.

12. EASTERN ILLINOIS* - In 2004, EIU went from being a run of the mill sub par program to one of the worst in the country. With an RPI of 337 last year, the Panthers were the 3rd worst full-time D1 team, only edging out UMES and fellow OVC team Jacksonville State.

* WIU and EIU have had very similar success recently, and have even split their meetings in the past 4 years. I give WIU the edge for being in the Summit League, which has outperformed the OVC for the last handful of seasons.

Last: Indiana (Yes, I know I reversed the order of Indiana & Illinois by mistake..) - Next: Iowa

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)

Big East: All-December

Jeff Fox — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 07:28:57 -0800

Out of with the old, in with the new – none of the Big East All-December team members made the All-November team.

Guard – Draelon Burns – DePaul – SR

18.5ppg, 3.6rpg, 2.7apg

Best game – Dec 12^th – Vanderbilt – 24 points, 7 boards, 4 assists

The Blue Demons may have had a bad December (2 wins, 5 losses), but senior guard Burns had a great one – he topped the 20-point mark four times, including against nationally ranked Vandy and Clemson.

Guard – Scottie Reynolds – Villanova – SO

16.5ppg, 4.7apg, 3.3rpg

Best game – Dec 9^th – Temple – 27 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 steals

It was a very successful December for ‘Nova, as they reeled off six straights wins to complete a perfect month. Reynolds led the way, averaging about 18 points, four rebounds, five assists and two steals.

Guard – Dominique Jones – South Florida – FR

16.7ppg, 5.1rpg, 3.3apg

Best game – Dec 5^th – Richmond – 30 points, 14 boards, 4 assists, 3 steals

Freshman Jones was on fire for the Bulls in December. He followed up back-to-back 30-point efforts with a 25-point game, and ended up averaging for the month about 20 points, six rebounds, five dimes and three steals per game.

Forward – Luke Harangody – Notre Dame – SO

18.2ppg, 9.5rpg, 1.6apg

Best game – Dec 22^nd – USF – 23 points, 10 boards, 2 steals

Notre Dame has been a pleasant surprise this year and the bruising Harangody is a large reason why – he put up three straight double-doubles during the Irish’s undefeated December.

Forward – DeJuan Blair - Pittsburgh – FR

11.6ppg, 9.2rpg, 2.3spg

Best game – Dec 20^th – Duke – 15 points, 20 boards, 5 blocks

Freshman Blair had a monstrous December, averaging around 14 points, 12 boards, two steals and three blocks a game. With the injuries mounting for the Panthers, Blair will have to keep up his pace.

Next up – Pac-10

Daily Poll: Who is the Worst BCS Team?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:33:52 -0800

2007-08 DePaul Basketball Schedule

Press Release — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 11:27:29 -0700

2007-08 DePaul Men’s Basketball Schedule

Nov. 9 Fri. at Creighton Omaha, Neb. 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 17 Sat. Northwestern Allstate Arena 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 24 Sat. North Carolina A&T Allstate Arena 1:00 p.m.
Nov. 28 Wed. Texas A&M – C.C. Allstate Arena 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 5 Wed. Wyoming Allstate Arena 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 8 Sat. at Kansas Lawrence, Kan. 1:00 p.m. ESPN
Dec. 12 Wed. Vanderbilt Allstate Arena 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 15 Sat. UIC Allstate Arena 7:30 p.m.

San Juan Shootout
Dec. 20 Thu. vs. Mississippi San Juan, Puerto Rico 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 21 Fri. vs. Clemson San Juan, Puerto Rico 2:00 p.m.
Dec. 22 Sat. vs. La Salle San Juan, Puerto Rico 2:00 p.m.

Dec. 29 Sat. at Detroit Detroit, Mich. 3:00 p.m.

Jan. 3 Thu. Villanova* Allstate Arena 8:00 p.m. ESPN2
Jan. 5 Sat. Providence* Allstate Arena
Jan. 8 Tue. Georgetown* Allstate Arena
Jan. 12 Sat. at St. John’s* Queens, N.Y.
Jan. 16 Wed. at Villanova* Philadelphia, Pa.
Jan. 19 Sat. Rutgers* Allstate Arena
Jan. 26 Sat. at Marquette* Milwaukee, Wis.
Jan. 30 Wed. Syracuse* Allstate Arena
Feb. 2 Sat. at Notre Dame* South Bend, Ind.
Feb. 5 Tue. at Providence* Providence, R.I.
Feb. 9 Sat. USF* Allstate Arena
Feb. 12 Tue. Louisville* Allstate Arena
Feb. 19 Tue. at Connecticut* Hartford, Conn.
Feb. 23 Sat. at Seton Hall* East Rutherford, N.J.
Feb. 27 Wed. West Virginia* Allstate Arena 8:00 p.m. ESPN2
Mar. 2 Sun. Notre Dame* Allstate Arena
Mar. 6 Thu. at Cincinnati* Cincinnati, Ohio
Mar. 9 Sun. at Pittsburgh* Pittsburgh, Pa.

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview | College Basketball Schedule | Discuss the Preview

2007-08 DePaul Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 09:43:30 -0700

DePaul Blue Demons

Overall Rank: #107

Conference Rank: #13 Big East

2006-07: 20-14, 9-7, 7^th (t)

2006-07 postseason: NIT

Considering the talent on the roster, DePaul really should have made a stronger push for the NCAA Tournament last year. There are more questions surrounding this year’s team, but the talent level is still relatively strong despite the loss of a slew of quality players. Another run at the bubble is not out of the question, but making the Big East Tournament should be the top priority, for now.

Who’s Out:

The early departure of Wilson Chandler, who was drafted 23^rd overall, to the NBA leaves a big hole on the team. The dynamic 6-8 forward led the squad in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots. Losing the other main scoring option in Sammy Mejia certainly will not soften the blow. Mejia, who ranked second on the team in points, boards and assists, was another vibrant player who helped the team on so many levels. Without those two, DePaul will have to be a little more normal and the big guys will get rebounds and the little guys will shoot. The frontcourt depth takes a huge hit with the loss of Marcus Heard, Lorenzo Thompson and Keith Butler. Heard, at 6-7, was not really a big man and could step outside and hit the long ball, but outside of Chandler and Mejia, he was the main rebounding threat. Thompson started 22 games but spent most of his time on the bench. Butler at least provided another big man, but his minutes were also quite limited.

Who’s In:

All those loses means that Coach Jerry Wainwright better big in some quality bigs to shore up the now non-existent frontcourt. And he sure did. Center Mac Koshwal is the star of the class and is expected to be a big time player right away. The Chicago product is a monster on the glass and a great finisher. His post moves will develop with time, but as long as he can be somewhat productive in the paint, Koshwal will get the opportunity to be the star of the team as a freshman. Power forward Matija Poscic is the more polished option after spending some time at the junior college level and should be a solid contributor off the bench. Fellow Croatian Mario Stula will spend most of his time on the perimeter, but could help address the depth concerns up front with his 6-7, 210 pound frame. Small forward Darquavis Tucker will give Koshwal some competition for the best newcomer. The 6-5 wing is a superb athlete and, in the mold of Mejia, will do more than his fair share of rebounding. The Flint, Michigan product will not blow anybody away with his shooting, but he will get to the basket with ease and has the ability to rack up a whole lot of points. Point guard Michael Bizoukas is unlikely to make a huge impact this year, but he is a smart point guard who can develop into a solid contributor with a little time on the weight bench.

Who to Watch:

With a plethora of other scoring options on the floor, Jabari Currie rarely had an opportunity to display his scoring prowess. Instead, during his first two years at DePaul, Currie developed into a solid point guard. This year, he may be asked to reach back to his high school days and do a little of both. However, it is Draelon Burns who will handle a bulk of the scoring. The 6-4 senior drastically increased his shooting percentage from long range last year and, with another year of improvement, Burns will be able to handle being the go to scorer for the Blue Demons. Karron Clarke will fight hard for the starting gig at small forward. He is a decent scorer and long range shooter and has enough size to help out at power forward if that becomes a problem. Will Walker and Cliff Clinkscales both earned starts last year and have the potential to become bigger contributors.

Final Projection:

The problem is experience in the frontcourt. Wesley Green has yet to live up to his potential. The 6-9 senior averaged 3.6 points and 3.1 rebounds during the 2006-2007 campaign and, if he finally takes the next step, Green could develop into more than just a roleplayer. This group has the potential to be a surprise team in the Big East. For that to happen, Koshwal, Poscic and Tucker have to live up to their potential and Burns must develop into a consistent go-to scorer. That could happen, but rarely do so many new faces come together so easily.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Jabari Currie, Junior, Guard, 3.7 points per game

Draelon Burns, Senior, Guard, 11.6 points per game

Darquavis Tucker, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Karron Clarke, Senior, Forward, 6.6 points per game

Mac Koshwal, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview | Discuss the Preview

NBA Draft Profile: Wilson Chandler

Jeff Fox — Thu, 24 May 2007 08:38:58 -0700

NBA Draft: Wilson Chandler

College: DePaul

Class: Sophomore

Stats: ESPN.com

Position: SF/PF

Height: 6”8”

Weight: 230lbs

Accolades: Second Team All-Big East (07), Big East All-Rookie Team (06), Honorable Mention All-American – Street & Smith’s – high school (05), Mr. Basketball – Michigan – high school (05), First Team All-State – Michigan – high school (05), EA Sports All-American – high school (05), Third Team All-American – Parade Magazine - high school (05).

Scouting Report: An athletic combo forward.

Strengths: Good athleticism and hops. Can really get up and attack the rim. Very good rebounder. Very good shot blocker. Can score inside or step outside and hit the three. Very good NBA size. Averaged over 30 minutes a night both years in college playing in a big time conference.

Weaknesses: Is he a NBA small forward or power forward? Still a work in progress as a small forward and would be a little short for the NBA 4-spot. Very inconsistent three-point shooter – only a 30% shooter from deep for his career. Mediocre free throw shooter. Can be foul prone.

Projected 2007 Draft Range: Mid second round pick – undrafted.

Consensus: Chandler is an intriguing prospect due to his inside/outside potential, but “potential” is the key word. He needs at least another year in school to improve his draft stock and make himself more of a viable NBA small forward candidate.

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St. John's Wins Big East Opener

Press Release — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 08:01:24 -0800

NEW YORK (AP) - Darryl Hill and Aaron Spears both came up big for St. John's on Wednesday night, lifting the Red Storm to a 64-53 victory over DePaul and a 1-0 record in BIG EAST conference play for the first time since 2002-03.

The Red Storm achieved victory for the eighth time in nine games, snapping the Blue Demons' five-game winning streak in part by taking advantage of their free throw shooting.

Spears, playing for the first time since serving the suspension for an violation of team rules, scored all six of his points in the final 9½ minutes.

Hill, who has been battling a knee injury all season, looked more like the player who was an All-Big East selection two years ago, scoring nine points, including a 3-pointer from deep in the corner as the shot clock ran out that gave the Red Storm (10-4) a 59-52 lead with 45 seconds to play.

"I felt I owed my teammates something so I wanted to play hard and contribute,'' said Spears, a 6-foot-10 senior. "I felt real good. It felt good being with my team.''

Hill, who has missed two games this season because of the sore knee and has become the sixth man, came in averaging 6.5 points per game, well off the 20.7 he averaged as a sophomore. He was 4-for-6 from the field and no shot was bigger than the one 3 he attempted.

`"I knew my shot was good all the way,'' he said of the high-arcing shot. "I felt we handled the pressure well.''

Hill and Spears combined to score 12 straight points for the Red Storm in the second half.

Wilson Chandler had 15 points for the Blue Demons (9-6), who went 4-for-15 from the free throw line in the second half after making nine of 10 in the opening 20 minutes at Madison Square Garden.

"There's not much I can say,'' DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright said. "The quality of shots we had and missed is not indicative of the way we have been playing. It was one of those days and coupled with what happened at the free throw line in the second half and we were still gasping, hanging in and then that young man Hill hit a big-time H-O-R-S-E shot there.''

Despite the poor free throw shooting and tough Red Storm defense on Mejia, the Blue Demons' leading scorer at 16.1 per game, DePaul was within 56-52 with 1:20 left on a basket down low by Chandler.

But Hill hit the 3 to make it a seven-point game and the Red Storm closed it out by making five free throws over the final 33 seconds.

Mejia, who had 40 points in DePaul's win over Northwestern State on Friday, had eight points on 3-for-14 shooting. He was covered for a good part of the game by Anthony Mason Jr.

"We just didn't want him to be able to go one on one and create. We didn't want him to get any easy looks,'' St. John's coach Norm Roberts said of Mejia. "We did switch people in him but Mason's length really helped us on him.''

Spears said defense has been a trademark for this team.

"I thought we stayed focused on defense and didn't break down at the end,'' he said.

Eugene Lawrence had eight points, eight assists and 14 rebounds for St. John's, which has won eight of its last nine games.

"They got really good leadership from Eugene,'' Wainwright said of Lawrence, a 6-1 junior guard. "He held their team down and I thought he did a really good job of leading.''

- St John's Media Relations -

Big East Stumbles Out of the Block

Eric Silver — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 11:08:36 -0800

Certainly two weeks do not make an entire season, but if first impressions hold, then the Big East’s slogan that it is the “Biggest and the Best” conference in the country will be only half right. Those who follow college hoops knew that the conference would not be as strong as it was a year ago, especially at the bottom of the league, but I doubt anyone expected the number of shoddy, inept performances that numerous Big East teams have displayed so far. Consider the following results from early-season contests.

Cincinnati, after three easy wins over non-descript opponents, lost to Wofford, 91-90, in Cincy. Granted, the Terriers lost to North Carolina State by only four points, but it’s still not a good omen for Coach Mike Cronin and staff.

De Paul, which I picked to finish ninth in the 16-team conference, lost by 20 to Bradley despite the fact that the Demons lost only one contributor from last year’s team, while Bradley had to replace three starters, including center Patrick O’Bryant. Coach Jerry Wainwright’s crew then lost at Northwestern by 10, an even more humbling experience, because it managed to score only 39 points.

Georgetown defeated a decent SEC team in Vanderbilt but then lost to Old Dominion by 13, 75-62. Even worse, the Hoyas suffered this double-digit defeat on their home court. They certainly didn’t look like a Top 20 team, let alone a Top 10 team.

Notre Dame is 3-1 so far, but they lost to Butler of the Horizon League, 71-69, in Indianapolis . This two-point loss had to be déjà vu for Coach Mike Brey and returning players from last year’s team that lost more games in the last minute of play than they care to count.

Providence has played only three games, but they suffered an embarrassing loss to Ivy League foe, Brown, 51-41. The Friars should be considerably improved this season, but they didn’t play like a decent team in this game. Even without center Randall Hanke, Coach Tim Welch’s charges should have dispatched Brown without much difficulty.

Rutgers faced Bob Huggins’ Kansas State team at the RAC and managed to score only 41 points in a 14-point loss to the Wildcats. At least Kansas State is a member of the Big 12, so the defeat doesn’t sting quite as much as if it had come against a team from a weaker conference. Still, 41 points in 40 minutes is not exactly a recipe for success. The real killer, though is the recent loss, 71-70, to Jackson State at home. It was Jackson State’s first win of the season (though they have played a very tough schedule). The Knights followed up the Jackson state loss by getting blown out by Bradley (101-72), and losing to Miami Ohio.

Seton Hall, a team that will be fortunate to make the Big East Tournament, lost on its home court to Fairleigh Dickinson, 76-71. This is the same Fairleigh Dickinson that has been picked to finish as low as eighth in the Northeast Conference, the same Fairleigh Dickinson that returned only two starters, the same Fairleigh Dickinson that lost to Providence by 25 points four days earlier.

St. John’s, a team I expect to finish in the upper half of the conference and have a decent shot at an invitation to the Big Dance, was drilled by Maryland of the ACC by 32 points. Adding insult to the proverbial injury, the drubbing took place at Madison Square Garden , the Red Storm’s home court, and, adding ridicule to insult, the debacle was televised nationally on ESPN. To their credit, Coach Norm Roberts’ players regrouped and took nationally ranked Texas to the wire the next night before losing, 77-76. Even worse, St. John’s lost a home game to a middle of the road MVC team, Illinois State, on Saturday.

Villanova, despite the loss of its top three guards, still has considerable talent and experience. The Wildcats had numerous opportunities to upend Xavier, but they couldn’t pull it off and lost to the Musketeers, 71-66. Though Xavier, too, has both talent and experience and is the favorite to win the Atlantic 10, this was still a game Coach Jay Wright’s team could have won, but didn’t.

These 16 losses, most of which have to be considered upsets, don’t even involve two teams - South Florida and West Virginia - that could easily end up at the bottom of the conference standings. Both teams have played relatively easy non-conference schedules so far, so their combined record of 8-0 is misleading.

Even teams that have not yet suffered unexpected losses have come close. Marquette, for example, barely got past Division 2 Hillsdale College by 10 points and was fortunate to defeat a mediocre Idaho State team in overtime. Connecticut beat a lower-level SEC team in Mississippi but also struggled to defeat Quinnipiac by seven points, 53-46. Louisville had a real battle on its hands with Northwestern State as it was down by 11 at halftime before pulling away in the second half to win by 13. (Ed: The Cardinals lost to Dayton yesterday 68-64). Similarly, the heavy favorite to win the league title, Pittsburgh , was down by four to Oakland before winning by 11.

It is still early in the season, of course, but if first impressions carry any weight, then this could be a rough year for quite a few Big East teams. The problem is that the major conferences establish their credentials with respect to RPI in the non-conference season, so poor showings now, by any league members, can have an adverse effect on all teams down the road.

All is not lost, however, as there are still six weeks prior to the conference portion of the season, sufficient time for Big East teams to make their statements. During that time, they need to defeat some ranked opponents (such as Marquette’s upset of Duke) and avoid more losses to teams outside the power conferences.

So far, the Big East as a whole has stumbled, but there is ample time for conference teams to regain their balance and make a run at a solid conference RPI.