This season marked the dawning of the new Big East. The Catholic 7 from the original conference merged with Butler, Creighton and Xavier to form the 10-team league. Four of those programs reached the NCAA tournament in 2014, although, all of which failed to reach the Sweet 16.
The disappointment from the conference’s showing the NCAA tournament will switch to uncertainty in Year 2 with plenty of questions needing be answered.
Villanova, the Big East regular season champion, will undoubtedly be the favorite heading into next season. One of the most efficient offensive and defensive teams in the conference last season will offset the graduation of James Bell with returnees Darrun Hillard, JayVaughn Pinkston and Ryan Arcidiacono among several other key contributors. A pair of four-star recruits -- Phil Booth and Mikal Bridges -- join the Wildcats as well.
RELATED: Read through all of our Conference Catchups here
Who challenges Villanova?
Creighton has to replace National Player of the Year Doug McDermott. Bryce Cotton won’t be racking up the minutes at Providence this winter. Xavier’s Semaj Christon and St. John’s Jakarr Sampson are other notable players to leave this spring.
Can Xavier and Providence find a way to get back into the NCAA tournament? Will strong recruiting classes for teams like Georgetown and Seton Hall propel them near the top of the conference? Does a darkhorse team emerge as a threat to the Wildcats?
THREE UP
Georgetown: The Hoyas stumbled to a sixth-place finish in 2013-2014, but returns D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera and his 17.0 points per game. Matched with four freshmen listed in the Rivals 150, and Georgetown has the tools for a bounce-back campaign.
Seton Hall: The Pirates are 9-27 in conference play over the past two years. That could change with Isaiah Whitehead, and a talented recruiting class, joining Sterling Gibbs, the team’s top returning scorer, next season. With the conference as wide-open as it is, it wouldn’t be surprising if Seton Hall cracked the top half of the conference, and earned its way into the bubble conversation.
Kris Dunn, Providence: Shoulder injuries have plagued the first half of his career with the Friars, limiting him to only four games in 2013-2014. He committed to Providence as the top-ranked point guard, according to Rivals, and if healthy, can help the back court dealing with the loss of Cotton.
THREE DOWN
Creighton: McDermott’s heralded career came to the end in the Round of 32. You can’t stress how important his departure is for the Bluejays, but three other senior starters graduate, too. Creighton made a smooth transition from the Missouri Valley to the Big East, but it’s time to rebuild. Ronnie Harrell and Leon Gilmore, two Rivals 150 recruits, give Greg McDermott some nice pieces for the future while transfers Mo Watson and Cole Huff will make an impact when they resume their careers in the 2015-2016 season.
Butler: In its third different conference in as many seasons, Butler suffered its first losing season since 2005. The Bulldogs add Roosevelt Jones back to the lineup in addition to Kellen Dunham, Kameron Woods, Alex Barlow and Andrew Chrabascz. The second year of the Brandon Miller era should see some improvement, but Butler might very well be in the bottom half of the league once again.
Conference hype: Villanova and Creighton both ended the season in the top 20, though, to start the 2014-2015 season the Big East will have only one representative in the top 25. The conference’s first season with Fox Sports 1 produced less than stellar numbers. Without Doug McDermott, the conference lacks a headlining star. While there certainly is talent around the league, the pro potential, according to early mock drafts, is scarce.
FIVE NEW FACES
Steve Wojciechowski, Marquette: For almost the entirety of the last two decades, Wojciechowski has been part of the Duke program. In April, he became the newest branch in the Coach K coaching tree, replacing Buzz Williams at Marquette. He’ll have some talent on this roster, though, only one of Williams’ recruit -- Sandy Cohen -- remains committed. BYU guard Matt Carlino, who has immediate eligibility, should help perimeter shooting.
Isaiah Whitehead, Seton Hall: The five-star recruit, ranked No. 16 overall, according to Rivals, headlines an impressive incoming class, which includes Angel Delgado and Khadeen Carrington. The 6-foot-4 Whitehead is a difficult matchup with the ball in his hands, and can put up points in a hurry when he gets hot. Whitehead can help the Pirates make some noise in Kevin Willard’s fifth season.
Isaac Copeland, Georgetown: The Hoyas recruiting class stars Copeland, the five-star forward, along with combo forward Paul White and wing L.J. Peak. Copeland benefited greatly from his one season at Brewster Academy (New Hampshire) this past year, displaying an array of skills. The incoming class puts John Thompson III’s program in a good spot for the future, though, Copeland can make an immediate impact, and help Georgetown improve on an 18-15 (8-10 Big East) season.
Matt Carlino, Marquette: The graduate transfer guard will finish his career with the Golden Eagles after stops at UCLA (never played a game) and BYU. Carlino will provide some experience to the Marquette back court, but more importantly add a 3-point threat, connecting on 34 percent of his threes with BYU last season.
Roosevelt Jones, Butler: The 6-foot-4 guard has been with the Butler program since 2011, but an injury to his left wrist delayed his Big East debut to November 2014. Jones averaged 10.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 2011-2012, and his return will boost a back court led by top scorer Kellen Dunham, though, the perimeter lost depth when Rene Castro and Elijah Brown both decided to transfer.
Way-Too-Early Power Rankings
1. Villanova
2. Georgetown
3. Xavier
4. Providence
5. Seton Hall
6. Marquette
7. St. John’s
8. Butler
9. Creighton
10. DePaul