Do we finish.....?

Do we finish top 5 Big East?

I think West Va,Syracuse,Marquette, and Pitt will be in the mix. We should be right there

Top 6 maybe, but not Top 5.

I dont think so.  Team still has to prove it can win close games and steal some wins on the road.  Hopefully with better coaching it happens but until I see it, i cant go there yet.

Top 6 maybe, but not Top 5.

Hope your not throwing Georgetown in there

Marquette loses Heyward who was by far there best player. We played them close twice last year. They only played 6/7 guys last year. We should be better then them. Although I like their coach alot.

Do we finish top 5 Big East?

I think West Va,Syracuse,Marquette, and Pitt will be in the mix. We should be right there

"should" is a strong word...we finished 13th last year...and the 9 seniors argument holds only slightly more water than the 9 juniors argument ...and we have a new staff, which is an upgrade beyond measure from the last regime, yet its always unclear how a new voice, or voices, will go over with an old team...not saying a top 6 isnt doable, just that its not even remotely guaranteed we'll be that good this year...however, if he does move this team up 7 or more spots in the standings, he'll have a nice coach of the year award to polish

Marquette loses Heyward who was by far there best player. We played them close twice last year. They only played 6/7 guys last year. We should be better then them. Although I like their coach alot.

Tough replacing Heyward, he was a complete college player-a coaches wet dream. But I think Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom will take over. Johnson- Odom might be 1 of the top 5 players in the Big East. I love his game, can shoot the 3 and D's it up. Looking at Marquette's roster, they are small-but that might fit Buzz's style

It's going to be a battle, Baldi.  Marquette is an interesting team.  I think we'll be neck and neck with them.  We should be a little better, though. They lost a kid, Hayward, that I thought was sensational and probably one of the most underrated kids in the country the last three years.  They also lost two spunky guards that have played solid minutes for 3-4 good teams at Marquette.  Cubillan and and Acker both shot the ball over 40% last year.  Losing three awesome shooters like that is crazy (49.5% 41.2% 34.9% each over three attempts per game!). 

DJO is a very talented player.  I know his % will fall with more shot attempts and defenses focusing more on him.  I'm not convinced that he is any better than Hardy.  DJO only shot 5-19 against St. Jonhn's for a total of 14 points in two games.  Hardy was over 40% almost all of last season from three before.

Yes, they add a very talented freshman at SG, Vander Blue, but all their best players are 2's or 3's.  So are ours.  We have more size and beef as well.  They have no real PG or real big man, although I like that JUCO, Jae Crowder, they added to be an undersized four at 6'6 215.  Still, Kennedy should be able to really have his way with Crowder and JB and Evans should do well with the extra two inches they have on him.

I also don't believe that Syracuse will be a power house.  Rautins made that team go and was very undervalued.  Wes Johnson was a stud.  Onuaku was by far their best player up front. 

Krish Joseph will be very good, but the dude cannot shoot worth a darn!  I think they'll  be a top 20-35 team, but so should we.  We get them at home and that could be the difference of us finishing ahead of them or not.

Also,I believe we are better than WV as well.  They lost three starters--two of their best shooters.  Desean Butler was insane and did everything.  Ebanks as well.  Those two teamed up with Kevin Jones was just incredible length and athleticism.  Jones was free to shoot from the outside or bang.  He won't be able to do both this year.   They have us at home, though.

We have to get off to a great start. Win the Alaska shoot out. Get on the front page of the Post a few times. Take back the Garden. If this team gets confidence we can have a special season.

We have to get off to a great start. Win the Alaska shoot out. Get on the front page of the Post a few times. Take back the Garden. If this team gets confidence we can have a special season.

We have a huge early season matchup with Arizona St. if both teams take care of the SCHLEPS they play first in Alaska.
St. John's caught a big break that Northwetern's Kevin Coble has decided to forego his senior season after receiving a medical redshirt last year.  Northwestern won 20 games without him and Coble, at 6-8, has career averages of 15 ppg and 5rpg.  That would have been a very touch matchup with him and Shurna on the court together with Northwestern bringing back four starters.