By Connor Wilson
Three weeks ago today, the college basketball season came to a close as UConn defeated San Diego St. in the National Championship game to finish off one of the more dominant runs in NCAA history. Since then, and even in the weeks beforehand, rosters have been shifting with players entering the portal and going pro and new freshmen coming in. There are still well over 1,000 players in the portal and still some yet to make their decisions, but why not have a little fun making some predictions over six months before the season starts?
So without further ado, here are my “Way, Way Too Early” Big East power rankings for the 2023-24 season, kicking it off with No. 11 and working up to the top. All rosters are as of the morning of April 24.
DISCLAIMER: If a player has declared for the NBA Draft, I am not considering them a part of these power rankings. For example, Andre Jackson of UConn declared for the draft while maintaining his college eligibility. He is not included as a member of the Huskies for these rankings.
11. Butler
Key Losses: Simas Lukosius, Chuck Harris, Jayden Taylor, Ali Ali, Manny Bates, Pierce Thomas, Myles Tate, Myles Wilmoth, and Eric Hunter Jr.
Key Additions: Landon Moore (St. Francis PA), Jahmyl Telfort (Northeastern), Pierre Brooks (Michigan St.), and Finley Bizjack (ESPN #98 Class of 2023)
Butler forward Jalen Thomas
Thad Matta has a lot of work left to do in the portal in order to make the Bulldogs competitive in the Big East. Losing over 50 PPG, including all four double figure scorers in Taylor, Lukosius, Harris and Bates, certainly doesn’t help, but it's still fairly early in the offseason and there are still transfers out there. Matta has already brought in a solid transfer class with Moore, Telfort, and Brooks and returns some frontcourt depth in Jalen Thomas and Connor Turnbull. The foundation has been placed for Butler, but they haven’t started to build the house.
Projected Lineup
G: Landon Moore
G: Pierre Brooks
F: Jahmyl Telfort
F: Jalen Thomas
F: Connor Turnbull
10. Seton Hall
Key Losses: Tray Jackson, Alexis Yetna, Femi Odukale, KC Ndefo, Tyrese Samuel, and Jamir Harris
Key Additions: None
Seton Hall guard Kadary Richmond
Year 1 in the Shaheen Holloway era at Seton Hall didn’t exactly go as planned for the Pirates. They were hovering around the bubble before dropping four of five, including a late loss to DePaul in the Big East Tournament that all but killed their tournament hopes. Holloway has lost essentially his entire frontcourt to the transfer portal and hasn’t done anything to replace them yet. Ndefo and Harris also provided valuable minutes on the perimeter, but the Pirates have a strong returning guard core. Seton Hall will look much different a few months from now, but right now it’s ugly.
Projected Lineup
G: Kadary Richmond
G: Al-Amir Dawes
G: Jaquan Sanders
G: Dre Davis
F: Tae Davis
9. DePaul
Key Losses: Umoja Gibson, Javan Johnson, Eral Penn, Philmon Gebrewhit, and Yor Anei
Key Additions: Jeremiah Oden (Wyoming)
DePaul forward Da'Sean Nelson
Finishing in 10th place last season (which felt like last seeing Georgetown was the team behind), it feels like it's only up from here for the Blue Demons and Coach Stubblefield. They certainly had their moments, including a win over an at the time Top 10 Xavier squad and advancing in the Big East Tournament for the third time in the past 10 years. Losing Gibson and Johnson will certainly hurt in the scoring department, but allows guys like Caleb Murphy and the Wyoming transfer Oden to potentially break out.
Projected Lineup
G: Jalen Terry
G: Caleb Murphy
F: Da’Sean Nelson
F: Jeremiah Oden
C: Nick Ongenda
8. Georgetown
Key Losses: Primo Spears, Brandon Murray, Qudus Wahab, Bryson Mozone, Bradley Ezewiro, Denver Anglin, Jordan Riley, and Malcolm Wilson
Key Additions: Jayden Epps (Georgetown), Rowan Brumbaugh (Texas), and Dontrez Styles (North Carolina)
Georgetown head coach Ed Cooley
Georgetown? Eighth? It may seem crazy after the past couple of years in the Patrick Ewing era, but since Ewing and the Hoyas “parted ways” in early March, the Ed Cooley era has officially begun in DC. Pretty much every contributor is gone in one of three complete roster overhauls in the conference, but Cooley has brought in some solid transfers in Epps, Styles, and Brumbaugh along with getting former Providence commit Drew Fielder to follow him from the Friars. Losing guys like Spears, Murray, and Wahab will leave a mark, but with Akok Akok and Jay Heath yet to make a decision about their COVID years and the incoming class, Georgetown basketball is in a good place
Projected Lineup
G: Jayden Epps
G: Rowan Brumbaugh
G: Wayne Bristol
F: Dontrez Styles
C: Ryan Mutombo
7. St. John’s
Key Losses: Posh Alexander, Dylan Addae-Wusu, David Jones, O’Mar Stanley, AJ Storr, Kolby King, Montez Mathis, Andre Curbelo, Rafael Pinzon and Esahia Nyiwe
Key Additions: Dannis Jenkins (Iona), Nahiem Alleyne (UConn), Cruz Davis (Iona), Sean Conway (VMI), Quinn Slazinski (Iona)
St. John's head coach Rick Pitino
The Red Storm are another one of the teams in the Big East with a roster overhaul headed into next season, as after Mike Anderson was fired as head coach all but two players - Joel Soriano and Drissa Traore - entered the transfer portal. Entering, or I suppose staying in, the NYC metro area is Rick Pitino, as the former Iona coach and Hall of Famer has been named the newest head man and has already started putting a team together. With Soriano as the anchor, he’s added three of his Gaels in Jenkins, Davis, and Slazinski to go along with the reigning champion Alleyne and the perimeter threat Conway. With more work to do, it's likely that Pitino’s Red Storm will rise in the rankings, but only time will tell.
Projected Lineup
G: Dannis Jenkins
G: Nahiem Alleyne
G: Sean Conway
F: Quinn Slazinski
C: Joel Soriano
6. Providence
Key Losses: Ed Croswell, Jared Bynum, Clifton Moore, and Noah Locke
Key Additions: Josh Oduro (George Mason), Ticket Gaines (George Mason), Justyn Fernandez (George Mason), and Garwey Dual (ESPN #41 Class of 2023)
Providence forward Bryce Hopkins
When Ed Cooley surprisingly jumped ships in the Big East from Providence to Georgetown, Friars fans felt a little backstabbed by the whole thing. After a disappointing finish to the 2022-23 season, it seemed like Cooley had one foot out the door since late February. Nonetheless, the Friars found their man in former George Mason head coach and NBA player Kim English. English brought in a new culture quickly to Federal Hill, convincing most of the roster to stay and even got Jayden Pierre to come back after entering the portal. English is bringing three of his guys over from the Patriots to mesh with some of the returning all-conference level talent that is Bryce Hopkins and Devin Carter. Providence basketball come November shouldn’t have missed a beat after the coaching change.
Projected Lineup
G: Jayden Pierre
G: Corey Floyd Jr.
G: Devin Carter
F: Bryce Hopkins
F: Josh Oduro
5. Villanova
Key Losses: Cam Whitmore, Caleb Daniels, and Brandon Slater
Key Additions: Hakim Hart (Maryland) and TJ Bamba (Washington St.)
Villanova forward Eric Dixon
Year 1 post-Jay Wright was definitely not one to highlight in the rich history of Villanova basketball. The Wildcats ended up with a 17-17 record, by far the most losses they’ve suffered since the “New” Big East formed nearly a decade ago. The injury bug was apparent early, as Justin Moore missed over half the season recovering from his torn Achilles he suffered in the 2022 Elite Eight and Whitmore missed the first seven games when his team went 2-5. Head coach Kyle Neptune returns a solid duo in Moore and Eric Dixon to pair with two very underrated transfer pick ups in Hart and Bamba. Villanova will not miss its second straight NCAA Tournament, just can’t see it happening.
Projected Lineup
G: Mark Armstrong
G: Justin Moore
G: TJ Bamba
F: Hakim Hart
F: Eric Dixon
4. Creighton
Key Losses: Ryan Nembhard, Trey Alexander, Arthur Kaluma, and Shereef Mitchell
Key Additions: Steven Ashworth (BYU) and Isaac Traudt (Virginia)
Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner
Creighton entered last season as a preseason Top 10 team after returning four underclassman starters from a team that nearly beat the team that wound up winning it all in Kansas. The Bluejays struggled in non-conference play, the struggles corresponding to an injury to star big man Ryan Kalkbrenner. After he returned, head coach Greg McDermott’s squad went on a run in the Big East and finished as the number three seed in the conference. They also went on a run in March Madness, making it all the way to the Elite Eight before falling to the national runner-up San Diego State. Everything was looking bright for Creighton until Nembhard transferred out of nowhere to Gonzaga and both Alexander and Kaluma declared for the draft. The latter two can return, but if not the Bluejays will fall in the rankings.
Projected Lineup
G: Steven Ashworth
G: Francisco Farabello
G: Baylor Scheierman
F: Mason Miller
C: Ryan Kalkbrenner
3. Xavier
Key Losses: Souley Boum, Jack Nunge, Adam Kunkel, Colby Jones, Kyky Tandy, and Cesare Edwards
Key Additions: Quincy Olivari (Rice), Dayvion McKnight (Western Kentucky), Abou Ousmane (North Texas), Logan Duncomb (Indiana), Trey Green (ESPN #55 Class of 2023), and Dailyn Swain (ESPN #92 Class of 2023)
Xavier forward Jerome Hunter
The Musketeers are fresh off a Sweet 16 appearance in the first year with Sean Miller back as head coach. Having one of the older starting lineups in the country with veterans like Boum and Nunge proved to be beneficial, but now with those two, Jones, and Kunkel all gone it’ll be pretty much a reset all throughout the program. Desmond Claude and Jerome Hunter were reserves last season and will take the leap into the starting lineup. The offense will be constructed around Zach Freemantle if he returns, as a foot injury knocked him out for February and beyond last season. With all of the transfers already coming in, a second weekend berth looks on the table for Xavier once again.
Projected Lineup
G: Dayvion McKnight
G: Quincy Olivari
G: Desmond Claude
F: Jerome Hunter
F: Zach Freemantle
2. Connecticut
Key Losses: Adama Sanogo, Andre Jackson Jr., Jordan Hawkins, Joey Calcaterra, Nahiem Alleyne, and Tristen Newton
Key Additions: Stephon Castle (ESPN #12 Class of 2023), Solomon Ball (ESPN #32 Class of 2023), Jayden Ross (ESPN #80 Class of 2023), and Jaylin Stewart (ESPN #92 Class of 2023)
UConn forward Alex Karaban
Dan Hurley finally led UConn to the promised land in 2023 as the Huskies cut down the nets in Houston to secure their fifth national championship in program history. It wasn’t just your typical title run either, as all six NCAA Tournament wins were by at least 13 points. With winning it all usually comes some sort of roster turnover and that’s the case here. Sanogo, Hawkins, Jackson, and Newton all declared for the NBA Draft, but Jackson and Newton left a return to Storrs on the table. Alleyne and Calcaterra are also no longer in the program, but Hurley is bringing in a Top 3 recruiting class headlined by Castle and Ball. UConn isn’t rebuilding after losing eight scholarship players, but reloading.
Projected Lineup
G: Stephon Castle
G: Hassan Diarra
G: Solomon Ball
F: Alex Karaban
C: Donovan Clingan
1. Marquette
Key Losses: Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Key Additions: Tre Norman (ESPN #98 Class of 2023)
Marquette guard Tyler Kolek
Marquette entered last season picked to finish ninth in the Big East preseason poll. They ended up winning both the regular season title and Big East Tournament championship as the one seed. Shaka Smart brought a culture to Milwaukee that the players adapted and it resulted in one of the best seasons in program history. And best of all? Everyone will be back. The only contributor that is testing the waters is Prosper, but he can still come back. The Big East Player of the Year Tyler Kolek is running it back. Kam Jones and David Joplin provide a jolt from the perimeter and Oso Ighodaro will be one of the best bigs in the country. The Golden Eagles will be near the top of the sport in 2024 and will be a preseason Top 5 team. And they won’t be going anywhere.
Projected Lineup
G: Tyler Kolek
G: Kam Jones
G: Stevie Mitchell
F: David Joplin
C: Oso Ighodaro
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