Syracuse, Louisville Lead Big East Preseason Rankings
Now that we know who’s in and who’s out of the NBA Draft, it’s time to take a look at the Big East preseason rankings for the 2011-12 season. In this video interview Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim talks about beating cancer and about the Big East’s prospects next season.
1. SYRACUSE (27-8, 12-6 Big East)
Key Losses: Sr. F Rick Jackson (13.1 ppg, 10.3 rpg)
Key Returnees: Jr. F Kris Joseph (14.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg), Jr. G Scoop Jardine (12.5 ppg, 5.9 apg), So. G Brandon Triche (11.1 ppg, 2.9 apg), Fr. G Dion Waiters (6.6 ppg), Fr. C Fab Melo (2.3 ppg, 1.9 rpg)
Key Additions: C Rakeem Christmas, SG Michael Carter-Williams, SG Trevor Cooney
The Skinny: The Orange bring back a ton of experience in Joseph, Jardine and Triche, while the young big men — Melo, C.J. Fair and Baye Moussa Keita all have a year of experience in the vaunted 2-3 zone under their belt. Watch out for Carter-Williams, assistant coach Mike Hopkins’ prized recruit who led the Peach Jam in scoring last summer.