Big East Questions

Villanova coach, Jay Wright/AP Images

The Big East usually stays pretty static. Not much changes in the ‘powerhouse’ conference of NCAA basketball, but for the 2012-13 season that will all change.  


By Lauren Dellipoali


The conference is in flux with teams coming and going, while others face the uncertainty of their future. So here is what to look for this upcoming season.

1. Who will reign supreme? With Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia leaving and UConn being decimated by NCAA violations, the door is open for teams like Notre Dame, Cincinnati and Georgetown to take control at the elite level of the conference. A changing of the guard is on its way in the Big East next season.
2. What are the futures of coaches Steve Lavin of ST. Johns and Jim Calhoun of UConn? Their futures are both uncertain for health reasons, but because of his age and his team not on probation by the NCAA, Lavin’s future looks like it has a much better chance of success in the upcoming year. He will hopefully be able to return to coach for the entire season after missing the majority of last season recovering from prostate cancer. Calhoun has had many issues with his health in the past, including last season, coupled with losing the majority of his team to the NBA and transfers and being banned from tournament play, he may decide to retire.
3. How will UConn perform? As of now UConn has lost four players, all starters, because of NCAA sanctions, and their recruiting class is not looking too hot either. So the team that has been a staple on top of the Big East may soon be finding itself in the basement. UConn still has the ability to bring in solid recruits from the CT area, but the major issue is will they be competitive in the ultra competitive Big East.
4. Will Villanova bounce back? After a terrible season last year, Jay Wright has a lot of work ahead of him to get his team back where many expect them to be. After turning the team into a National Title contender, the Wildcats struggled mightily last year, not even earning a NCAA bid. Wright will look to right his team and get them back on top of the Big East conference.
5. Who will be the surprise breakout team? Last year teams like Notre Dame, Cincinnati and Louisville surprised many people. Now it is another team’s turn to shock the big boys. Look for South Florida to continue their success from last year, and don’t be surprised to see the Red Storm get more respect as well.

UConn Officially Out of the 2012-2013 Postseason

Alex Oriakhi (right)/AP Images

The University of Connecticut men’s basketball appeal on their postseason ban due to low Academic Performance Rate (APR) scores, was upheld by the NCAA, meaning the Huskies will not be eligible for next seasons postseason. 



By Lauren Dellipoali


This has a lot of ramifications for the Huskies, who will more than likely lose the majority of their roster to transfers or the NBA. Alex Oriakhi has already said he will be transferring and is looking at other schools. Because UConn cannot make the postseason, any transfer will be able to play right away and will not be forced to sit out a year.


It is still unclear as to whether or not UConn will be able to play in the Big East tournament, or if they would want to. The Huskies typically play well in the tournament, and their games are typically exciting (see their games against SU). If they cannot play in the Big East tournament, it will be a major blow to the tournament which has already lost crowd favorite Syracuse as well as Pittsburgh to the ACC. 


UConn is one of the best public research universities, and hold their student-athletes to a high standard according to their President Susan Herbst. They are also the first team to be banned from the postseason due to low ARP scores, and they may not be the last. There have been rumblings that the NCAA is taking a closer look at Syracuse’s academic performance as well. 


The scores used for UConn were not the most recent scores, which would have made them eligible, rather they were from later years, but that did not help UConn during their appeal. 


This also puts the career of head coach Jim Calhoun in even more question. After taking a leave of absence during the season, many have questioned if he would return, and the fact that he would basically be coaching a lame duck team may make his decision to retire even more realistic. 


So come March next year, the madness will be missing one of its biggest and most successful teams, and who knows, maybe more teams will follow in UConn’s unfortunate footsteps. 

UConn Losing Key Players Due to Sanctions

Alex Oriakhi/AP Images

As of right now, we will not be seeing UConn in next year’s NCAA Tournament due to their low ARP score and graduation rates. The University is challenging this ruling, but it does not look good.


By Lauren Dellipoali


Because of this ruling, UConn will probably lose the majority of their key players from this year’s team either to transfers or to the NBA.

Alex Oriakhi is the first player to openly look for a transfer, as his father said earlier that his son would look to play on a team that has a chance to make the tournament. Oriakhi, who will be a senior, will not be forced to sit out a year like most transfers because UConn will be ineligible for tournament play, and the NCAA would grant him a waiver to play immediately. If the ban is lifted however, he will have to sit out a year with his new team.

Oriakhi is not a reason why UConn’s academic standing is so low. He boasts a 3.6 GPA, and his departure will hurt UConn’s standing even more. He may not be the last UConn player to leave, as many are expecting either or both Jeremy Lamb and Alex Boatright to explore other options.

There is no word on what teams Oriakhi is looking into at this point, but he has many options. He may end up with a team in the ACC according to some rumors that have been circulating. Wherever he ends up they will have a solid player as he averaged 6.7 points and 4.8 rebounds, which was slightly disappointing for him and his team. He is still a solid defensive player, and could be in high regard as he is low risk, high reward.

As the tournament is still going on, there is really no interest in him or other possible transfers, but once the tournament is over and teams find out who is staying and who is leaving, expect the market to heat up for Oriakhi and other possible UConn transfers. Especially watch out for teams who know all they need is one player defensively to make them a National Title contender, possibly Duke or even Kentucky.