Projected order of finish
1-5. Check back Tomorrow
6. West Virginia
7. Cincinnati
8. Pittsburgh
9. Notre Dame
10. Rutgers
11. Depaul
12. Marquette
13. Providence
14. St. Johns
15. Seton Hall
16. South Florida
The middle of the pack in the New Big East is very much up for grabs. With TV time, national attention, and potential NCAA tourney bids up for grabs, a team in this conference probably needs to at least finish in the top seven or eight to feel safe about being included in the field of 64 at the season's end. It still isn't clear just how many bids a 16 team conference will receive, and there is much concern from coaches around the league that the worst teams in the league will struggle getting exposure. These are the teams fighting to stay above water, so to speak. West Virginia likely belongs with the first group, but teams like Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, and Cincinnati will be battling it out for program legitimacy this season. Rutgers has struggled recently, but there are several things working in the favor of the Scarlet Knights. An easy schedule, a standout recruiting class, and the presence of rising star assistant coach Fred Hill gives Rutgers the nod over several other programs trying to claw their way up from the bottom.
West Virginia
2005 Record: (24-11, 8-8)
Postseason: NCAA, lost to Louisville in the Elite Eight
Head Coach: John Beilein
Key Losses:
F Tyrone Sally (12.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
C DOr Fischer (7.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Newcomers:
SG Alex Ruoff, Brooksville, FL
SF Joe Alexander, Hargrave Military Academy
C Rob Summers, jr, transfer from Penn State
Rotation
PG 62 JD Collins, sr
SG 66 Johannes Herber, sr
SF 64 Mike Gansey, sr
PF 65 Franklin Young, jr
C 611 Kevin Pittsnogle, sr
PG 62 Darris Nichols, so
SG 64 Patrick Beilein, sr
SF 67 Joe Alexander, fr
C 70 Rob Summers, jr
In what would become one of the most inspiring Cinderella stories in the history of March Madness, the West Virginia Mountaineers managed to knock off #2 seed Wake Forest in a truly epic battle. They next battled Louisville right down to the wire, just missing out on an improbable Final Four appearance. This was a .500 Big East team spreading the floor, refusing to miss, and sending the most powerful programs in the nation scrambling. Now, the question that every college basketball fan wishes they had the answer to - can John Beilein and the Mountaineers do it again? Its highly doubtful that the team will be able to shoot 18-27 from beyond the arc (as they did against Louisville) on a regular basis. Two key interior performers, Tyrone Sally and DOr Fischer, are gone. However, the outside shooters remain. Dont think for a moment that Mike Gansey, Kevin Pittsnogle, Johannes Herber, and Patrick Beilein wont be tearing up the nets on a nightly basis. The loss of Sally might be the most critical, as his athletic presence in the lane was very crucial for a team that had very little explosiveness from other sources. In the end, it is hard to categorize this team as your typical Elite Eight squad returning the majority of its roster. The things that made last years run so magical are the same reasons it doesnt make sense to get too optimistic about the Mountaineers in 2006. Nonetheless, West Virginia has a lot of crucial weapons back and will be in the mix in the upper half of the Big East.
Mike Gansey (12.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg) was a revelation in March, and his 29 point outburst against Wake Forest is a moment that this writer will never forget. He attacked the basket, hit contested perimeter jumpers, and created his own shot at will. Gansey knows hes not going to beat people with his athleticism, and has found ways around that. Hes actually a great all-around player, contributing as a ball-handler, passer, and scorer. Expect Gansey to develop into Beileins go-too scorer, if he can carry over the attacking mentality he showed late last season into a new year.
The rest of the Mountaineer backcourt returns as well, and thats definitely a good thing. Johannes Herber (8.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and coachs son Parick Beilein (8.3 ppg), both seniors, draw defenders away from the basket with their shooting ability, and are heady enough to just keep up in other aspects of the game. The team is in good hands with senior floor general JD Collins (3.8 ppg, 3.3 apg), who acquitted himself quite nicely against pressure defenses in the NCAA tourney. If Beilein needs an extra ball-handler or penetrator, sophomore Darris Nichols (3.0 ppg) can step in. He is more than ready to step in for Collins as the starter next season.
The frontcourt battles are likely where Coach Beilein has his work cut out for him, though the West Virginia system isnt overly reliant on big men. Sticking with the theme of perimeter shooting, specialist Kevin Pittsnogle (11.9 ppg) went ballistic in the tourney and earned himself an NBA tryout later in the spring. The pre-draft camp wasnt a successful foray, and thus Pittsnogle returns. He isnt an active rebounder and shies away from contact in general, but any 611 player that is as comfortable shooting the ball from twenty five feet as from five is going to be a factor. It seems as though Beilein has only grudgingly played Pittsnogle over the years, but he really doesnt have a choice this season.
Tyrone Sally and DOr Fischer are gone, and with them goes any semblance of a presence closer to the basket. While neither player is irreplaceable on their own, their strengths allowed the rest of the team to do what it does best spread the floor and shoot. The replacement for Fischer is likely Rob Summers, a transfer from Penn State. Summers didnt set the world on fire as a Nittany Lion, but is yet another dangerous outside shooter than Beilein will try to utilize. PF is a bigger problem, even if Beilein is perfectly comfortable playing an undersized or combo guy here. Undersized is what he has, in 65 junior Frank Young (3.3 ppg). Young is athletic and will put up a fight, but one cant help but think Beilein could use a little extra beef here. Another possible contributor is freshman Joe Alexander, who has impressed with his length and athleticism in the preseason.
With a veteran laden lineup and a system that kicked into gear in shocking fashion last spring, West Virginia is a team primed to have another successful season. However, it remains to be seen whether the Mountaineer shooters can continue the momentum that was created during last seasons late streak. Beileins system makes it easier on his players, but there still has to be somebody in the middle to get some easy baskets. What happens on an off night? Its very likely that this team will finish better than the 8-8 it did a season ago, but also very hard to believe that the Mountaineers will be able to take down teams like the Wake Forest of last year on a consistent basis.
Recruiting Update: Beilein needed to recruit some bodies for next fall, and he has done just that. There will be at least seven new faces on campus next fall, including another perimeter oriented big man in Butler transfer Jamie Smalligan. The preps here will completely revamp the perimeter attack. The group is led by wings Devan Bawinkel and Desean Butler, who signed despite interest from other big time programs. Wing forward Wellington Smith and big man Jacob Green are also names to keep an eye on. All in all, a successful recruiting haul for Beilein, who hadnt had much luck in recent years.