UConn again is the pick to win the league, as the Big East looks to atone for putting only three teams into the 2024 NCAAs
• 14 min read
The purest basketball conference of them all. Eleven teams, the only high-major round-robin schedule left in the sport, immense hate between geographically sensible rivals, Hall-of-Famers in its coaching ranks, the best venue of ’em all for a league tournament — and the two-time reigning national champs.
The Big East. Nothing like it.
This league just feels different … yet also all too familiar and comfortable. Like this is how college basketball is supposed to be.
And yet, for as much as UConn’s dominance has done for the conference, the Big East is trying to make sure last March’s trio of NCAA snubs doesn’t repeat itself in 2025. Three teams (Connecticut, Marquette, Creighton) easily made the NCAAs with top-three seeds. But Seton Hall, St. John’s and Providence missed out despite having résumés right near the cut line. It was shocking to see none of them break through, with some of that due to the unprecedented number of bid thieves that upped the drama of champ week.
Three bids tied for the fewest amount in conference history, joining the first two years the Big East existed (1979 and ’80, when the tournament was 48 teams) and 1993 (when it was a perfect 64-school bracket). That means the Big East never had a lesser percentage of teams represented in March Madness than 2024. The goal for 2025 is to double last year’s number, and if not that, send at least five to the Big Dance.
Let’s set the table on a conference that has ranked third-best at KenPom.com on average over the past three years.
Big East Preseason Player of the Year
Ryan Kalkbrenner | Creighton | C | Super senior
By passing on the NBA and opting into his COVID bonus season, Kalkbrenner gives Creighton a viable chance to compete for the Big East title. He averaged 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.1 blocks for the Bluejays a season ago. Kalkbrenner also doubles as the preseason defensive player of the year in the conference — because he’s won it three years in a row. (If he does it again, will he become the first four-time DPOY in a league? Genuinely curious if that’s EVER been done in men’s D-I.) He also might wind up being the DPOY nationally after finishing as a finalist in ’23-24.
With 1,771 points, 843 rebounds and 306 blocks to his name, Kalkbrenner has a shot at finishing with 2,000-plus points, 1,100-plus rebounds and 400-plus blocks. If he does it, he’d join Tim Duncan (2,117 points, 1,570 rebounds, 481 blocks) as the only players to hit those thresholds in all three categories. Plus, the big guy got married this past offseason. Kalkbrenner’s literally as committed as ever, which is appropriate, because Creighton will rely on him more in the months ahead than any previous season.
Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year
Liam McNeeley | Connecticut | SF
The unanimous pick from CBS Sports voters to be the best Big East frosh. The 19-year-old from Richardson, Texas, was the 10th-ranked player in 2024, per 247 Sports. He projects as a starter for the reigning two-time champions. The Huskies will have to find a lot of production after losing four starters off the 2024 title-winning squad. McNeeley is a tough-nosed scorer who figures to buy into Dan Hurley’s system.
He’s also the most likely freshman in the Big East to earn the most minutes and shot attempts. The Huskies just had the best freshman in the league and watched him go top-five in the draft. McNeeley isn’t the defender Steph Castle was, but he can be a much more reliable scorer and arguably an even more vocal presence on the court. If UConn’s going to push for a third straight Final Four, McNeeley can’t get lost in the shuffle. We like his chances to rank among the best newbies in hoops.
Four more players to watch
Alex Karaban | SF/PF | UConn: After seriously deliberating staying in the NBA Draft, Karaban turned down a multi-year guaranteed contract in the second round to return to Storrs and chase college sports immortality. Karaban averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and shot 38% from 3-point range on 214 attempts as a sophomore. With 77 starts to his name, Karaban now moves into a go-to role after playing a crucial and clutch complementary piece as a freshman and a sophomore. As he goes, so go the Huskies.
Kam Jones | SG | Marquette: At 17.2 points per game last season, the only returning player to the Big East who averaged more than Jones was Kalkbrenner, narrowly (17.3). Jones is a fourth-year shooting guard who may see a few more opportunities to run Shaka Smart’s offense now that Tyler Kolek is on the Knicks. He works best off the ball, though, and will try to be a 40% 3-point shooter for a second consecutive season. Few players in the conference can match Jones’ killer instinct when hunting big shots.
Kadary Richmond | SG | St. John’s: Oh, the drama! Richmond, who began at Syracuse, spent the past three seasons building out a strong college career with Seton Hall. Having one year of eligibility left, Richmond cashed in and turned coat in-league to play for Rick Pitino at St. John’s. He’s poised to be SJU’s No. 1 option on offense. Will he exceed last year’s tremendous stat line? Going to be tough to top; the Brooklyn native is coming off averages of 15.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 2.2 steals.
Bryce Hopkins | Wing | Providence: Hopkins’ season ended on Jan. 3 against Seton Hall when he tore his left ACL. Fourteen games in, Hopkins was done after putting up 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds as the top option for Kim English in his first year guiding the Friars. There was some April consternation over whether Hopkins would hit the portal, but he stayed in Providence and should be one of the highest usage players in the conference. Hopkins was First Team All-Big East in 2022-23. If he returns to form, we like his chances to do it again in 2025.
