Welcome to The Holy Land of Hoops

That being said, don't sleep on the new Big East, either. The Catholic 7 schools of Marquette, Georgetown, Seton Hall, Villanova, St. John's, Providence and DePaul added three salty opponents in Creighton, Butler and Xavier. This will also be one of the best leagues in the country.

St. John's Red Storm: I never understood why Jakarr Sampson didn't receive more hype last season. As a freshman, the forward averaged 14.9 points and 6.6 rebounds, yet Steve Lavin was able to convince the NBA prospect to return for his sophomore season. Even without Sampson, St. John's roster would've been loaded. Chris Obekpa ranked second in the country in blocks last season with 4.1 per game, and D'Angelo Harrison averaged a team-high 17.8 points. Both return along with bruising forward God'sgift Achiuwa, who redshirted last season. Another important piece will be incoming freshman Rysheed Jordan, the No. 3-ranked point guard in the Class of 2013.

"Steve Lavin has the Storm poised to take the next step as the new era of Big East basketball is about to begin. This is as deep, long and athletic a group as there is in the new league. Last season, St. John's took a step forward by winning 17 games and advancing to the NIT despite relying on a roster of underclassman players. The addition of 6-9 forward Orlando Sanchez -- a 2011 junior college All-American who was granted a waiver and a season of eligibility by the NCAA -- and top-25 point guard Rysheed Jordan to a talented group of returners will put the Storm in position to not only make the NCAA tournament but advance. SJU will be led by sophomore Jakarr Sampson, a rangy and athletic 6-8 forward with a knack for scoring. He is joined up front by shot-blocking maven Chris Obekpa, who averaged 4.0 blocks and 6.2 rebounds in 26 minutes of play. God'sgift Achiuwa gives Lavin a serviceable physical post to complement Sanchez, Sampson and Obekpa. Jordan is the real deal. A "Philly" point guard, he has a feel for the game. He plays with pace and maturity. All of this together will make the Storm hard to beat come March."

Edrick wrote:butler doesnt have a tournament team