Mac Cerullo: While they are far from the trendy pick to win the Big East, West Virginia has all of the talent and experience necessary to win a Big East title. With four starters returning, including last years leading scorer Da'Sean Butler, as well as the addition of star junior college transfer Casey Mitchell, Bob Huggins' team should be considered a favorite to win the Big East.
Mike Northup: Fresh off a trip to the Final Four, Villanova comes into the 2009-10 season as the No. 5 team in the country and the odds-on favorite to win the Big East conference this season. The Wildcats will be returning most of the talent from last season, led by guard Scottie Reynolds. Add in the nation's third-best recruiting class and leadership from coach Jay Wright and the Wildcats should make good on all the predictions this season.
Mac Cerullo: Considering their top-10 national ranking, the West Virginia basketball team hasn't gotten a lot of buzz as a Big East contender. But the Mountaineers are loaded with talent this year and could surprise a lot of people. Led by their powerful frontcourt consisting of Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks, the Mountaineers should be considered one of the favorites to win this year's Big East championship.
Mike Northup: As good as West Virginia could be this year, Villanova is and will remain the team to beat in the Big East this season. While West Virginia's frontcourt is indeed impressive, Villanova's group of guards is second-to-none, led by last year's hero Scottie Reynolds. Combined with the nation's third-best recruiting class, the Wildcats will have the edge in the conference.
Mac: It's no secret that the Wildcats have talent this year, but the noise they have made with their Final Four appearance and renowned recruiting class will have everyone gunning for them right from the start. West Virginia also has a talented and experienced backcourt as well, featuring Darryl Bryant and Joe Mazzulla, and a steady hand to guide the team in Bob Huggins.
Mike: Everybody may be gunning for Villanova, but the Wildcats will certainly be ready for it. Their Final Four trip last year, surprising as it was, was no mistake. The Wildcats beat teams because they don't rely too heavily on any one player for their production. They have three players returning with at least 100 assists in Reynolds, Corey Fisher and Reggie Redding and are returning four of their top six scorers from last year.
Mac: The Mountaineers are also returning the majority of their scoring leaders, Butler averaged 17.1 points per game last season, and Devin Ebanks and Kevin Jones averaged 10.5 and 9.8 points per game respectively. Joining the squad is last year's National Junior College Player of the Year, Casey Mitchell, who can score from anywhere on the court and is just as comfortable shooting three pointers as he is slashing his way to the basket. He will be able to fill in for the departed Alex Ruoff right off the bat.
Mike: If you want to talk about highly-touted newcomers, Villanova's your team. The Wildcats will have four different freshmen who should be able to step in and contribute to the team right away, including McDonald's All-American Dominic Cheek and Rival's.com 10th-best overall prospect in forward/center Mouphtaou Yarou. The deep recruiting class will push an already good Villanova team to even greater heights this season, especially with most of the rest of the conference taking a step back.
Mac: West Virginia has all the pieces in place to play with anybody in the country, and although Villanova has the advantage on paper, West Virginia has a chip on their shoulder and should not be overlooked. The team is hungry after a first-round exit in last years NCAA Tournament, and with an experienced returning cast, a ton of talent, and a coach like Bob Huggins at the helm, West Virginia should be considered a favorite to win the Big East.
Mike: West Virginia may be hungry for success, but Villanova is already battle-tested and will certainly want to prove to all the doubters out there that last season's Final Four trip was no fluke. And when it comes to coaches, Villanova's Jay Wright is no pushover. The two-time Big East coach of the year has a streak of five straight 20-win seasons (his team is 126-45 in that span) since the 2004-05 season. But this season, should figure to be his best yet as the Wildcats should bring home the Big East title come springtime.
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