Never Too Early for Big East Hoops

We've hit the half-way point of the summer, which means a new school year is around the corner. With that comes another exciting year of Big East Basketball. Recently the Home and Away opponents for each Big East school was announced. Schools will continue the recent format of playing each team once, either home or away, while 3 schools will be "repeat" opponents. Listed below are the opponents for each of the 16 squads with some thoughts about how each team will fare in the upcoming season.

2011-12 BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Schedule Breakdown

Courtesy of BigEast.org

CINCINNATI
Home	DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Villanova
Away	Connecticut, Georgetown, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, St. John’s, USF, Villanova, West Virginia
CONNECTICUT
Home	Cincinnati, DePaul, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, West Virginia
Away	Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse, Villanova
DE PAUL
Home	Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse
Away	Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Notre Dame, Rutgers, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Villanova, West Virginia
GEORGETOWN
Home	Cincinnati, Connecticut, Marquette, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, USF, Villanova
Away	DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, West Virginia
LOUISVILLE
Home	Connecticut, DePaul, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, USF, Syracuse, Villanova
Away	Cincinnati, DePaul, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, West Virginia
MARQUETTE
Home	Cincinnati, Georgetown, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, St. John’s, Seton Hall, USF, Villanova
Away	Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Providence, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia
NOTRE DAME
Home	Connecticut, DePaul, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, USF, Syracuse, West Virginia
Away	Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Rutgers, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Villanova, West Virginia
PITTSBURGH
Home	Cincinnati, Georgetown, Louisville, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, USF, Villanova, West Virginia
Away	Connecticut, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse, West Virginia
PROVIDENCE
Home	Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Rutgers, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse, West Virginia
Away	Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, St. John’s, USF, Syracuse, Villanova
RUTGERS
Home	Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Notre Dame, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia
Away	Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, USF, West Virginia
ST. JOHN’S
Home	Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Providence, Syracuse, Villanova, West Virginia
Away	Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Seton Hall, USF
SETON HALL
Home	Connecticut, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, St. John’s, West Virginia
Away	Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Marquette, Providence, Rutgers, USF, Syracuse, Villanova
USF
Home	Cincinnati, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, Seton Hall, Villanova, West Virginia
Away	DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Syracuse, Villanova
SYRACUSE
Home	Connecticut, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Providence, Seton Hall, USF, West Virginia
Away	Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Louisville, Notre Dame, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, Villanova
VILLANOVA
Home	Cincinnati, Connecticut, DePaul, Marquette, Notre Dame, Providence, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse
Away	Cincinnati, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, St. John’s, USF, West Virginia
WEST VIRGINIA
Home	Cincinnati, DePaul, Georgetown, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Villanova
Away	Connecticut, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rutgers, St. John’s, Seton Hall, USF, Syracuse

Each school’s three repeat opponents are in italics

Cincinnati led by senior Yancy Gates looks to build on where they left off last season. Head Coach Mick Cronin found himself on the hot seat going into the year but that quickly evaporated when he led his Bearcats to the Round of 32, falling to Big East foe and eventual champion UConn. As far as freshmen go, look for wings Shaquille Thomas and Jermaine Sanders to make an immediate impact. Home Game to Watch: Louisville.

Connecticut surprised everyone last year after a 9th place finish in the Big East. The Huskies finished the year on an 11-game winning streak to win both the Big East Tournament and NCAA Tournament. However this year, there is no Kemba Walker, and the team features just two players that are upperclassmen. Although inexperienced, these Huskies are mighty talented and I would expect them to be in the conversation come March. Home Game to Watch: Syracuse.

DePaul showed some improvements this year. While hard to prove with the win-loss record, rising sophomores Brandon Young and Cleveland Melvin look to be the face of Blue Demons Basketball. Look for this year's club to to be a lot better than DePaul teams of recent years, with freshman PG Shane Larkin pushing for playing time early. Home Game to Watch: Seton Hall.

Georgetown faces a lot of questions this year, not having won an NCAA Tournament game since 2008, and ending last season on the losing end in six of their final seven contests. This is unfamiliar territory for a program as storied as the Hoyas are, especially considering they welcome a new backcourt after losing Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, and Julian Vaughn. However, three freshmen look to make an immediate impact: small forward Otto Porter, who signed in the late signing period, center Mikael Hopkins, and shooting guard Jabril Trawick, who was impressive in the Mary Kline Classic. Home Game to Watch: St. John's.

Louisville seems to always be competitive. However this year, Head Coach Rick Pitino drew the ire of opposing fans when it was announced that his three returning leading scorers would all return to walk-on status in order to accommodate more recruits. This may add fuel to the fire when the Cardinals hit the road in league play. Look for freshman big man Chane Behanan to make an immediate impact and fill the bruiser role that have previously been filled by the likes of Samardo Samuels and Terrence Jennings. Home Game to Watch: Pittsburgh.

More previews to come soon... Check back later!