It’s still so early in the season, just about a week in yet, and most of the country has a small sample size to watch from. However, there were plenty of takeaways in the Big East after the first week of basketball and many of the usual suspects played like they were supposed to.
Player of the Week
Trevon Bluiett, G, Senior, Xavier Musketeers
One of the top players in not just the conference coming in but the whole country takes the opening Player of the Week honors this season. The 6’6” guard from Indianapolis was very solid last season, but he put himself and Xavier in a bigger spotlight with his stellar performances in the Big Dance in leading Xavier to the Elite Eight.
Coming into the season, Bluiett was named to the Preseason Wooden Award Watch List and he has not disappointed yet. Through three games, he is averaging 25.3 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and has already made 13 three-pointers. He is shooting an impressive 59.0 percent from the floor. One of the most underrated features of his game is his free throw shooting. He has been very efficient from the charity stripe the last three years and is already 17-17 on the season, including going 10-10 from the line in the Musketeers big 80-70 away victory over the great Wisconsin Badgers.
Bluiett was expected to be the star for Xavier and be there at the end competing for Big East Player of the Year and he is moving right along with that claim. He’s got Xavier 3-0 and rolling.
Who’s Hot
Shamorie Ponds, G, Sophomore, St. John’s Red Storm
The more your team wins, the more attention is brought to that team’s best players. Last year, St. John’s only won 14 games and one of their young star players Shamorie Ponds did not get enough facetime. St. John’s is 3-0 to start this young season and they look good. So does Ponds and the better the Red Storm do, the more attention Ponds will get.
St. John’s, led by third-year coach Chris Mullin, routed Big Ten’s Nebraska at home Thursday and Ponds put in work. He finished with 22 points and filled the stat sheet with seven rebounds and five assists. Through three games, the 6’1” guard is averaging 18.3 points per game, 7.7 rebounds and five assists per game. The combination of him and fellow sophomore guard Marcus LoVett has been deadly at Carnesecca Arena.
Ponds was one of the star players for the Red Storm coming into the season and, like Bluiett, he has not disappointed yet. It’s still pre-conference play and that’s where you make your money, but Ponds looks like he and the Red Storm are ready to take the next step.
Jessie Govan, C, Junior, Georgetown Hoyas
First-year head coach Patrick Ewing is off to a good start, with his Hoya squad at 2-0. A big reason for that success has been the great play of junior center Jessie Govan.
Govan only averaged 21 minutes a game last season, averaging just 10.1 points and five rebounds a contest on an abysmal Georgetown team. Ewing has increased his playing time and role significantly so far and it’s payed off. In two games this season, he has gone for 20 points in each contest and finished with 15 and 14 rebounds, respectively. Georgetown doesn’t have any big tests coming up yet, but Govan has been a nice bright spot on the very young season for Georgetown. Angel Delgado from Seton Hall was thought to be the lone true center of relevance coming into the season, but if the 6’10” Govan can keep it rolling into conference play, it should make for some good battles in the paint.
Creighton Bluejays
I predicted the Bluejays to take a significant step back this season and finish seventh in the conference standings, but I may have to eat my words soon. Creighton has come out firing on all cylinders so far and sit at 3-0 to start the year. They just got a huge win, on the road against the No. 20 ranked Northwestern Wildcats 92-88 Wednesday. Marcus Foster was supposed to be the guy coming in to the year and he has been, averaging 19.3 points per game. Junior guard Khyri Thomas has come alive, averaging 17.7 points per game to start and racked up a team high 24 points and 11 rebounds. Creighton is finding new ways to win with some of their biggest starts having left from last season and that is scary news for the rest of the Big East.
Who’s Not
Kelan Martin, F, Senior, Butler Bulldogs
There really is no true “Who’s Not” player or team to throw in here this early in the season with so little to base off, but Martin is the closest to it. Martin has gotten off to a good start this season, averaging 17.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game.
However, Butler thoroughly lost to Maryland on the road Wednesday 79-65. Martin came up small in the matchup, scoring just 12 points, securing only six rebounds, shooting just 5-15 from the floor and registering zero assists.
I think this matchup may speak more about Butler and their inability early to beat another Power 5 conference school than it may say about Martin himself. Martin is the leader of this team and without a doubt he will be relied upon heavily in games, like this, to pull out tough wins.
Top 5 Big East Player of the Year Candidates
1. Jalen Brunson, G, Junior, Villanova Wildcats
Brunson has taken over as the leader of the 2017-2018 Villanova Wildcats. He was already a solid facilitator of the offense, but now he should be relied upon more as a scorer. His defense is impeccable and he has great hands and footwork. Brunson should easily put up the same numbers as last season and even raise his scoring touch.
Xavier should be right up there with Nova competing for the top team in the conference. This is a star driven conference and you need a star player who can lead your team to the end. Bluiett is the guy to do it. He has shown it time and time again the last three seasons that he can score, be clutch when it matters and help Xavier win. His decision to come back for his senior season was probably impacted on the fact he had the chance to really lead the Musketeers to victory again.
3. Angel Delgado, C, Senior, Seton Hall Pirates
Delgado led the whole nation last season in rebounding and he has already secured double digit rebounds in all three games this season. Delgado should be the frontrunner to lead the NCAA in rebounds per game again this season and if his scoring comes up, he can be in the conversation for conference player of the year, depending on how Seton Hall finishes the regular season.
Like I said before, this pick really depends on how well St. John’s does as a program in the third year under Chris Mullin. Many, including myself, see the Red Storm taking a large step forward in competing in the Big East this season. If that happens, it almost certainly will be a result of the elevated play of Ponds and the backcourt.
5. Kelan Martin
It could be a very long season for Butler, who lost their head coach Chris Holtmann in the offseason to the head coaching vacancy at Ohio State. Although, if Martin puts up gaudy, stout numbers with a bad team in a lost season, that should get him recognition. If he can find a way to lead Butler to contention, that would help him even more. He has the ability and potential to do it.