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Morning Brew: Big 12 vs. Big East

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By Tim Dwyer

Thursday, October 29, 2009

In the least surprising news of the last two weeks, Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich were named to the preseason All-Big 12 basketball team. Joining them were four other first teamers who could have gone pro and been picked somewhere in the top 45 of last year’s draft. The Big 12 looks to be, arguably, the best conference in the nation.

The argument on that will come most raucously from the Big East, home of half of last year’s Final Four and a consistent power on the national basis.

Because obsolete sports debates are kind of my forte, a colleague at ESPN and I debated: Which preseason all-conference team, of the two best conferences in the nation this year, would win?

Here’s the position breakdown, including the sixth man.

PG: Collins vs. Deonta Vaughn (Cincinnati)

There’s no question about this one.

Vaughn, a senior, is a very good player, putting up more than 15 points and just shy of five assists a game last year for the Bearcats, and he’ll be made even better by the arrival of freshman Lance Stephenson (yes, that Lance Stephenson) who was born ready — for what, I’m not sure. Problem is, I don’t think Vaughn is even the best point in his conference (Kemba Walker of Connecticut gets my vote).

Advantage: Big 12. In a big way.

SG: Willie Warren (Oklahoma) vs. Scottie Reynolds (Villanova)

Reynolds was an essential part of Villanova’s run to the Final Four last year. He epitomized clutch with his coast-to-coast layup with the clock winding down that sent Pitt home for the summer, and he’s the kind of leader that coaches would kill for.

Warren can score from absolutely anywhere on the floor. He averaged 14.7 points per game as a freshman, and showed incredible poise when he went bucket-for-bucket with Collins until the bitter end in an 87-78 loss to the Jayhawks in Norman. Warren, though, was wracked with inconsistency. (Exhibit A: In his next game, Warren was held scoreless.)

Advantage: Big East, but barely.

SF: Damion James (Texas) vs. Lazar Hayward (Marquette)

Numbers-wise, this one is pretty even. James has a slight edge in rebounding (9.2 to 8.6), while Hayward has the slight edge in scoring. (16.1 to 15.4). Both have to deal with the loss of the top guards at their schools. But James reminds me a little of DeJuan Blair. He’s only 6-feet-7, but he’s got a wingspan of over seven feet, and he’s incredibly strong in the paint. Blair, in case you’ve forgotten, was an All-American last year.

Advantage: Big 12, but barely.

PF: Craig Brackins (Iowa State) vs. Luke Harangody (Notre Dame)

Brackins is as prolific a scorer as the Big 12 has seen since Michael Beasley. His epic performance against the Jayhawks last year could have catapulted him into the first round of the NBA draft, but for whatever reason, he decided to return to school.

Harangody, though, could wind up winning the Naismith Award as player of the year. He averaged 23 points and 12 boards last year, and is a beast in every game he plays. Brackins just can’t compete with that type of dominance.

Advantage: Big East.

C: Aldrich vs. Greg Monroe (Georgetown)

Monroe was probably the best freshman in America last year. Aldrich was the second best true center in America last year, behind Connecticut’s Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet’s gone. That makes Aldrich the best true center in America. That means Monroe is not.

Lovely logic.

Advantage: Big 12.

Sixth Man: James Anderson (Oklahoma State) vs. Da’Sean Butler (West Virginia)

I bumped Anderson and Butler to the sixth man spot on personal feelings alone. It’s not to say they’re unworthy of their spots in this lineup.

Anderson averages one more point than Butler and they both average just shy of six boards a game. Anderson, though, is a little more versatile, logging time at both the two and the three. I’m giving him the nod based on that versatility.

Advantage: Big 12.

Final tally? Big 12, 4-2. What do they win? Nothing. Not yet at least.

They’ll have to wait for tipoff Nov. 9 for the victories to start counting.

— Edited by Arthur Hur

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