Rudy Gay
6’9” Forward, Connecticut
The defending Co-Freshman of the Year (along with Georgetown’s Jeff Green) in the conference returns his high-flying act to the hardwood as the Connecticut Huskies look to get back to the Big East Championship and the Final Four.
Gay has the most potential of any young player in college basketball, and has been voted the Preseason Co-Player of the Year by Big East coaches (along with Syracuse’s Gerry McNamara) for good reason. He has the length to challenge other teams in the paint, and while he can electrify any crowd with his breakaway dunks, the sophomore’s soft touch from outside resulted in a 46 percent three-point shooting accuracy during his rookie campaign.
While averaging a modest 11.8 points per game in 28 minutes a contest, the 6’9” Gay grabbed 5.4 rebounds per game and blocked nearly two shots a game in 2004-05. The talented Baltimore area product will be even more valuable for UConn Head Coach Jim Calhoun now that guard Marcus Williams is suspended until at least next semester.
While the eventual return of Williams is expected to make a difference for the Huskies, they will go as far as Gay can take them. UConn will rely on the perimeter presence of Gay to take the pressure off of F/C Josh Boone down low. This can only mean his numbers will go up. He has the advantage of playing with several experienced seniors and juniors as well. At the end of the season, Gay will still be a top pick for conference player of the year.
Gerry McNamara
6’2” Guard, Syracuse
Is he still here? It seems like ages ago that a young McNamara teamed up with Carmelo Anthony and Hakim Warrick to bring a national championship to upstate New York. Now McNamara enters his senior year, and with the 2005 first-round pick Warrick gone (and we know what happened to ‘Melo), McNamara is the face of the Orange.
This do-everything 6’2” guard throws daggers from beyond the three-point arc, shooting 34 percent from three-point land and averaging 15.8 points per game last season. Throughout his career he has always hit the big shots, which is especially important now that McNamara is the guy for ‘Cuse. He also showed his great touch with last year’s 93 percent free throw shooting percentage.
McNamara is very capable at the point as well, increasing his assist average last year to 4.9 per game. The 2005 Preseason Co-Player of the Year will be relied upon to run the point without Billy Edelin or a top point guard on the team. Rest assured, though, that the sweet shooting McNamara will still get his points.
What cannot be overlooked is his importance to the Jim Boeheim 3-2 zone defense, in which McNamara had nearly two steals per game last season. In his first three seasons McNamara has played at least 35 minutes per game. He still won’t be getting much rest from the young Orange, who will rely on him to lead them as their only standout senior.
Taquan Dean
6’3” Guard, Louisville
The Louisville Cardinals in the Big East? Get used to it. And while you’re at it, get used to watching 6’3” Taquan Dean showcase his talent consistently against the opposition.
The Cardinals have lost contributors Francisco Garcia, Ellis Myles and Larry O’Bannon, but Head Coach Rick Pitino’s 2005-06 squad is not your typical rebuilding project. Louisville is boasting one of the top first-year recruiting classes this season, and while the performance of the first years will be integral to the team’s success, no player will be more important to leading these young ones than the experienced Dean.
The savvy senior combo guard is no stranger to the NCAA Tournament, as he helped the Cardinals reach the Final Four last season. Another major upside is that Dean’s numbers have improved significantly in every single major statistical category every year he has played.
Despite battling mononucleosis in the 2004-05 Final Four run, he averaged 14.4 points per game???behind NBA first round pick Garcia and the senior O’Bannon. Dean also impressed fans by shooting an improved 45 percent from beyond the arc and rounded out a solid stat line with four rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
Louisville is a young team who must turn to a leader. This year’s Cardinals, fresh off a Final Four appearance, will be Dean’s team.
Allan Ray
6’2” Guard, Villanova
After helping Villanova nearly beat eventual champion North Carolina in a wild finish to last year’s NCAA Tournament, Allan Ray returns to the Final Four hopeful Wildcats along with the core of their team. They will start the season fifth in the country in the Associated Press poll and fourth in the USA Today poll. Ray and the Wildcats are also the Big East coaches’ preseason pick to take home the Big East title. While the hearts of the ‘Nova faithful stopped briefly at the news of forward Curtis Sumpter’s devastating knee injury during training camp, the return of the other four starters eases the pain.
The Bronx, NY native Ray is a great reason to like the ‘Cats’ chances this season. The tenured senior continued to demonstrate his knack for putting the ball in the hoop as he led the team in scoring with over 16 points per game last year (17 per game in conference match-ups) in 31 minutes a contest. One of his many highlights included a 27-point outburst in the upset against then-No. 2 Kansas, a win that catapulted Jay Wright’s team to a 24-8 record. With the indefinite loss of Sumpter, the 6’2” Ray will lead the attack, making him one of the top players to watch in the conference.
