Class of 2015 conference breakdown: Big East

ThenewlookBigEastmaynotcarrytheweightitoncedid,buttheconferencecontinuestoattractqualityrecruitstoitsprograms.First-yearheadcoachSteveWojciechowskiprovedthatbysecuringtheconference'stop-rankedrecruitingclass.Notonlythat,butMarquettealsohastheNo.7rankedclassinthe2015RivalsTeamRankings.

Bythenumbers

Overall,theBigEastprogramsdidaprettygoodjobofkeepinglocalandregionalprospectsfrombeingscoopedupbyoutsideprogramsandthenwentoutofregionforafewmarqueeguys.MarquettefoughtoffKentuckyandMichiganStatetokeepfive-starHenryEllensonin-state,whileVillanovapluckedfive-starpointguardJalenBrunson(thehighestrankedconferencesigneeatNo.15nationally)outofIllinois.

Intotal,BigEastprogramslanded11prospectscurrentlyrankedinthe2015Rivals150,alongwiththree-starprospectsNateFowler(Butler),SeanMcDermott(Butler),MarlonStewart(Creighton),DevellePhillips(DePaul),RyanFazekas&DrewEdwards(Providence)andTimDelaney(Villanova).

Thingstokeepaneyeon

AtonepointGeorgetownClickHeretoviewthisLink.hadverbalcommitmentsfromthreebigs,butNoahDickersonClickHeretoviewthisLink.insteadoptedtogotoFloridaClickHeretoviewthisLink..InMarcusDerricksonClickHeretoviewthisLink.,theHoyashaveaskilledbig-bodiedpowerforwardwiththeabilitytoplayinsideandoutside.Derricksoncanscoreandseesthecourtwellallowinghimtodelivertheballatthecorrecttimetohisteammates.HisphysiqueandconditioningwillimproveinBrewsterAcademy'sS&Cprogram;somethingthatwillonlyincreasetheNo.90-rankedprospect'salreadyhighlevelofplay.Withfour-starcenterJessieGovanClickHeretoviewthisLink.livinginthepaint,reboundingandprotectingtherim,theHoyashaveasolidfrontcourtforthefuture.

ChrisHoltmannisinterimcoachforButlerwhileheadcoachBrandonMillerisstillonamedicalleaveofabsence,butSeanMcDermottstillsignedwiththeBulldogs.McDermottspenthisjuniorseasonatPendletonHeights(Ind.)battlingastaphinfectionthatsidelinedhimfortwomonths.Nowhealthyandat6-foot-6,McDermottisawingwhocanshootitfrombeyondthearcbutisalsogoodatgettingdefendersoffbalancejustenoughtogetbythemforapullupmid-rangeshot,gettothebasketorusehisshotfaketopickupfoulsandgettothefreethrowline.Add6-foot-9,250-poundNateFowlerandyouhavealowpostplayerwithcollegereadysizeknowshowtopostupontheblocks,sealhismanandcallfortheball.Fowlerhasasolidbaseandlongarmsthathelphimgrabreboundseventhoughheisn'taprolificleaper.

RankingtheBigEastclasses

1.Marquette(7)

2.Villanova(16)

3.Georgetown(26)

4.Creighton

5.Providence

6.Xavier

7.Butler

8.DePaul

9t.SetonHall

ProvidencereachedintoCentralFloridatolandRivals150prospectAlexOwensClick9t.St.John'sHeretoviewthisLink..Heisn'tanexplosiveabovetherimtypeofpowerforward,butheknowshowtousehis6-foot-8,245-poundwidebodyondefenseandtogetpositionforrebounds.TheNo.109rankedprospectdoesn'tshyawayfromcontact,hasverygoodhands,reboundswellandfinishesaroundtherim.Owensisalsooneofthebestpassersathispositioninhisclass.

XavierClickHeretoviewthisLink.hashighhopesforRivals150forwardKaiserGatesClickHeretoviewthisLink..TheAtlantaareaproductis6-foot-7withgoodathleticismandtheabilitytoplaysomeontheinsideoroutontheperimeter.Thehopeisthathecanbeamatchupproblemwhoistobigformostsmallforwardsandtooquickformostpowerforwards.

St.John'ssufferedabigblowonThursdaywhenthenation'stoppointguardIsaiahBriscoeClickHeretoviewthisLink.pickedKentuckyovertheRedStorm.The2014-15seasonisacriticaloneforSteveLavinClickHeretoviewthisLink.andhisstaffandtheyneedrecruitingsuccessjustasmuchastheyneedonthefloorproduction.Theyarestillinitwithfive-starbigmanCheickDialloClickHeretoviewthisLink.andfour-starshootingguardBrandonSampsonClickHeretoviewthisLink.plustheygetavisitfromthree-starcomboguardSamirDoughtyClickHeretoviewthisLink.thisweekend.However,thepressuretolandadifferencemakerortwoisgrowing.

Finally, Seton HallClick Here to view this Link. picked up a commitment from shooting guard Dalton SofferClick Here to view this Link.. Relatively unknown until a productive July playing for Gamepoint Black, the product of Poway (Calif.) High School is a good spot up shooter but can sometimes struggle to create his own shot. After initially committing to play for Loyola (Md.) it will be interesting to see how Soffer's game translates to the Big East's style of play.

Russ Wood is a basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com and Inside the Gators. You can click here to follow him on Twitter..

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