AP Photo/Garry Jones

After a very public offseason scandal, facing Big East student sections won't be easy for Rick Pitino.

10 offseason storylines

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com

1. What will happen with UConn? It's been all quiet on the NCAA investigation front recently. Connecticut recently reported 17 minor violations involving the football and men's and women's basketball teams, but they had nothing to do with manager-turned-agent Josh Nochimson. But quiet doesn't mean the NCAA stopped caring. Usually it means the NCAA is knee-deep in its investigation. And with Ater Majok, one of the players reported involved with Nochimson, set to make his debut in December, things could get interesting … if not downright messy.

2. Will Rick Pitino withstand the heat? With the salacious details about his encounter with accused extortionist Karen Sypher now public, the Louisville coach is going to face an uncomfortable season. If he thought walking into Rupp Arena as the Cards' coach for the first time was tough, wait until he goes to Kentucky this season. Pitino's camp remains steadfast that the coach isn't going anywhere, even with best friend and veteran head coach Ralph Willard at his side should he need to bail. But Sypher's trial still looms.

3. Will the tournament format change … again? Last year the bloated league invited everyone to the Garden party for the Big East tournament, resulting in a five-day marathon of games. But at the end of the tourney, several coaches complained that the double bye afforded the top four seeds was more punishment than reward, a claim reinforced after two of those top four squads were eliminated Wednesday. Now the league may bag the byes altogether, inviting the top four teams to play the bottom four Tuesday, seeds 5 through 12 to duke it out Wednesday and the winners to reconvene in Thursday's quarterfinals. The championship game would be held Saturday as usual. Nothing is official yet, but if the coaches want the change -- and they do -- expect it to be implemented by March.

4. Is the Beast still in the East? Ten teams? Nine? All anyone wanted to know this time last year was how many Dance cards the Big East would punch. The answer was eight, including three No. 1 seeds. But the game is nothing if not cyclical, and a year after reaping the rewards of rosters left untouched by the NBA, the Big East finds itself minus many of its stars thanks to the draft's call. Syracuse alone kissed Jonny Flynn, Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris goodbye. Earl Clark took an early flier from Louisville, DeJuan Blair did the same at Pittsburgh and Connecticut lost Hasheem Thabeet. Mix in the seniors whose time expired -- Terrence Williams, A.J. Price and Dante Cunningham, just to name a few -- and the conference will have to prove its worth on the shoulders of a new crop of talent.

5. Will they play? Just how long the suspensions of Joe Mazzulla and Darryl "Truck" Bryant last will determine just how good West Virginia will be. The two guards were suspended indefinitely for separate incidents: Mazzulla in April after an altercation outside a Morgantown bar (his second arrest in nine months) and Bryant in July, after being charged for leaving the scene of an accident. Mazzulla missed the bulk of last season after fracturing the growth plate in his shoulder. Bryant was his replacement. Without them, WVU is woefully short in the backcourt. It will take some time before the two know their fate, with both the legal wheels and the university judicial process needing to sort things out.

6. Can the New York area be relevant again? It's been a long time since someone in the city's footprint has been a player in the league. Heck, until everyone was invited to the Big East tournament last season, those area teams often struggled just to make it to MSG. But an influx of transfers and some returning talent is giving the locals reason to hope. Seton Hall brings in three transfers -- Jeff Robinson from Memphis, Keon Lawrence from Missouri and Herb Pope from New Mexico State -- who will contribute immediately; a healthy Anthony Mason Jr. should help right St. John's fortunes and Rutgers, while suffering a setback with the dismissal of Corey Chandler, brings back high-scoring Mike Rosario.

7. Does a new commissioner mean big changes? Not likely. Mike Tranghese's retirement removes a strong voice and steward from the game but replacement John Marinatto is cut from the same cloth: a guy who cut his teeth working under Dave Gavitt at Providence, spent 14 years there and seven more as the Big East associate commissioner. He is different than Tranghese in personality, and perhaps because he is new to the position, not yet quite as strong. But he is no less an avid lover of basketball. Expect him to follow Tranghese's lead.

8. How good can Cincinnati be? Mick Cronin took the leap of faith plenty of other coaches passed on, signing mercurial star Lance Stephenson to a letter of intent. On the court, there's no question he can get it done. He is New York City's all-time leading scorer, with 2,946 career points. If Cronin can keep Stephenson under control off the court and curb any potential ego clashes, the Bearcats -- a much-improved 8-10 in the league a year ago -- could be a sleeper team this season.

9. Will Luke Harangody be rewarded for staying put? The Irish were an unpredictable mess last season, enduring a seven-game midseason slide that nearly sent them completely out of the postseason. No one would have blamed Harangody, the league's leading scorer, for bolting for the draft. Instead, he decided to stick around for his senior season. Will the decision pay off with an NCAA tourney berth?

10. Orange you going to say goodbye? After that epic performance in the six-overtime win over UConn, Jonny Flynn was a goner for the NBA. But then Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris decided to join him. Suddenly the Orange went from a team poised for a huge season to a team full of uncertainty.

10 key players

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com

• Jerome Dyson, Connecticut: The Huskies' hopes for a national title took a dive last season when Dyson tore his lateral meniscus in February. Dyson gives Connecticut a proven offensive talent and a solid defender, not to mention much-needed experience for a team in something of a transitional year.

• Mouphtaou Yarou, Villanova: How far the Wildcats go may depend heavily on how quickly the rookie big man succeeds. Jay Wright always has been a guard's coach, and Villanova has no shortage of backcourt talent again this year. But it is not a coincidence that when the Wildcats finally found a talented inside man -- Dante Cunningham -- they went to the Final Four. If Yarou, with the help of fellow freshman Isaiah Armwood, can make up for Cunningham's loss, Nova might be busy on the final weekend of the season again.

• Greg Monroe, Georgetown: The Big East Rookie of the Year put up great numbers during a puzzling season for the Hoyas. He wisely decided to stay put for his sophomore year, and presuming whatever chemistry issues ailed Georgetown last year are gone, he should become a dominant post player in the league.

• Lazar Hayward, Marquette: The triumvirate is gone: Jerel McNeal, Dominic James and Wesley Matthews have left the building. This is Hayward's team now. A willing second fiddle to the trio of guards, the undersized big man quietly put up great numbers last season -- 16.3 points, 8.6 rebounds -- but now this is his team.

• Cashmere Wright, Cincinnati: Losing their point guard in the preseason was a serious blow to the Bearcats and their chances of making a serious run. With Wright back on the court, Mick Cronin can roll out a talented three-guard lineup in Cincy.

• Herb Pope and Keon Lawrence: The two bring equal parts talent and baggage to South Orange. Pope, the third-leading scorer at New Mexico State before transferring, was shot at a party in Pittsburgh before petitioning the NCAA for a transfer closer to home -- which of course landed him six hours from home. Lawrence averaged 11 points for Missouri before bolting. He had his share of disagreements with Mizzou coach Mike Anderson.

• Devin Ebanks, West Virginia: Ridiculously talented, Ebanks is a good sleeper pick for league player of the year for a Bob Huggins team that could be very good, assuming it hammers out those pesky suspension issues.

• Anthony Mason Jr., St. John's: He missed all but three games last season with a foot injury, tabling the Red Storm's hopes of dramatic improvement when he went down. Now the Johnnies are hoping the return of Mason, who was granted a fifth year by the NCAA, is the first of many good things to come.

• Jermaine Dixon, Pittsburgh: The lone returning starter for Pitt will have a lot to shoulder if the Panthers are going to keep their successful run going. This is his team, and more, his backcourt, now that Levance Fields is gone. How he handles his new role will go a long way in determining Pittsburgh's success.

10 freshmen we can't wait to see

By John Stovall
Scouts Inc.

• Lance Stephenson, SG, Cincinnati: As far as a college player, believe the hype with Stephenson. He's strong and talented and will be an impact player immediately. He should be among the Bearcats' top scorers as a freshman.

• Alex Oriakhi, C, UConn: Oriakhi is a big-bodied post. He should be an excellent role player in time at UConn. As his skills improve he should become more of a focal point for the Huskies offensively. He's an excellent rebounder, shot-blocker and defender.

• Hollis Thompson, SF, Georgetown: Thompson actually skipped his senior year of high school and redshirted last year at Georgetown. He's skilled offensively and a solid shooter. He should be able to take on a scoring role immediately.

• Dante Taylor, PF, Pitt: Taylor's 6-8, athletic and skilled. He's a ready-made power forward for the Big East. He could pick up where DeJuan Blair left off.

• Peyton Siva, PG, Louisville: Siva is a super-athletic, quick and skilled point guard. He's not a great shooter, but he can do everything else they need. He should get major playing time, if not start.

• Junior Cadougan, PG, Marquette: With the loss of Dominic James, there's an opening at point guard for Buzz Williams' squad. Cadougan is more of a distributor, but he can also score from the point guard spot. He has a good basketball idea and should fit right in in Milwaukee.

• Johnnie Lacy, PG, Providence: This undersized point guard can score with the best of them. He can get the ball and run with it, which makes him a perfect fit for Providence's system.

• Mouphtaou Yarou, Villanova: He's big, strong and has solid skills. "Mouph" should definitely have an immediate impact. He's physically ready to play and skilled enough to have his presence felt right away in the Big East.

• Dominic Cheek, SG, Villanova: He's talented enough to be an all-conference player. He has to improve his motor, but once that happens he'll be heading to the next level. Look for Villanova's two other recruits -- Maalik Wayns and Isaiah Armwood -- to make an immediate impact as well.

• Deniz Kilicli, PF, West Virginia: Kilicli is big, strong and tough. He's physically ready to compete. He has solid skills and should be a four-year contributor.

10 nonconference games we can't wait to see

By Dana O'Neil
ESPN.com

• Louisville at Kentucky, Jan. 2: Seriously, you have to ask why? The bitterness now involved in this rivalry makes the Civil War look like a little dust-up. Are you going to honestly say you'll be watching anything else the moment Rick Pitino walks onto the court at Rupp?

• Connecticut vs. Kentucky, Dec. 9 (SEC-Big East Invitational): There is no love lost between the two head coaches, and as the one-time bitter New England rivals now go head-to-head nationally for recruits and wins, things only get testier. This SEC-Big East Invitational game in New York should feature some of the best talent in the nation.

• Georgetown vs. Butler (Jimmy V Classic), Dec. 8: Last season, the Hoyas were a chemical imbalance; the Bulldogs, the picture of harmony. With a solid core group returning for Butler, this game at Madison Square Garden will be a great way for Georgetown to gauge whether it has found enough inner peace to survive the Big East season.

• Cincinnati at Xavier, Dec. 13: This heated intra-city rivalry gets more interesting with the Bearcats' improved fortunes and the Musketeers' new coaching staff. Cashmere Wright and Terrell Holloway handling the point guard duties liven up the action.

• West Virginia at Purdue, Jan. 1: Two teams cut of the same blue-collar cloth go head-to-head. A healthy Robbie Hummel puts the Boilermakers among the elite in the country; Devin Ebanks does the same for the Mountaineers.

• Texas at Connecticut, Jan. 23: Good grief, is this any way to break up the rigors of the Big East schedule? A visit by a potential top-five team, less than a week after a trip to Ann Arbor to play John Beilein's ever-improving Michigan squad? Yikes.

• Villanova vs Maryland, Dec. 6 (BB&T Classic): Two of the most exciting guards in the nation, Greivis Vasquez an Scottie Reynolds, square off in the nation's capital. The Terps, who return just about everybody, are good enough to give Big East favorite Villanova a run for its money.

• Syracuse vs. Florida, Dec. 10 (SEC-Big East Invitational): Both teams have questions to answer and holes to fill. The Cuse was surprised to lose Eric Devendorf and Paul Harris; the Gators were equally shocked when Nick Calathes bolted. Can these two programs stay in the hunt? An early answer could be given with this matchup in Tampa.

• St. John's vs. Siena, Nov. 27 (Philly Hoop Group Classic): Ordinarily a MAAC team pitted against a Big East team wouldn't turn many heads. But Siena isn't your typical MAAC team, and the Johnnies haven't been your traditional Big East power. While the rest of New York languished, the Saints moved alongside Syracuse as the best teams in the state. Loaded again this year, Siena will offer a stern test for a Red Storm team hoping this is the season it is relevant again.

Potential matchups …

• Villanova vs. Georgia Tech, Nov. 20 (Puerto Rico Tip-Off): This is a big if, because the Yellow Jackets would need to knock off A-10 favorite Dayton in the first round (and Nova has to beat always-pesky George Mason), but this semifinal matchup would feature some of the best freshmen in the country: Mouphtaou Yarou, Isaiah Armwood, Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek for Villanova; Derrick Favors and Mfon Udofia for Georgia Tech. Mix in the fact that Tech coach Paul Hewitt, like Jay Wright, is a Rollie Massimino disciple and you have the stuff for a high-level game in November.

• Connecticut vs. Duke, Nov. 27 (NIT Season Tip-Off): If the NIT gets its dream final, this will be a great early-season matchup pitting two of the premier programs in America in a rare matchup against each other. Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker will be a nice test for Jon Scheyer and the depth-free Blue Devils backcourt.