History says the Big East is pretty good at this whole transfer portal thing. The six players who were named first-team, All-Big East last season were in the transfer portal once upon a time. Tristen Newton? East Carolina transfer. Cam Spencer? Rutgers transfer. Baylor Scheierman? South Dakota State transfer. Tyler Kolek? George Mason transfer. Devin Carter? South Carolina transfer. Kadary Richmond? Syracuse transfer.
That’s a good pitch in the portal moving forward. Marquette chose not to add anyone out of the portal (we’ll see if that strategy was smart), but every other Big East team added numerous transfers to buff up their respective rotations. The hits (and misses) in the portal will loom large in a league that’s expected to be a menace next season.
Let’s dive into the realistic expectations for each of the 46 transfers set to suit up in the Big East next season.
Patrick McCaffery, from Iowa
Expected role: Wing rotation
McCaffery will turn 25 next March, so he’s a grizzled veteran. The 6-foot-9, 210-pound forward should see minutes off the bench behind Pierre Brooks and Jahmyl Telfort. Brooks and Telfort were iron soldiers last year who never came off the floor. McCaffery is a much better depth option than Butler had in the past on the wing, so maybe Thad Matta won’t have to ride Brooks and Telfort as much. McCaffery has to hold up his end of the bargain, though. He’s a solid shooter who you have to respect from 3-point range and McCaffery has the size to elevate from the midrange. But, he’s not much of a defender or creator. Ideally, Butler can use him as an off-the-bench, floor-spacing wing who isn’t asked to do too much.
Jamie Kaiser, from Maryland
Expected role:…
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