by Athlon Sports, Special to FOXSports.com

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1. UConn

For a program accustomed to winning Big East Conference championships with regularity, a couple of years without a title classifies as a drought among demanding UConn fans. The Huskies, owners of 10 regular-season crowns, could challenge for their first championship since 2005-06. Their roster has a potent mix of talent, athleticism, experience and impact freshmen. Four of five starters are back. Coach Jim Calhoun's aspirations extend beyond a Big East championship. He believes the Huskies can be a contender on the national scene.

2. Louisville

Rick Pitino won a national championship during the seventh season of his eight-year run at the University of Kentucky. Believe it or not, Pitino will coach his eighth team at the University of Louisville this season. And he says that this group has the ability to be as good as any team he's coached at Louisville. With power forward Earl Clark and versatile point-forward Terrence Williams leading the way, the Cardinals are loaded. But for the U of L to become an elite team, point guard Edgar Sosa must blossom and freshman big man Samardo Samuels must become a force down low.

3. Notre Dame

The days of Notre Dame sneaking up on the Big East frontrunners are over. With a 49-16 combined record over the past two seasons, including 25-9 in Big East play, expectations turn to grander postseason visions — especially with Big East Player of the Year Luke Harangody leading a talented roster. After losing by 20 points and being limited to just 41 points in the second-round NCAA Tournament loss to Washington State, coach Mike Brey wants to see his players put their experiences to good use.

4. Pittsburgh

Things often come in threes in the city of Pittsburgh. The region boasts three majestic rivers, three professional sports franchises and, these days, three of the more intriguing prospects in all of college basketball — Sam Young, Levance Fields and DeJuan Blair. That forward-guard-center combination carried the Panthers to a Big East Tournament title last season, and the hopes are even higher in 2008-09. Sweet 16s are, well, sweet, but Final Fours are even better. And this team just might be built for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. For coach Jamie Dixon, this Big Three could very well take him to the Final Four.

5. Marquette

Tom Crean left many at Marquette University stunned and saddened with his abrupt departure for Indiana in early April. But more important, he left a cupboard full of talent for Buzz Williams, his former assistant who takes over a team that finished one shot short of advancing to the Sweet 16 last season. Six of the Golden Eagles' top seven scorers and six players who saw action in all 35 games return as Williams, attempts to put his stamp on a squad that's notched 10 league victories or more in each of its first three years in the Big East.

6. Georgetown

Roy Hibbert, Jonathan Wallace and Patrick Ewing Jr. may all be gone, but don't be fooled by those departures. Georgetown basketball is back, although not quite to the Hoya Paranoia standards of the 1980's. Over the past four years, Hibbert and Wallace provided Georgetown coach John Thompson III with some major building blocks in his restoration project. Wallace and Hibbert were four-year starters. Ewing was a major contributor as a frontline reserve in his two years after transferring from Indiana.

7. Syracuse

Only in the loaded Big East could a team with so much talent and experience — including point guard Jonny Flynn, forward Paul Harris, center Arinze Onuaku and shooting guard Eric Devendorf — enter the season without much hype. But while there is reason for optimism, there is also plenty of pressure on the Orange. Syracuse last made the NCAA Tournament in 2006, and they last won a tournament game in 2004. Getting back this year is a must.

8. Villanova

Virtually all of Villanova's contributors return from 2007-08 — but what contributions are we talking about? The Wildcats finished 9-9 in the Big East and barely snuck into the NCAA Tournament, then reached the Sweet 16 for the third time in four years. Another trip to the NCAA Tournament appears very likely. The Wildcats have plenty of firepower on the perimeter, including guard Scottie Reynolds. If they can get some increased production from their frontcourt, this has the makings of a team capable of reaching the second weekend of the NCAAs once again.

9. West Virginia

It didn't take long for Bob Huggins to put his stamp on West Virginia basketball. In one season with his alma mater, he shaped Joe Alexander into a first-round NBA Draft pick and guided the Mountaineers to the Sweet 16. Now, though, the entire WVU package will have more of a Huggins look. WVU won't sneak up on teams after last season's success. But with Joe Mazzulla, Alex Ruoff and Da'Sean Butler returning and the addition of Devin Ebanks, Kevin Jones, etc., expect WVU to flex its muscles toward the end of the season.

10. Providence

Keno Davis might be entering his first year as Providence College's head coach, but he's not new to the Big East Conference. His father, Tom, spent five seasons at Boston College during the league's early years. Davis' link to the Big East is one of the things that lured him to Providence after leading Drake to a 28-5 record in his first year as a head coach. Outgoing coach Tim Welsh left the roster stocked with talent, as Providence returns four players who averaged more than 10 points per game last season. The NCAA Tournament is within the Friars' reach.

11. Cincinnati

Whether Mick Cronin wants to admit it or not, the shadow of Bob Huggins still hangs over the Cincinnati program. This is the year Cronin is looking to post his first winning season at Cincinnati and possibly advance to something a bit more fulfilling than the College Basketball Invitational, which the Bearcats played in last year despite their 13-18 record. There are a lot more offensive options on this team and more size. But again, a lack of experience could hurt.

12. DePaul

The Demons are guaranteed to qualify for the league tournament this season — everyone is getting in — but they must prove they belong in the Big East. Coach Jerry Wainwright, meanwhile, must prove he's the man to lead the program back to the NCAA Tournament. After slow starts every year under Wainwright, DePaul needs to capitalize on a more manageable schedule. An NCAA bid seems unlikely with so much youth on the roster, but DePaul has enough talent to post a decent league finish and nab an NIT berth.

13. Seton Hall

The Pirates were 15-6 before their 2-9 late-season swoon that was attributable in part to fatigue, lack of depth and the frenetic style coach Bobby Gonzalez prefers. He says he may scale back on the pressing to save his team's legs for March and promises to tighten a leaky defense. Seton Hall's biggest issue is that it is counting on a lot of question marks to provide answers. If they all live up to expectations, this team could be sneaky good. If not, the NIT is the best-case scenario.

14. Rutgers

Fred Hill doesn't want to put a damper on the excitement he created by bringing in one of the best recruiting classes in school history — headlined by McDonald's All-American guard Mike Rosario. There is reason for hope and cause for optimism, but Hill does want to inject a dose of reality for the Scarlet Knights' NCAA Tournament-starved fans. The Knights will be competitive and probably fun to watch. They just may be a year away from making a significant move in the very tough Big East.

15. South Florida

The Bulls should be better. Coach Stan Heath has the right idea. South Florida's upwardly mobile program can't get by with Conference USA-type talent. Slowly, he is adding players with Big East style and Big East beef. But in what must seem like a never-ending story for a program that hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since 1992, there's a familiar byword — patience. Simply put, the Bulls must learn how to win. They already know all about losing.

16. St. John's

The Red Storm should be competitive, if only because the youth of last season is a year older, but this team still has to solve its scoring problems and turnover issues. Anthony Mason Jr.'s return to health is a huge lift, but this is largely the same roster that averaged only 62.1 points per game last year. The freshman guards will have to score to change that. The bottom line: The Red Storm simply aren't good enough to be much of a threat in the loaded Big East.

Conference Superlatives

Player of the Year: Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
Best Defensive Player: Hasheem Thabeet, UConn
Most Underrated Player: Arinze Onuaku, Syracuse
Newcomer of the Year: Samardo Samuels, Louisville

All-Big East First Team

DeJuan Blair, So., C, Pittsburgh
Jonny Flynn, So., G, Syracuse
Luke Harangody, Jr., F, Notre Dame
Jerel McNeal, Sr., G, Marquette
Hasheem Thabeet, Jr., C, UConn

All-Big East Second Team

Earl Clark, Jr., F, Louisville
A.J. Price, Sr., G, UConn
Scottie Reynolds, Jr., G, Villanova
Deonta Vaughn, Jr., G, Cincinnati
Sam Young, Sr., F, Pittsburgh

All-Big East Third Team

Jeff Adrien, Sr., F, UConn
Eric Devendorf, Jr., G, Syracuse
Kyle McAlarney, Sr., G, Notre Dame
DaJuan Summers, Jr., F, Georgetown
Terrence Williams, Sr., F, Louisville

Recruiting Roundup

1. Louisville — Samardo Samuels is the best post prospect in the Big East's best class.
2. UConn — Kemba Walker and Ater Majok both have huge potential in Storrs.
3. Georgetown — Greg Monroe could end up being as good as anyone in the '08 class.
4. West Virginia — Late commit Devin Ebanks made this an elite haul for WVU.
5. Rutgers — Greg Echenique (No. 13 in the Class of 2009) will attend Rutgers this year.
6. Syracuse — Wings Mookie Jones and Kris Joseph should be strong four-year players.
7. Cincinnati — Yancy Gates should be an impact player for the Bearcats right away.
8. Pittsburgh — Nasir Robinson is a hard-nosed scorer who does a lot of things well.
9. South Florida — Seven incoming players will make up half of USF's roster.
10. DePaul — Krys Faber's defense and shot-blocking should come in handy, and soon.
11. Seton Hall — Jordan Theodore is rated one of the top 15 point guards in the country.
12. Marquette —JC transfer Joseph Fulce will push for frontcourt minutes from the start.
13. Villanova — If Maurice Sutton fills out, he could become a fantastic defensive player.
14. Providence — Bilal Dixon is already quite skilled on both ends of the court.
15. St. John's — Quincy Roberts and TyShawn Edmondson add depth to the backcourt.
16. Notre Dame — No signees.