As a class, juniors are like the middle sibling: attention deflects from them to the older (seniors) sibling and younger (stud freshmen/rising sophomores) sibling. The Big East is teeming with talented juniors, though. Here are the top five.
In case you missed it, check out the Big East’s Top 5 Sophomores, too.
5. Jerian Grant, Notre Dame – Grant gets the nod here over Shabazz Napier, Bryce Cotton, Brandon Young, Trey Zeigler and Russ Smith because of his ability to run a team smoothly and efficiently. As Notre Dame’s point guard last year, Grant averaged 12.3 points and five assists to just 1.9 turnovers per game. His smarts and athleticism combined with a year of running Mike Brey’s system make Grant a prime candidate for a big 2012-13.
4. Gorgui Dieng, Louisville – Dieng is the frontrunner for Big East Defensive Player of the Year, coming off a sophomore season in which he swatted 3.2 shots and grabbed 9.1 rebounds per game. His defense alone would make him one of the conference’s best juniors, but the fact he also averaged 9.1 points, albeit mostly on lobs and putbacks, makes him all the more enticing.
3. Fuquan Edwin, Seton Hall – Edwin is poised for a huge season, following the graduations of Herb Pope and Jordan Theodore. The Pirates are now his team, and as a 48.5 percent shooter from the floor and 37 percent from deep, Edwin eclipsed the 20-point mark four times last season. He’s also one of the country’s best defenders, leading the nation as a sophomore with three steals per game.
2. Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati – Kilpatrick, of the shoot-first breed, averaged 14.3 points per game on 37.6 percent three-point shooting as a sophomore. Though he takes the majority of his shots from behind the arc, Kilpatrick shot 49.7 percent on two-point field goals last year. He’s also a solid rebounder for his size, grabbing 4.6 boards per game.
1. Cleveland Melvin – At 6 foot 8, Melvin is a forward who can run the floor, finish around the rim and shoot from mid-range. He added a three-point shot to his repertoire last year, although he only connected 22.9 percent of the time. With another offseason of practice, that percentage should rise, making him all the more formidable.
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Check back on Monday for the Big East’s Top 5 Seniors.
