Everyone has their preference, but coverage of each of these conferences is coming right to this space. I’m a native and current resident of Atlanta (if I haven’t pointed that out already), so I’m at a major junction for each of these conferences. Needless to say, I’m excited to be covering them exclusively.
So, here are five things I expect as I embark on covering the ACC, SEC, and Big East.
1. The Big East teams will all spend the bulk of the season punching each other in the face. Just think of them as the Central divisions from the NFL or MLB. Each of those divisions stays tight because of tough competition. The Big East will be no different.
2. SEC basketball is ruled by Kentucky and Florida. After that, it’s a battle to see who can sustain some modicum of success. I’m hoping that Georgia can continue to get better (even if it’s a slow climb), and I’m curious to see if the talent Bruce Pearl had at Tennessee can keep winning even if he’s not there.
3. Georgia Tech finally got tired of Paul Hewitt, but a new coach does not change the fact that the school became a destination for “one and dones”. Let’s see if they can change the culture and make it more palatable and competitive. UNC and Duke carry “one and dones” and they’re competitive.
4. UNC and Duke will play in the ACC tournament title game again. They own ACC basketball, but it’s always nice to see them battle other teams because EACH of those games is a big deal. It just makes the whole conference more intriguing.
5. The progress that Steve Lavin has made at St. John’s is insane. I can’t wait to see them continue to get better. The world feels more right when St. John’s is good.
