All Big East Selections 2012

I cannot complain about the Syracuse All Big East Team selections.  I had guessed three Syracuse players would make the list earlier today, possibly four, and Syracuse ended up with three.

 

Kris Joseph earned All Big East First Team selection, becoming the 22^nd Orangeman to earn that selection.  Scoop Jardine earned Second Team recognition, and Dion Waiters Third Team.

 

I thought Fab Melo may get a nod as a Third Team or Honorable Mention because of his defensive presence, but with an eighteen team league, and only 21 selections made, that is a lot of competition.

 

I would hate to be a South Florida fan. Your team is 12-6 in conference, 19-12 overall with an RPI of 43, and you are not considered a lock for the NCAA by the national media experts.  Then you get no players receiving any recognition in the All Big East First, Second, Third or Honorable Mention selections. Meanwhile Pitt (5-13 Big East, 16-15 overall), Villanova (5-13, 12-18), Providence (4-14, 15-16) and DePaul (3-15, 12-18), all land one player on one of the selections. Only Rutgers (6-12, 14-17) was shut out like South Florida.

 

Syracuse has done historically well in the All Big East selections.  They have 78 selections overall, far more than anyone else, with Connecticut second with 64.  And the Syracuse selections have historically been high recognitions. 35 times a Syracuse player has made first team; Georgetown is next with only 23.  23 times a Syracuse player has made second team; Connecticut is next with 20. 

 

The selections have been warranted. Syracuse is by far the winningest program in Big East history with 401 victories; Georgetown is next at 374. Syracuse has won 10 Big East Regular Season titles, matched only by UConn.

 

There have been some notable oversights in history, most recent being last year when Rick Jackson failed to make First Team, despite being the defensive player of the year and leading the conference in scoring.  But all in all, the coaches do well in their selections.