Big East Basketball 2016: Preview and predictions

Player of the Year: Josh Hart

As Villanova works to defend its national title, Josh Hart will be looked at to take another leap forward as an individual player. As a junior, Hart evolved from the Wildcats’ sixth man into one of its most important pieces as a two-way wing who was one of the country’s best perimeter defenders and also one its most efficient scorers. Hart was one of only two major conference players in the country last year to average better than 15 points and six rebounds per game with a true shooting percentage above 60 percent. The other, Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine, split National Player of the Year Honors with Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield.

Now, as the Wildcats’ senior leader, Hart will be asked to play a slightly bigger role without former starters Ryan Arcidiacono and Daniel Ochefu around. Hart should run away with Big East Player of the Year honors unless someone like Edmond Sumner makes a massive jump or Marcus Foster lights the conference on fire in his first year at Creighton. Whether or not the 6-foot-5 guard can maintain his efficiency on a couple of more shots per game could make the difference, though, as Hart chases National Player of the Year honors himself.