There were plenty of talented freshmen and impact transfers joining Big East teams. But some returning players have made quite an early impression. There is no lack of candidates for the most improved Big East player in the early stages of the 2024-25 season.
UConn, Butler, Seton Hall, Marquette, Providence, and St. John’s are teams that have benefited from the improvement and bigger roles for returning players. Big East play will begin on Dec. 10 when Providence plays at DePaul. Despite its struggles at the Maui Invitational, UConn is still the favorite to win the Big East.
Ball, Joplin Among the Most Improved Big East Players
Things will heat up soon for Big East teams when the Big 12-Big East Battle gets underway next week. It could give some of the most improved Big East players a chance to shine in games sure to attract national attention.
Not many people who follow college basketball had DePaul as one of the last remaining undefeated teams in the Big East while Creighton, Seton Hall, UConn, and Villanova are struggling to stay over .500. UConn losing all three games in the Maui Invitational is among the biggest surprises in the college basketball universe this season.
Let’s take a look at the most improved Big East players so far this season. Keep an eye on these players as they capitalize on bigger roles moving forward.
Solomon Ball, UConn Huskies
There were questions about who would fill the scoring void when four UConn starters headed to the NBA. It didn’t take long to realize that sophomore guard Solomon Ball was ready to make his presence felt. Ball got off to a decent start as a freshman, with 35 points in his first five games. However, he played less than 10 minutes in 15 of his last 16 games as a freshman.
What a difference a year makes. Ball is UConn’s second-leading scorer, with an average of 12.9 points in the first seven games of the season. He has been in double figures in each of those games and scored 16 points on two occasions.
Solo. Ball. pic.twitter.com/ujgqsZ2nCS
— UConn Men’s Basketball (@UConnMBB) November 25, 2024
Finley Bizjack, Butler Bulldogs
Finley Bizjack didn’t score in double figures until the 11th game of his freshman season at Butler. It has been a different deal as a sophomore. The 6-foot-4 sophomore guard opened the season by scoring in double digits in each of his first three games. He is averaging 8.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 25.3 minutes per game. As a freshman, he averaged 4.2 points and 1.2 rebounds in 14.9 minutes.
Isaiah Coleman, Seton Hall Pirates
It has been a tough start for the Seton Hall Pirates. However, the play of sophomore guard Isaiah Coleman has been a bright spot. Coleman had a quiet freshman season when he averaged 5.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. He is now putting up 9.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. Also, Coleman has at least one steal in every game this season.
Corey Floyd Jr., Providence Friars
The improvement continues for Providence guard Corey Floyd Jr. He went from averaging 2.6 points in 9.6 minutes as a freshman to 4.8 points in 23.3 minutes a season ago. Now Floyd is putting up 10 points per game on 48% shooting. Floyd has scored in double figures five times in the last six games after having a season-high 14 points. He had 14 points and five rebounds in the seventh-place game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
David Joplin, Marquette Golden Eagles
David Joplin averaged 10.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 27.7 minutes as a junior for the Marquette Golden Eagles. The numbers jumped to 16.9 points and 6.4 rebounds in 31.9 minutes this season. He also continues to be a force on defense.
David Joplin defensive mixtape???
David Joplin defensive mixtape!!! #mubb pic.twitter.com/VBF8h89ILD
— Ben Steele (@BenSteeleMJS) November 20, 2024
Joplin had 13 points on 2-of-20 shooting in back-to-back games against Maryland and Central Michigan. It was a different deal at the Marquette Challenge. However, Joplin had 27 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals against George Mason. He finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, and three assists as Marquette rolled to a 102-62 win over Stony Brook. Joplin also had a 29-point outing against Georiga and a 27-point performance against Stonehill.
