PROVIDENCE - Now in its fourth season as a basketball-football conglomerate, the Big East is ready to roar on the hardwood this season. Again.

After placing a record eight of its teams in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years, the Big East may be looking at its most fearsome season yet. Consider that 13 of the top 18 scorers, 10 of the top 11 rebounders, the top nine assist guys, the top seven ball thieves and the top seven shot-blockers all remained in college. That's called experience, and star power.

"This year is crazy," says UConn coach Jim Calhoun. "I came up with nine teams, maybe 10 that should go to the [NCAA's]. Eight can be ranked, which is obscene."

If you are Keno Davis, this is not the best of news. The Friars have as much experience as anyone with five returning seniors, plus redshirt junior Sharaud Curry. In a "normal'' year, that is the prescription for big-time success at Providence. But that was in the old days, before the Big East's expansion changed the equation for everybody. The Friars are certainly in position to make a move upward in the Big East and become an NCAA team for the first time since 2004. They also could finish 10th and be a very, very good basketball team.

Who are the Big East's favorites? Louisville and UConn are getting most of the preseason run after consensus national No. 1 North Carolina. Pittsburgh and Notre Dame don't appear to be many steps back.

Signing coup for La Salle

The city of Philadelphia always has its fair share of top high school talent, and this year the two best are staying home. Point guard Maalik Wayns will one day run Jay Wright's offense at Villanova, but the college selection of 6-10 Aaric Murray has shocked most everyone in the City of Brotherly Love. Instead of joining Wayns or going to Temple or Saint Joseph's, the highly rated Murray committed to La Salle. Murray, who is a strong 260 pounds, owns as much potential as any big man in the East.

Murray may be the most shocking recruit for the Explorers since Lionel Simmons. He's certainly the most important in coach John Giannini's tenure. He can't wait to combine Murray with 6-9 forward Vernon Goodridge, a transfer from Mississippi State who's eligible this season and could be the most important newcomer in the A-10.

Murray capped off a great week of recruiting wins for the A-10. Xavier scored a coup by getting New York forward Kevin Parrom to say no to the Big East and head to Ohio. Also, Cleveland point guard Carl Jones picked Saint Joe's. Both Parrom and Jones were chased at some level by Providence's staff.

Barnes shows his recruiting chops

PC fans know all about Rick Barnes' recruiting skills. Let's just say that teenage kids like the guy. Always have, likely always will. From Michael Smith and Austin Croshere to Kevin Durant and D.J. Augustine, Barnes knows talent. This fall, the Texas coach has a verbal from Avery Bradley, a shooting guard from Seattle who may be the top wing guard prospect in the country, and is very close to landing the top forward in Los Angeles, Jordan Hamilton.

By the way, Barnes spent an afternoon this week babysitting Tristan Thompson, a 6-8 forward from Canada who is playing his high school ball for Danny Hurley in New Jersey. Thompson is just a junior, but he's said he wants to play for Barnes. He happens to be the number one junior in the country, according to some scouting services.

An abundance of unsigned talent

Usually the top highly rated prep players are committed to colleges by now. Not this year. While Bradley, Abdul Gaddy (Arizona) and John Henson (North Carolina) are off the board, other super preps like New Yorker Lance Stephenson (looking at Memphis, Kansas, St. John's), big man Derrick Favors (Georgia Tech, Georgia, Florida), slick guard John Wall (Memphis, Kansas, Kentucky, Baylor), forward Xavier Henry (Kansas, Memphis, North Carolina) and point guard Kenny Boyton (Duke, Florida, Southern Cal) are all being chased hard.

Xavier in a class of its own

Why does it seem as if the Atlantic 10 hierarchy is made up of Xavier and really no one else?

The Muskies have all of the program necessities -- great arena, national recruits, rabid fan following, huge coach's salary -- that are found in the Big Ten and the Big East. No one else in the A-10 dreams of such creature comforts. Check out the X's schedule this season: games against Duke, LSU, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati and Virginia. That's called big-time.