The focus in the offseason was entirely on this newly created conference - the new Big East. A conference comprised of almost entirely private, Catholic institutions of higher learning (Butler the lone exception), like-minded in philosophy and core values, a non-football conference with basketball being the cash crop on campus. Jay was skeptical but later found out that this appealed to a lot of recruits. The program was stabilizing with no transfers out and Dylan Ennis becoming eligible.
Jay would have 10 scholarship players - 2 Seniors (Bell and Chennault), 2 Juniors (Pinkston and Hilliard), 3 Sophomores (Arcidiacono, Ochefu and Ennis, a redshirt soph) and 3 Freshmen (Hart, Jenkins and Reynolds).
The team would win the regular season Big East Crown (16-2) and post the best regular season record 28-3 (losing only to Syracuse and Creighton twice) in the program's history. However, they lost a one seed in the NCAA Tournament with an opening loss to Seton Hall in the Big East Conference Tournament, 64-63. Selected as a 2 seed, the Cats played 15 seed Milwaukee and won, 73-53. However, the Cats would lose in the next round to the Tournament's eventual champion - 7 seed UConn, 77-65 and finish the year at 29-5.
Bell - 34g - 29.5mpg - 14.4ppg - 37%3
Hilliard - 34g - 29.1mpg - 14.3ppg - 41%3
Pinkston - 34g - 27.1mpg - 14.1ppg
Arcidiacono - 34g - 31.1mpg - 9.9ppg - 34%3
Hart - 34g - 21.4mpg - 7.8ppg - 31%3
Ochefu - 34g - 21.7mpg - 5.7ppg
Ennis - 30g - 16.2mpg - 5.1ppg - 30%3
Jenkins - 34g - 11.7mpg - 4.1ppg - 37%3
Chennault - 34g - 14.3mpg - 2.7ppg - 0%3
Henry Lowe - 8g - 1.4mpg - 0.6ppg
Reynolds - 21g - 3.1mpg - 0.3ppg
Nick McMahon - 11g - 2.4mpg - 0.2ppg
Pat Farrel - 8g - 1.5mpg - 0.1ppg
Again all starters got over 20mpg with Josh Hart, the best 6th man since Kyle Lowry, also getting starter's minutes (plus 20). Ryan Arcidiacono was the only one to get plus 30mpg for the second consecutive season. Jay's rotation went 9 deep. Team chemistry was instrumental in the success of this team - the likes of which hadn't been around since their Final Four march in 2008-2009. The only player that didn't seem to totally "buy-in" and seemed to play for himself that year (this is a pesonal opinion) was Dylan Ennis. Daniel Ochefu was voted most improved in the conference and James Bell was selected to the First Team All-Big East. Since Bell was graduating, let's look at his 4 year progression.
Frosh - 9.1mpg - 2.4ppg - 32%3
Soph - 23mpg - 7.0ppg - 36%3
Junior - 28.5mpg - 8.6ppg - 36%3
Senior - 29.5mpg - 14.4ppg - 37%3
Didn't forget you Tony Chennault. You played your role perfectly that year and provided real leadership and were truly inspirational with the death of your mother - may she rest in Peace knowing that she raised a great kid and hero for all of us.