2005–06 Big East Conference Men's Basketball Season

The 2005–06 Big East Conference men's basketball season was the 27th in conference history, and involved its 16 full-time member schools.

Connecticut and Villanova were the regular-season co-champions with identical records of . Syracuse won the Big East tournament championship, although this later was vacated.

Season summary & highlights

* Although Boston College left to join the Atlantic Coast Conference before the season, the Big East expanded for the first time since the 2000–01 season, growing to 16 teams with the addition of Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, and South Florida.
* Connecticut and Villanova were the regular-season co-champions with identical records of . It was Boston College's sixth and Connecticut's ninth conference championship or co-championship.
* Syracuse won its fifth — and second consecutive — Big East tournament championship. The Orange became the first No. 9 seed to win the tournament, as well as the first team to win four games in four days in a Big East tournament. The heroics of senior guard Gerry McNamara, voted the Big East's "Most Overrated" player in two separate polls of Big East players and assistant coaches published by ''Sports Illustrated'' and the ''Syracuse Post-Standard'' prior to the tournament, fueled Syracuse's run, and he was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Syracuse defeated Cincinnati by one point, Connecticut by two points in overtime, Georgetown by one point, and finally Pittsburgh by four points, all in upsets.
* Due to NCAA sanctions imposed in March 2015 because of the Syracuse University athletics scandal, all of Syracuse's wins from this season, including those in the Big East Tournament, later were vacated. Despite this, Syracuse retained its 2006 Big East Tournament championship.

Head coaches

Rankings

Connecticut was ranked in the Associated Press poll Top 5 all season, reaching No. 1 in several weeks and finishing at No. 2. Villanova spent the entire season in the Top 10 and all but one week in the Top 5, reaching No. 2 and finishing at No. 3. Georgetown, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and West Virginia spent time in the Top 25, and all but Louisville finished the season as ranked teams. Cincinnati also made an appearance in the Top 25.

Regular-season statistical leaders

Postseason

Big East tournament

Seeding

Teams were seeded in the Big East tournament based on conference record and tiebreakers. The No. 5 through No. 12 seeds played in the first round, and the No. 1 through No. 4 seeds received byes into the quarterfinal round. Teams which finished below 12th place in the conference after the application as necessary of tiebreakers did not qualify for the tournament

Seeding was and By finishing below 12th place, DePaul, Providence, St. John's, and South Florida did not qualify for the tournament.

The NCAA later vacated all of Syracuse's wins during the season, including its four Big East Tournament victories, because of the use of an ineligible player.

Bracket

NCAA tournament

Eight Big East teams received bids to the NCAA Tournament, with Connecticut seeded No. 1 in the Washington, D.C., Region and Villanova No. 1 in the Minneapolis Region. Marquette, Seton Hall, and Syracuse lost in the first round and Pittsburgh in the second round. Georgetown and West Virginia were defeated in the regional semifinals and Connecticut and Villanova in the regional finals.

National Invitation Tournament

Four Big East teams received bids to the National Invitation Tournament, with Cincinnati seeded No. 1 in the Cincinnati Bracket and Louisville No. 1 in the Louisville Bracket. Rutgers lost in the first round, Notre Dame in the second round, Cincinnati in the quarterfinals, and Louisville in the semifinals.

Awards and honors

Big East Conference

Player of the Year:
* Randy Foye, Villanova, G Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year:
* Hilton Armstrong, Connecticut, C Sr.
Rookie of the Year:
* Dominic James, Marquette, G, Fr.
Most Improved Player:
* Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh, C Jr.
Coach of the Year:
* Jay Wright, Villanova (5th season)

All-Big East First Team
* Eric Hicks, Boston College, F Sr., , , Greensboro, N.C.
* Rudy Gay, Connecticut, F, So., , , Baltimore, Md.
* Steve Novak, Marquette, F Sr., , , Brown Deer, Wisc.
* Chris Quinn, Notre Dame, G Sr., , , Dublin, Ohio
* Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh, C Jr., , , Emmaus, Pa.
* Quincy Douby, Rutgers, G Jr., , , New York, N.Y.
* Gerry McNamara, Syracuse, G Sr., , , Scranton, Pa.
* Randy Foye, Villanova, G Sr., , , Newark, N.J.
* Allan Ray, Villanova, G Sr., , , The Bronx, N.Y.
* Mike Gansey, West Virginia, F Sr., , , Olmsted Falls, Ohio

All-Big East Second Team:
* Hilton Armstrong, Connecticut, C Sr., , , Peekskill, N.Y.
* Marcus Williams, Connecticut, G Jr., , , Los Angeles, Calif.
* Jeff Green, Georgetown, F, So., , , Hyattsville, Md.
* Roy Hibbert, Georgetown, C, So., , , Adelphi, Md.
* Taquan Dean, Louisville, G Sr., , , Neptune, N.J.
* Carl Krauser, Pittsburgh, G Sr., , , The Bronx, N.Y.
* Donnie McGrath, Providence, G Sr., , , Katonah, N.Y.
* Donald Copeland, Seton Hall, G Sr., , , Jersey City, N.J.
* Kelly Whitney, Seton Hall, F Sr., , , Chicago, Ill.
* Kyle Lowry, Villanova, G, So., , , Philadelphia, Pa.

Big East All-Rookie Team:
* Devan Downey, Cincinnati, G, Fr., , , Chester, S.C.
* Jeff Adrien, Connecticut, F, Fr., , , Brookline, Mass.
* Wilson Chandler, DePaul, F, Fr., , , Benton Harbor, Mich.
* Dominic James, Marquette, G, Fr., , , Richmond, Ind.
* Jerel McNeal, Marquette, G, Fr., , , Chicago, Ill.
* Sam Young, Pittsburgh, F, Fr., , , Clinton, Md.
* Geoff McDermott, Providence, F, Fr., , , New Rochelle, N.Y.
* Sharaud Curry, Providence, G, Fr., , , Gainesville, Ga.
* Anthony Farmer, Rutgers, G, Fr., , , Millville, N.J.
* JR Inman, Rutgers, F, Fr., , , Pomona, N.Y.
* Eric Devendorf, Syracuse, G, Fr., , , Bay City, Mich.

All-Americans

The following players were selected to the 2006 Associated Press All-America teams.

Consensus All-America First Team:
* Randy Foye, Villanova, Key Stats: 20.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.4 spg, 41.1 FG%, 35.0 3P%, 677 points

Consensus All-America Second Team:
* Rudy Gay, Connecticut, Key Stats: 15.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.8 spg, 1.6 bpg, 46.1 FG%, 31.8 3P%, 503 points
* Allan Ray, Villanova, Key Stats: 18.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.2 spg, 38.9 FG%, 37.2 3P%, 591 points

First Team All-America:
* Randy Foye, Villanova, Key Stats: 20.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.4 spg, 41.1 FG%, 35.0 3P%, 677 points

Second Team All-America:
* Rudy Gay, Connecticut, Key Stats: 15.2 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.1 apg, 1.8 spg, 1.6 bpg, 46.1 FG%, 31.8 3P%, 503 points

Third Team All-America:
* Allan Ray, Villanova, Key Stats: 18.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1.2 spg, 38.9 FG%, 37.2 3P%, 591 points

AP Honorable Mention
* Quincy Douby, Rutgers
* Mike Gansey, West Virginia
* Carl Krauser, Pittsburgh
* Gerry McNamara, Syracuse
* Kevin Pittsnogle, West Virginia
* Chris Quinn, Notre Dame
* Marcus Williams, Connecticut

See also

* 2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
* 2005–06 Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball team
* 2005–06 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team
* 2005–06 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team
* 2005–06 Louisville Cardinals men's basketball team
* 2005–06 Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball team
* 2005–06 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team
* 2005–06 St. John's Red Storm men's basketball team
* 2005–06 Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball team
* 2005–06 Syracuse Orange men's basketball team
* 2005–06 Villanova Wildcats men's basketball team
* 2005–06 West Virginia Mountaineers men's basketball team

References

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