With the new ESPN 100 player rankings out and as the 2014 basketball recruiting cycle picks up heading into the July evaluation periods, here's a look at how each team in the new-look Big East is shaping up in the 2014 recruiting class. Team-by-team recruiting capsules for the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, ACC, SEC and AAC are already out, while the best of the rest will be coming on Wednesday to complete our series of 2014 recruiting primers.

Note: Teams are as of conference alignment for the 2013-14 season.



Butler Bulldogs
Who they have: No 2014 recruits so far.

Who they want: With Erik Fromm and Khyle Marshall both set to graduate after next season, the priority for Brad Stevens is to land some reinforcements along the front line. The Bulldogs are locked in on a couple of highly talented local ESPN 100 prospects in power forward Trey Lyles and small forward Trevon Bluiett. The competition is stiff, but Stevens and company appear poised to go the distance for both recruits. Meanwhile, power forward Shane Hall would likely become more of a priority if they miss out on either. The Bulldogs are also one of seven left in the mix for ESPN 100 point guard Lance Tejada.

Storyline to watch: Lyles has the potential to be the most significant recruit in program history. The nation's No. 4-ranked player in the 2014 class is also considering Louisville, Kentucky, Florida, Duke and UCLA. For everything Butler has accomplished in recent years, out-recruiting that type of competition would be unprecedented.

Bold prediction: While their recent success allows them to go the distance with Lyles and Bluiett, the reason for that success has been finding the right fit. One way or another, Stevens is going to find guys who can help him win basketball games, even if they don't win recruiting rankings.

Overall recruiting trend: Up. Not only are the Bulldogs proving they can hold their own with the most prestigious college basketball programs in the country as they move from the Atlantic 10 to the Big East, they're doing so while maintaining the commitment to their process and values, which has been the basis for their success under Stevens.



Creighton Bluejays
Who they have: No 2014 recruits so far.

Who they want: With currently two scholarships to give in the 2014 class, Creighton will be cognizant of its new league and tougher competition and simply look for the best talent available. Ideally, though, the Bluejays would prefer to come out of this class with both a point guard and a wing. Guys like James Demery, Jared Terrell and Casey Schlatter are among their top targets on the wing, while Kaleb Joseph, Mike Williams and Lourawls Nairn make up some of their top prospects at the point.

Storyline to watch: Conscious of his move to the Big East, Greg McDermott added longtime Connecticut assistant coach Patrick Sellers to his staff this spring and has been much more aggressive on the East Coast ever since.

Bold prediction: The move to the Big East plus the addition of Sellers to the staff helps Creighton break into New York for the first time -- and Williams could very well be that first guy.

Overall recruiting trend: Even. McDermott has recruited well since arriving at Creighton, but there is no denying that the bar is being raised with the move out of the Missouri Valley Conference and into the Big East.



DePaul Blue Demons
Who they have: No 2014 recruits so far.

Who they want: DePaul is doing its best to take advantage of a talented 2014 class in Chicago. Keeping the nation's No. 2 overall recruit, Cliff Alexander, at home would be a coup of epic proportions, while fellow ESPN 100 prospect Paul White and four-star Josh Cunningham are also coveted local forwards. The Blue Demons would ideally like to add a couple of athletic big men who could thrive in their up-tempo system, while Tyler Ulis and P.J. Thompson are two lead guards they've been especially active with lately.

Storyline to watch: Coming off a breakout spring AAU season, Alexander is now the top-ranked power forward and No. 2 overall prospect in the ESPN 100. If DePaul could keep him at home, it's the type of commitment that could create momentum for years to come.

Bold prediction: While the Blue Demons swing for the fences with Alexander, and even White to a certain extent, look for them to again be proactive mining the junior college market to ensure they land the type of athleticism and depth they need on the front line.

Overall recruiting trend: Even. Oliver Purnell knew what he was signing up for when he left Clemson to take on a rebuilding job at DePaul in 2010. But the signs of growth have been consistent, albeit sometimes subtle, including landing his first ESPN 100 prospect, point guard Billy Garrett Jr., in the 2013 class.



Georgetown Hoyas
Who they have: John Thompson III already has a pair of prospects committed for the 2014 class. The first is ESPN 100 prospect Isaac Copeland, a long and naturally skilled forward with the potential to be extremely versatile down the road. Three-star recruit Tre Campbell is also on a board as an up-tempo guard with infectious energy.

Who they want: JT3 has been very active in the 2014 class, and depending on how many scholarships he ends up with, he could still potentially add both an athletic wing and another ballhandling guard, ideally one capable of playing immediate minutes. The Hoyas remain in the hunt for ESPN 100 forward L.J. Peak -- along with Florida State and South Carolina -- and appear to be in similarly good shape with ESPN 100 point guard Phil Booth. They are also closely monitoring Australian guard Dante Exum and his decision of whether to play college basketball or potentially go directly to the NBA in 2014.

Storyline to watch: Exum's decision is really the most intriguing storyline. Even if he does opt for college, he's reportedly leaning toward Indiana, but there might not be another player capable of filling both of Georgetown's needs.

Bold prediction: Among Peak, Booth and Exum, it's probably Booth who has the best chance of ending up in a Georgetown uniform. He's a local product who fits the Hoyas' style of play and will be allowed opportunities to play with the ball in his hands in their offensive system.

Overall recruiting trend: Even. JT3 has had Georgetown playing and recruiting at a consistently high level for years now, and there's no reason to expect the Hoyas to do anything different for the foreseeable future.



Marquette Golden Eagles
Who they have: No 2014 recruits so far.

Who they want: The 2013 class brought Marquette's backcourt of the future, with three ESPN 100 prospects in Duane Wilson, JaJuan Johnson and Deonte Burton, so conventional wisdom is that the Eagles would focus on their interior spots in 2014. While they could certainly use a true big man, the reality is that their 2013 class is filled with enough versatility to allow them to add the best available prospects in 2014. Shooting guard Ahmed Hill falls under that best-available category, while centers Sean O'Mara and Johnathon Wilkins would both help out up front.

Storyline to watch: Head coach Buzz Williams himself is the story, and specifically his growing reputation among recruits as someone they want to play for. If he can capitalize and deliver another strong class, it will be just the latest step in Marquette's budding national momentum.

Bold prediction: Don't be surprised to see two ESPN 100-caliber additions join the Eagles in 2014, one along the front line and another versatile wing.

Overall recruiting trend: Up. The "Buzz" is all positive about Williams these days, and recruits are taking notice. The 2013 class was his best since taking over at Marquette, and he shows no signs of slowing down in 2014.



Providence Friars
Who they have: No 2014 recruits so far.

Who they want: They're locked in on a trio of ESPN 100 frontcourt players -- Abdul-Malik Abu, Jalen Lindsey and Pascal Chukwu -- while point guard Kaleb Joseph and shooting guard Jared Terrell appear to be atop the list in the backcourt. Abu is a prospect the Friars have followed every step of the way since last summer, while they were equally ahead of the curve with Chukwu. Add Joseph and Terrell to the mix and it demonstrates just how serious they are about keeping New England's best talent close to home. Lindsey is the outlier, being from Tennessee, but no one has recruited the talented forward harder this spring and summer.

Storyline to watch: Two things: Can Providence continue to push UConn as the premier local option for high-major talent in New England, and can Ed Cooley continue to build off the momentum he's gained with his first two classes since arriving in Friartown.

Bold prediction: Out of their five primary targets, Providence comes away with at least two, which would be the basis for Cooley's third straight strong recruiting class since arriving in the Big East.

Overall recruiting trend: Up. Cooley made a huge splash with his initial class in 2012 and then backed that up with a very solid 2013 group that included both ESPN 100 prospect Brandon Austin and some excellent transfer pickups.



St. John's Red Storm
Who they have: No 2014 recruits so far.

Who they want: With a roster full of rising sophomores and juniors, Steve Lavin's 2014 recruiting strategy is likely to be very similar to his 2013 plan, when he seized the opportunity to be selective and invested all of his time with a select few prospects until he landed a commitment from a player capable of making an immediate impact as a freshman, point guard Rysheed Jordan. The Red Storm are one of 10 teams still in the hunt for elite point guard Emmanuel Mudiay and are uniquely positioned to go the distance, since Mudiay has already said he wants to wait until after his senior season to make his decision. Other backcourt options are local New York ESPN 100 talents like Isaiah Whitehead and Terry Larrier.

Storyline to watch: With late commitments from Jordan, Chris Obekpa and Jakarr Sampson in recent years, there hasn't been a better 11th-hour recruiter in college basketball than Steve Lavin. A commitment from Mudiay, however, would be by far his best score since arriving in New York.

Bold prediction: At this point, it's bold to expect Lavin to come up empty-handed when the recruiting music stops playing, so this might be the dullest bold prediction ever. But don't bet against St. John's landing another four- or five-star prospect in 2014.

Overall recruiting trend: Up. Lavin is back and healthy on the sidelines, has a young, dynamic roster that is all of his making and has hit all of his recruiting objectives in each of his three seasons since taking over.



Seton Hall Pirates
Who they have: No 2014 recruits so far.

Who they want: Seton Hall needs size and depth up front. To date, the Pirates are still looking for some late frontcourt help in the Class of 2013, and if they're unable to find some, it will only become that much more important in 2014. Centers Quadri Moore, Chinanu Onuaku and Satchell Pierce are three of their top big-man targets. Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard was way ahead of the curve when it came to power forward Bonzie Colson, who has seen his recruitment blow up this spring, while ESPN 100 power forwards Ben Bentil and Angel Delgado would also be welcome additions.

Storyline to watch: While size is the biggest need, Seton Hall is also a club that values the 3-point line as much as anyone in the Big East, so watch for the Pirates to look to pick up a shooter or two before the class is done.

Bold prediction: The 2012-13 season was a tough one for Willard, but he already seems to be turning the page with the addition of assistant coach Fred Hill to his staff and a late commitment from ESPN 100 point guard Jaren Sina in the 2013 class. Look for Willard to continue to build off that momentum with a solid 2014 class.

Overall recruiting trend: Even. You would be hard-pressed to deny some of Seton Hall's struggles during the course of the past year, but the additions of Sina and Hill were critical to getting some positive buzz going again locally in the Northeast region.



Villanova Wildcats
Who they have: No 2014 recruits so far.

Who they want: They've been on a mission to rebuild the culture of their program for the last couple of years. Guys like rising sophomore point guard Ryan Arcidiacono and incoming freshman Josh Hart are the flag bearers because they're tough competitors who want to win above all else. With those intangibles being a non-negotiable at this point, Villanova needs to add some size to its front line in 2014 while always being in the market for a playmaker on the perimeter. Point guards Ja'Quan Newton and Phil Booth and small forward Mikal Bridges are some of the more popular names on Villanova's list.

Storyline to watch: Newton and Bridges are two of the top prospects in the Philadelphia area and are also AAU teammates on Team Final. Might they want to stay home and play together in college? Jay Wright certainly hopes so.

Bold prediction: Newton ends up in a Villanova uniform. It's bold because he's one of the top point guard prospects in the entire Northeast, so he's expected to pick a situation where he can run the show right away. However, he and Arcidiacono would fit well together.

Overall recruiting trend: Up. It's hard not to respect what Wright has done in the last two years. Lots of coaches talk the talk when it comes to recruiting the right kind of kids, but Wright is walking the walk -- and it's likely to pay off.



Xavier Musketeers
Who they have: Head coach Chris Mack is already off to a good start in 2014, with early commitments from ESPN 100 point guard Edmond Sumner and three-star power forward Melvin Swift. Sumner is a long and lanky guard with the size and skill set to play on or off the ball as he continues to fill out his frame and get stronger. Swift is an undersized hybrid 4-man with high-level athleticism who gets his head on the rim and is a major weapon in transition.

Who they want: With Sumner and Swift already on board, along with Indiana transfer Remy Abell, Xavier has the luxury of being selective with its final pieces in 2014 while getting a jump-start on the 2015 class and beyond. An instant-impact swingman looks like the top remaining target, with Justin Bibbs and junior college product Darrick Wood being the most notable targets. There is also the possibility of a true center like Andre Walker or Sean O'Mara.

Storyline to watch: With a talented and balanced roster, it will be interested to see if Mack elects to use all of his scholarships or hold one in the event of an impact transfer becoming available.

Bold prediction: Xavier brings Dayton, Ohio, native Bibbs back home. After playing his high school ball in Florida at Montverde Academy, Bibbs has a chance to come back to Ohio and step into a role where he can make an immediate contribution.

Overall recruiting trend: Even. The 2013-14 season may be its first in a high-major conference after moving from the Atlantic 10 to the Big East, but Xavier has been recruiting at that level dating back several years and a couple of head coaches.

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I wanna go to where the martyrs went
the brown figures on the walls of my apart-a-ment...