UConn was picked to win the Big East by the league’s coaches on Thursday, snagging that top spot in the preseason poll. This is huge, with defending champs St. John’s right behind them at number two. These Huskies, man, they’ve been to three national championship games in the last four seasons, so you know they mean business.
UConn Rolls In, Silas Demary Jr. Takes The Crown
Leading the charge for UConn is none other than Silas Demary Jr., who just got crowned Preseason Big East Player of the Year. This dude’s a junior, and last season, after transferring from Georgia and the SEC, he was putting up 10.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds for the Huskies. Talk about making an immediate impact! The coaches clearly see him as the real deal, and it’s tough to argue with that kind of production coming into the year. Everyone knows UConn is legit, but with Demary Jr. leading the charge, they’re looking like the team to beat right out of the gate.
St. John’s Isn’t Playing Around, Either
Don’t sleep on St. John’s, though. They might be picked second, but they still grabbed two first-place votes! Rick Pitino’s squad is coming off two straight Big East regular-season *and* tournament titles, which is absolutely wild , they’re the first team EVER to do that. And last season, they finally broke through to the Sweet 16, a feat they hadn’t accomplished since 1999. These guys are led by their own preseason first-team conference selections, Tounde Yessoufou and Ian Jackson, so they’ve got serious talent ready to go. You know they’re not happy with second place, even in a preseason poll.
The Rest of the Big East and a New Era
After the top two, Villanova, Marquette, and Providence rounded out the top five in the preseason poll. Xavier was picked sixth, with Creighton, now under new head coach Alan Huss, coming in at seventh. DePaul, who had their best finish in the Big East just last season, was chosen eighth, with Seton Hall and Georgetown trailing them. Butler, led by first-year coach Ronald Nored, was picked eleventh. It’s a new look for the conference in other ways too, with the annual media day held at a local New York hotel this year instead of Madison Square Garden, a break from tradition since 2014. Plus, there’s a new commissioner at the helm, Tim Brosnan, who took over from Val Ackerman after she retired in August. All eyes are on how this season unfolds with so much fresh energy and high expectations.
This preseason poll just cranked up the hype for the upcoming season. With UConn and Silas Demary Jr. sitting atop the heap, and St. John’s ready to defend their titles, it’s going to be a battle from day one. You just know these teams are itching to prove why they belong. Get ready for some serious hoops, because the Big East is about to explode!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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