NEW YORK – Big East Conference media day kicked off Tuesday at Madison Square Garden and Xavier University's men's basketball team was picked to finish third in the preseason coaches poll and the Musketeers had two players selected to the All-Big East preseason first-team.
Fifth-year senior Paul Scruggs was a unanimous first-team selection and junior Zach Freemantle, who was the co-most improved player in the conference last year, joins Scruggs with first-team honors.
Villanova sits atop the poll for the seventh time in the last eight seasons, receiving 10 first-place votes. The Wildcats are led by fifth-year senior guard Collin Gillespie, who was picked preseason player of the year.
Connecticut was picked second, St. John's was fourth, Seton Hall fifth, Butler sixth, Providence seventh, Creighton eighth, Marquette ninth, Georgetown 10th and DePaul 11th.
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Scruggs and Freemantle were joined on the first-team by Providence big man Nate Watson, Seton Hall's Jared Rhoden and St. John's forward Julian Champagnie.
UConn's R.J. Cole and Tyrese Martin were picked preseason second-team All-Big East, along with St. John's guard Posh Alexander and Villanova's Justin Moore and Jermaine Samuels.
2021-22 Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Villanova (10) – 100
2. Connecticut (1) – 84
3. Xavier – 76
4. St. John’s – 73
5. Seton Hall – 68
6. Butler – 60
7. Providence – 45
8. Creighton – 38
9. Marquette – 26
10. Georgetown – 25
11. DePaul – 10
2021-22 Big East Preseason Honors
Preseason Player of the Year
Collin Gillespie, Villanova, G, Gr., 6-3, 195, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Aminu Mohammed, Georgetown, G, Fr., 6-5, 210, Temple Hills, Md.
Preseason All-Big East First Team
Nate Watson, Providence, C, Gr., 6-10, 260, Portsmouth, Va.*
Julian Champagnie, St. John’s, G-F, Jr., 6-8, 215, Brooklyn, N.Y.*
Jared Rhoden, Seton Hall, G-F, Sr., 6-6, 210, Baldwin, N.Y.
Paul Scruggs, Xavier, G, Sr., 6-4, 196, Indianapolis, Ind.*
Zach Freemantle, Xavier, F, Jr., 6-9, 216, Teaneck, N.J.
Preseason All-Big East Second Team
R.J. Cole, Connecticut, F, Gr., 6-1, 185, Union, N.J.
Tyrese Martin, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-6, 215, Allentown, Pa.
Posh Alexander, St. John’s, G, So., 6-0, 200, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Justin Moore, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-4, 210, Fort Washington, Md.
Jermaine Samuels, Villanova, F, Gr., 6-7, 230, Franklin, Mass.
Preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention
Chuck Harris, Butler, G, So., 6-2, 190, Ashburn, Va.
Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, So., 6-9, 240, Bamako, Mali
*unanimous selection
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