NEW YORK — For the first time as a member of the BIG EAST, Creighton has been tabbed to finish first in the 2022-23 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll. The Blue Jays collected eight first-place votes and earned 98 points in the poll. Xavier was placed second in the poll with 86 points, including two first-place votes. Villanova, the defending BIG EAST Tournament champion, was one point behind Xavier with 85 points and received one first-place vote from the men’s basketball head coaches, who did not vote for their own teams.
Connecticut was picked fourth with 77 points and Providence was fifth with 62 points. St. John’s and Seton Hall finished sixth and seventh with 62 and 52 points, respectively. Butler was eighth with 36 points, four points ahead of ninth-place Marquette with 32 points. Georgetown was 10th with 21 points and DePaul 11th with 12 points.
Creighton, the only league team to return three double-figure scorers from last season, finished 23-12 overall and 12-7 in BIG EAST play. The Bluejays advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. For 2022-23, they will be led by junior center Ryan Kalkbrenner, who is a Preseason All-BIG EAST selection. Guard Ryan Nembhard, the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, and forward Arthur Kaluma earned Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team recognition. Transfer Baylor Scheierman, who was the Summit League Player of the Year, made Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention.
Xavier is welcoming back coach Sean Miller, who was the head coach of the Musketeers from 2004-09. Last season, Xavier was 23-13 overall and won the NIT title. They finished 8-11 in BIG EAST play. The team is anchored by 7-0 grad student Jack Nunge and junior guard Colby Jones, who are Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team picks.
Villanova continued its run of national excellence last season when it made the Final Four for the third time in the last six NCAA Tournaments. The Wildcats finished 30-8 and were the runner-up in the BIG EAST regular season. Villanova, led by new head coach Kyle Neptune, has three players on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team, guards Caleb Daniels and Justin Moore and forward Eric Dixon. Freshman forward Cam Whitmore has been named Preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.
Connecticut is slotted for fourth place. The Huskies have advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of their last two seasons since returning to the BIG EAST. Last year, they were third in the BIG EAST with a 13-6 record and finished 23-10 overall. This season, UConn can lean on junior forward Adama Sanogo, who was chosen Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year.
Providence, the BIG EAST defending regular-season champion, is picked fifth. The Friars, who were chosen seventh in last year’s poll, won their first league regular-season title with a 14-3 record and finished 27-6 overall. They advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in 25 years. Head coach Ed Cooley was named Naismith Coach of the Year. This season, grad student guard Jared Bynum starts the season with Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team honors.
The coaches placed St. John’s sixth. The Johnnies can point to guard Posh Alexander for production and leadership. The junior, who is a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection, led the league in steals and was second in assists last year.
Seton Hall, tabbed for seventh, welcomes back Shaheen Holloway who will assume the head coaching duties after a very successful run with the Pirates as a player and assistant coach. He inherits a team that earned an NCAA bid and finished 21-11 overall and 11-8 in BIG EAST play. Junior guard Kadary Richmond is a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team pick.
Butler was voted eighth. Thad Matta, who also returned to a previous head coaching position when he came back to coach the Bulldogs. He will work on moving Buter up in the league standings after last year’s 14-19 overall mark and 6-14 BIG EAST record. Junior guard Chuck Harris made Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention.
Marquette, like last year, was placed ninth. Despite last season’s prognostication, the Golden Eagles finished 19-13 overall, tied for fifth in the BIG EAST with an 11-8 record and earned an NCAA Tournament invitation. Guard Tyler Kolek led the league in assist/turnover ratio.
Georgetown is 10th in the poll for a second straight year. The Hoyas did not register a league win last year and finished 6-25. Senior center Qudus Wahab is back after a season at Maryland. Two years ago, the Hoyas won the BIG EAST tourney and Wahab made the All-Tournament Team.
DePaul finished 15-16 overall and 6-14 in BIG EAST play last year under first-year coach Tony Stubblefield. The Blue Demons, who are picked 11th, can depend on veteran senior center Nick Ongenda and junior guard Jalen Terry.
2022-23 Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Pts.
- Creighton (8) 98
- Xavier (2) 86
- Villanova (1) 85
- Connecticut 77
- Providence 62
- St. John’s 52
- Seton Hall 44
- Butler 36
- Marquette 32
- Georgetown 21
- DePaul 12
First-place votes in parentheses.
Per Release
Baseline Sports NY is on Twitter @Baseline_NY
