In the Big East it is St. John’s, UConn, Creighton as a distant third and then everyone else.
UConn, ranked just ahead of the Johnnies at No. 4 in the preseason AP poll, came in just behind them in the Big East preseason poll, voted on by the league’s coaches ahead of Big East Media Day at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
The Huskies received four first-place votes but came in just behind the reigning regular season and tournament champions in the preseason poll.
UConn also had three players voted preseason first team all-conference– Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. Point guard Silas Demary Jr. was named to the Second Team.
UConn is the first team to have three players on the all-conference preseason first team since Villanova ahead of the 2005-06 campaign.
Karaban, the Huskies’ senior captain looking for his third national championship in four years, made his second-consecutive appearance on the preseason first team after being UConn’s lone representative last season. He was the only unanimous first-team selection.
Set up to finish his career as one of the most decorated UConn players ever, Karaban is coming off a junior year that he was relatively disappointed with, averaging 14.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game and shooting a career-low 34.7% from beyond the arc.
This year, the load on Karaban’s shoulders should be a bit lighter.
He will be complimented by shooters like Ball and Braylon Mullins, who followed Stephon Castle and Liam McNeeley as UConn’s third-straight preseason Big East Freshman of the Year selection.
Ball, who finished last season on the all-Big East Second Team alongside Karaban, is projected to be one of the best shooters in the country in his junior season.
Reed, the Huskies’ senior center and a candidate to be a breakout star once he’s healthy, found himself on the first team. He and St. John’s center Zuby Ejiofor, named Big East Preseason Player of the Year, figure to be two of the best big men in the league, if not the nation.
Reed missed about two weeks with a hamstring injury, returned for a few days of practice and re injured it. He missed the team’s first exhibition game against Boston College and is doubtful to play in the second exhibition against Michigan State on Oct. 28. The Huskies hope he will be healthy and ready to go before their Nov. 3 season-opener, but they won’t rush it.
Demary, the Georgia transfer brought in to sure up UConn’s point guard spot was recognized after averaging 11.5 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game over two seasons at Georgia. He is a career 35.3% shooter from 3-point range.
2025-26 Big East Men’s Basketball Preseason Coaches’ Poll
St. John’s (7 first-place votes)
UConn (4)
Creighton
Providence
Marquette
Georgetown
Villanova
Xavier
DePaul
Butler
Seton Hall
Preseason Player of the Year
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s, F, Sr., 6-9, 245, Garland, Texas
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Braylon Mullins, UConn, G, Fr., 6-6, 196, Greenfield, Ind.
Preseason All-Big East First Team
Solo Ball, UConn, G, Jr., 6-4, 200, Leesburg, Va.
Alex Karaban, UConn, F, R-Sr., 6-8, 230, Southborough, Mass.
Tarris Reed Jr., UConn, C, Sr., 6-11, 265, St. Louis, Mo.
Owen Freeman, Creighton, F, Jr., 6-10, 240, Moline, Ill.
Chase Ross, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 210, Dallas, Texas
Bryce Hopkins, St. John’s, G-F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Oak Park, Ill.
Preseason All-Big East Second Team
Silas Demary, UConn, G, Jr., 6-4, 195, Raleigh, N.C.
Josh Dix, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-6, 205, Council Bluffs, Iowa
KJ Lewis, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-4, 210, El Paso, Texas
Jason Edwards, Providence, Gr., G, 6-1, 180, Atlanta, Ga.
Ian Jackson, St. John’s, G, So., 6-5, 195, Bronx, N.Y.
Preseason All-Big East Third Team
Nik Graves, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-2, 190, Durham, N.C.
Jackson McAndrew, Creighton, So., F, 6-10, 225, Wayzata, Minn.
CJ Gunn, DePaul, Sr., G, 6-7, 200, Indianapolis, Ind.
Malik Mack, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-2, 175, Oxon Hill, Md.
Oswin Erhunmwunse, Providence, F, So., 6-10, 235, Benin City, Nigeria
Dillon Mitchell, St. John’s, F, Sr. 6-8, 210, Tampa, Fla.
Joson Sanon, St. John’s, G, So., 6-5, 200, Fall River, Mass
