BIG EAST Preseason Poll: UConn 4th, Bouknight Second Team
NEW YORK – The UConn men’s basketball team was picked fourth and sophomore guard James Bouknight was named to the preseason all-conference second team as the BIG EAST Conference announced the results of its coaches preseason poll Wednesday during its virtual Media Day.
The Huskies, beginning their first season back in the BIG EAST following a seven-year absence, drew enough support from the league coaches to garner 69 points, finishing behind Villanova (99 points, 9 first-place votes), Creighton (91, 2), and Providence (79).
Behind UConn, the order of finish in the voting included Seton Hall (67 points), Marquette (50), Xavier (47), Butler (37), St. John’s (33), DePaul (20) and Georgetown (13). Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team or their own players for all-conference spots.
Bouknight (Brooklyn, N.Y.), UConn’s leading returning scorer (13.0 ppg), was a key player in the Huskies’ late-season surge in 2019-20. He averaged 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds for UConn’s last 12 games as the Huskies posted a 9-3 record, including a five-game winning streak to end the season. He was an American Athletic Conference all-conference third team pick, and a unanimous selection on the AAC All-Freshman Team.
Bouknight was part of a six-player preseason second team, due to a tie in the voting.
In individual preseason honors, Creighton junior guard Marcus Zegarowski was voted the preseason Player of the Year, while Marquette freshman forward Dawson Garcia was the preseason Freshman of the Year.
Preseason Player of the Year
Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton
Preseason Freshman of the Year
Dawson Garcia, Marquette
Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Charlie Moore, DePaul
David Duke, Providence
Sandro Mamukelashvili, Seton Hall*
Collin Gillespie, Villanova*
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova
Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
Bryce Nze, Butler
James Bouknight, UConn
Mitch Ballock, Creighton
Nate Watson, Providence
Justin Moore, Villanova
Paul Scruggs, Xavier
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
D.J, Carton, Marquette
Bryce Aiken, Seton Hall
* -- unanimous selection