St. John’s basketball snubbed from Big East Preseason rankings, honors

The St. John’s basketball program was not respected in the preseason rankings and honors in the Big East Conference.

Basketball season is finally back as the Big East Conference gets set for its men’s basketball media day on Wednesday morning.

However, St. John’s was not respected at all with the Preseason Coaches Poll as the Johnnies came in at No. 9 in the 11-team conference.

The Villanova Wildcats are atop the poll to begin the season in the Big East as Jay Wright‘s program received nine of the possible eleven votes from the head coaches as the Creighton Blue Jays received the other two.

Providence, Connecticut, Seton Hall, Marquette, Xavier, Butler, St. John’s, DePaul, and Georgetown round out the rest of the Preseason Coaches Poll.

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Head coach Mike Anderson is entering his second season with the Red Storm and the veteran head coach has still yet to produce a losing season as a Division I head coach.

St. John’s was able to keep their head coach’s streak alive with a strong finish to the season, ending the 2019-20 campaign with a 17-15 (5-13 Big East) record and leading the top-seeded Creighton Blue Jays at halftime of the Big East Tournament before the season was canceled.

The Johnnies also did not have any selections on the Preseason All-Big East First or Second Team.

Creighton’s star Marcus Zegarowski was named as the Preseason Big East Player of the Year.

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Joining Zegarowski on the Preseason All-Big East First Team is Providence’s David Duke, Villanova’s Collin Gillsepe and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, DePaul’s Charlie Moore, and Seton Hall’s Sandro Mamukelashvili.

Creighton’s Mitch Ballock headlines the Preseason All-Big East Second Team as well as Connecticut’s James Bouknight, Villanova’s Justin Moore, Butler’s Bryce Nze, Xavier’s Paul Scruggs, and Providence’s Nate Watson.

Marquette’s Dawson Garcia was named as the conference’s Freshman of the Year.