Louisville picked No. 1 in Big East

NEW YORK (AP) — Louisville, which has three starters back from last season’s Final Four, is the unanimous choice for first place in the Big East coaches’ poll.

The Cardinals, who won the Big East tournament last season, received 14 first-place votes and Notre Dame got the other, obviously from Louisville coach Rick Pitino.

Syracuse, coming off a school-record 34-3 mark, was second and Notre Dame, which returns all five starters, was third.

Cincinnati was fourth followed by Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Marquette, USF, Connecticut, St. John’s, Rutgers, Villanova, DePaul, Seton Hall and Providence.

Peyton Siva was selected preseason player of the year, the first time a Louisville player received that honor.

Joining Siva on the first team were Jack Cooley of Notre Dame, Vincent Council of Providence, Sean Kilpatrick of Cincinnati, Gorgui Dieng of Louisville and Otto Porter of Georgetown.