NEW YORK (AP) — Marquette, co-champions of the Big East’s last season with 15 schools, is the coaches’ pick to win it in the first season as a basketball-only conference.
The Golden Eagles have two starters among nine returning players from last season’s team that fell a game shy of the Final Four. They received five of the 10 first-place votes and 74 points on Wednesday.
Georgetown, which finished tied with Marquette and national champion Louisville last season, had two first-place votes and 70 points and was followed by Creighton, Villanova, St. John’s, Providence, Xavier, Seton Hall, Butler and DePaul.
Creighton, Xavier and Butler are league newcomers.
Creighton forward Doug McDermott, a two-time All-America, is the unanimous choice for preseason player of the year. He averaged 23.2 points and 7.7 rebounds last season while shooting 49 percent from 3-point range.
