UConn Men picked 4th on Big East Media Day - Bouknight gets 2nd Team honors

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


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content