Some highlights from the on-going Big East Media Day in New York. For updates throughout the day, check out the nifty Big East website.
- Austin Freeman was picked as the Preseason Player of the Year
- Chris Wright is Preseason All-Big East Second Team
- Georgetown was picked to finish fourth in the conference, and received no first place votes
(Full rankings, honors and thoughts after the Jump)
Projected Standings (link):
| Finish | Team | Points |
| 1 | Pittsburgh (12) | 222 |
| 2 | Villanova (1) | 208 |
| 3 | Syracuse (2) | 187 |
| 4 | Georgetown | 173 |
| 5 | West Virginia | 164 |
| 6 | St. John's (1) | 145 |
| 7 | Notre Dame | 123 |
| 8 | Louisville | 121 |
| Marquette | 121 | |
| 10 | Connecticut | 113 |
| 11 | Seton Hall | 104 |
| 12 | Cincinnati | 91 |
| 13 | USF | 54 |
| 14 | Providence | 36 |
| 15 | Rutgers | 32 |
| 16 | DePaul | 26 |
Player Honors (link):
2010-11 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Austin Freeman, Georgetown
2010-11 BIG EAST Preseason Rookie of the Year
Fab Melo, Syracuse
2010-11 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Austin Freeman, Georgetown (Player of the Year), G, Sr., 6-3 ½, 227, Mitchellville, Md.
Kemba Walker, Connecticut, G, Jr., 6-1, 172, Bronx, N.Y.
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh, G, Jr., 6-2, 190, Scotch Plains, N.J.
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, G, Sr., 6-5, 188, Bronx, N.Y.
Corey Fisher, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-1, 200, Bronx, N.Y.
Kevin Jones, West Virginia, F, Jr., 6-8, 255, Mount Vernon, N.Y.
2010-11 Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
Chris Wright, Georgetown, G, Sr., 6-1, 208, Washington, D.C.
Jimmy Butler, Marquette, F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Tomball, Texas
Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame, F, Sr., 6-8, 235, Unionville, Conn.
D.J. Kennedy, St. John's, G/F, Sr., 6-5, 214, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Kris Joseph, Syracuse, F, Jr., 6-7, 207, Montreal, Quebec
2010-11 Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Yancy Gates, Cincinnati, F, Sr., 6-9, 260, Cincinnati, Ohio
Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette, G, Jr., 6-2, 215, Raleigh, N.C.
Rick Jackson, Syracuse, F, Sr., 6-9, 240, Philadelphia, Pa
Thoughts:
- Fourth place seems about right for a pre-season projection. No one really knows what to expect with a guard-oriented offense
- Glad Austin Freeman received same honors from coaches as he did from media this summer
- Georgetown is the only team to have two players in first and second All Big East teams
- Who the hell voted for St. John's for a first place finish? (UPDATE: It was Rick Pitino)
- Since expansion, the highest any team finished that also had the Big East Rookie of the Year was sixth (Marquette in 2006). Just saying, Cuse...