UConn is preseason pick to win Big East; Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner Player of Year choice

NEW YORK (AP) — UConn is in a familiar place — atop the Big East preseason poll.

The Huskies received all 10 possible first-place votes Wednesday from the league’s head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own teams.

The defending national champions, who were picked third in the preseason AP college basketball poll, were 18-2 in the conference last season and won the Big East Tournament championship before going on to win a second consecutive NCAA title.

The Huskies return only one starter from last season’s squad, Alex Karaban, who averaged 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds. Dan Hurley’s team also returns Hassan Diarra, the conference’s Sixth Player of the Year. Freshman Liam McNeeley was chosen as the Big East preseason Freshman of the Year.

Creighton was picked second with the conference’s preseason Player of the Year, Ryan Kalkbrenner. The 7-foot-1 senior has been the league’s Defensive Player of the Year the past three seasons, joining Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning as the only three players ever to do that.

Last year, Kalkbrenner averaged 17.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and a league-leading 3.1 blocks. He also shot 64.6% from the field.

Xavier and Marquette followed the Bluejays in the poll. St. John’s was fifth with Providence and Villanova the next two. Butler, Georgetown, Seton Hall and DePaul rounded out the preseason picks.

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