If preseason projections mean anything, Big East men’s basketball will be dominated this season by a pair of teams with some familiar faces leading them.
St. John’s and coach Rick Pitino have been picked to win the league in its 2025-26 preseason poll, with UConn and Dan Hurley closely trailing them at No. 2. The Red Storm received seven of a possible 11 first-place votes while the Huskies earned the remaining four.
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Creighton, Providence and Marquette rounded out the top five, in order.
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Last season, its second under Pitino, St. John’s enjoyed its best season in a quarter-century, winning the conference regular season and tournament titles and earning a No. 2 seed to the NCAA Tournament before it was upset by John Calipari and No. 10 seed Arkansas in the second round.
The Red Storm lost several of their best players from that squad — namely, Kadary Richmond, Deivon Smith and Big East player of the year RJ Luis Jr. — but bring back Big East preseason player of the year Zuby Ejiofor to go along with a loaded transfer class headlined by Ian Jackson (from North Carolina) and Bryce Hopkins (Providence), among others.
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If St. John’s doesn’t successfully defend its Big East championship, it will likely be because of what is quickly becoming its biggest rival.
By its lofty standards, UConn is coming off a disappointing season, one in which it went 24-11 and lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament after winning the national title in each of the previous two seasons.
The Huskies, however, bring back many of their top players, including Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. Those experienced pieces will go along with transfers Silas Demary Jr. (Georgia) and Malachi Smith (Dayton), as well as five-star freshman Braylon Mullins.
Here’s a look at the full poll:
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: St. John’s edges UConn atop Big East men’s basketball preseason poll
