Creighton picked to win Big East for 1st time; Xavier 2nd

NEW YORK (AP) — For the first time since joining the Big East in 2013, Creighton is the preseason choice to win the conference.

The ninth-ranked Bluejays received eight first-place votes from the league’s coaches. Creighton returns three double-digit scorers from last season’s team that finished 23-12 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Xavier was second and Villanova third. It’s the first time since 2013-14 that the 16th-ranked Wildcats were not picked first or second.

Connecticut was picked fourth and is led by preseason Big East Player of the Year Adama Sanogo.

UConn women picked to win Big East again

NEW YORK (AP) — Geno Auriemma and his UConn Huskies were in a familiar spot — atop the Big East.

The Huskies were the preseason pick to win the conference again by the league’s coaches. They enter the season as the two-time reigning champions, winning the Big East both years since rejoining the conference. In total, UConn has won 21 Big East regular-season titles and 20 conference tournaments.

The Huskies will be missing star Paige Bueckers for the season after she tore her ACL in the summer. They still are loaded with three All-Big East preseason players and the conference’s Freshman of the Year Ayanna Patterson.

Creighton was the second choice by the coaches. Villanova was picked third and is led by reigning Big East Player of the Year Maddy Siegrist, who was the unanimous choice to repeat.