DePaul men’s basketball does not have high expectations from the Big East coaches for 2016-17 as the Blue Demons were picked to finish tenth in the Big East. The rankings were released at Big East media day in New York on Tuesday morning.
Also revealed at Big East media day was that senior guard Billy Garrett Jr. was named to the All-Big East second team, the only DePaul player to be honored in the preseason awards. Garrett will be a fourth-year starter for the Blue Demons this season. He averaged 12.6 points and 3.5 assists per game last season.
DePaul finished ninth in the conference in 2015-16 and were knocked out in the first round of the Big East tournament by Georgetown. In head coach Dave Leitao’s second season, his team will feature six eligible newcomers with two more sitting on the sidelines after transferring to DePaul. The Blue Demons finished 9-23 overall in 2015-16 with a 3-15 record in the Big East.
Big East preseason coaches poll
| 1. Villanova (9) | 81 pts. |
| 2. Xavier (1) | 69 |
| 3. Creighton | 64 |
| T4. Georgetown | 53 |
| T4. Seton Hall | 53 |
| 6. Butler | 44 |
| 7. Marquette | 35 |
| 8. St. John’s | 21 |
| 9. Providence | 18 |
| 10. DePaul | 12 |
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Josh Hart, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-5, 215, Silver Spring, Md.
BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s, G, Fr., 6-1, 165, Brooklyn, N.Y.
BIG EAST Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Kelan Martin, Butler, F, Jr., 6-7, 220, Louisville, Ky.
Maurice Watson Jr., Creighton, G, Sr., 5-10, 175, Philadelphia, Pa.
Kris Jenkins, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-6, 235, Upper Marlboro, Md.
Trevon Bluiett, Xavier, G, Jr., 6-6, 205, Indianapolis, Ind.
Edmond Sumner, Xavier, G, So., 6-6, 183, Detroit, Mich.
BIG EAST Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
Billy Garrett, Jr., DePaul, G, Sr., 6-6, 210, Chicago, Ill.
Isaac Copeland, Georgetown, F, Jr., 6-9, 220, Raleigh, N.C.
Luke Fischer, Marquette, C, Sr., 6-11, 250, Germantown, Wis.
Khadeen Carrington, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-4, 195, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Angel Delgado, Seton Hall, F, Jr., 6-10, 240, Bajos De Haina, Dominican Republic
Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Marcus Foster, Creighton, G, Jr., 6-3, 210, Wichita Falls, Texas
L.J. Peak, Georgetown, F, Jr., 6-5, 215, Gaffney, S.C.
Jalen Brunson, Villanova, G, So., 6-2, 190, Lincolnshire, Ill.