Big East Conference

During the annual Big East Men’s Basketball Media Day in New York City on Wednesday morning, the UConn Huskies men’s basketball team was picked to finish third in the conference during the 2009-10 season. The Villanova Wildcats, who joined the Huskies in the Final Four last year, were picked to win the conference.

The Huskies didn’t have any one on the Preseason First Team but did place senior Jerome Dyson and sophomore Kemba Walker on the Preseason Second Team. Senior Stanley Robinson was also named to the Honorable Mention Preseason Team.

The Huskies will take on AIC (11/4) and UMass Lowell (11/8) in exhibition games before kicking off the regular season on November 13 against William & Mary at Gampel Pavilion.

Big East Men’s Basketball 2009-10 Preseason Poll
Team Points
1. Villanova (10) 218
2. West Virginia (5) 214
3. Connecticut (1) 185
4. Louisville 179
5. Georgetown 161
6. Syracuse 152
7. Cincinnati 135
8. Notre Dame 132
9. Pittsburgh 119
10. Seton Hall 110
11. St. John’s 82
12. Marquette 78
13. Providence 52
14. USF 44
15. Rutgers 43
16. DePaul 15

2009-10 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year

  • Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

2009-10 BIG EAST Preseason Rookie of the Year

  • Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati

2009-10 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team

  • Luke Harangody, Notre Dame (Player of the Year), F, Sr., 6-8, 255, Schererville, Ind.
  • Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, G, Sr., 6-1, 190, Indianapolis, Ind.
  • Greg Monroe, Georgetown, C, So., 6-11, 247, New Orleans, La.
  • Lazar Hayward, Marquette, F, Sr., 6-6, 225, Buffalo, N.Y.
  • Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-2, 195, Herndon, Va.
  • Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia, F, Sr., 6-7, 225, Newark, N.J.

2009-10 Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team

  • Jerome Dyson, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-3, 190, Potomac, Md.
  • Kemba Walker, Connecticut, G, So., 6-1, 172, Bronx, N.Y.
  • Samardo Samuels, Louisville, F, So., 6-9, 260, Trelawny, Jamaica
  • Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-5, 185, Bronx, N.Y.
  • Dominique Jones, USF, G, Jr., 6-4, 205, Lake Wales, Fla.
  • Devin Ebanks, West Virginia, F, So., 6-9, 210, Long Island City, N.Y.

* a tie in the balloting created six positions

2009-10 Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention

  • Stanley Robinson, Connecticut, F, Sr., 6-9, 210, Birmingham, Ala.
  • Arinze Onuaku, Syracuse, C, Sr., 6-9, 275, Lanham, Md