NEW YORK – With four starters returning from a team that compiled a 24-7 overall record and a 13-5 conference mark, Villanova has been chosen to win the 2020-21 regular-season crown in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll.  The Wildcats, who tied Creighton and Seton Hall for last year’s regular-season title, received nine first-place votes and a total of 99 points in the poll.  Coaches do not place their own teams on their ballots.   
 
Villanova has been tabbed for first place in the preseason poll in six of the last seven years and the Wildcats have won or shared the BIG EAST regular-season crown six of those times under coach Jay Wright.  Senior guard Collin Gillespie is the floor general of a group that includes forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year last season.  The Wildcats have won at least 24 games in each of the past seven seasons.
 
Creighton has been picked for second place, the highest preseason position for the Bluejays since they joined the BIG EAST for the 2013-14 season.  The Bluejays picked up 91 points in the poll, which included two first-place votes.  Junior guard Marcus Zegarowski, the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, is expected to spearhead the Creighton perimeter attack.  Like Villanova, Creighton also finished with a 24-7 overall record last season.
 
The coaches placed Providence third.  The Friars were 19-12 overall last year and finished fourth in the BIG EAST with a 12-6 record.  PC’s season ended with a six-game winning streak as they finished with their highest BIG EAST win total in league history.  Junior guard David Duke is expected to be one of the PC leaders for 2020-21.   
 
Connecticut, which has returned to the BIG EAST this season after a seven-year absence, edged Seton Hall for fourth place.  The Huskies garnered 69 points in the poll to Seton Hall’s 67 points.  UConn won nine of their last 12 games last season to finish 19-12.  Sophomore guard James Bouknight is being counted on to be one of the Husky leaders.  Seton Hall was 21-9 overall while grabbing a share of the regular-season title last year with Villanova and Creighton.  The Pirates have to replace BIG EAST Player of the Year Myles Powell, but have two solid returning senior starters, forwards Sandro Mamukelashvili and Myles Cale.
 
Marquette was picked sixth with 50 points.  The Golden Eagles will have a different look without guard Markus Howard, the nation’s scoring leader last year, but they have some talented returnees and a heralded group of freshmen and transfers.  Marquette finished 18-12 overall.  Guard Koby McEwen is the top returning scorer.  Xavier is close behind in seventh place with 47 points.  The Musketeers have two full-time returning starters, guard Paul Scruggs and forward Jason Carter, to go along with some talented underclassmen who showed plenty of promise on a team that finished 19-13 last year.  Both Marquette and Xavier were 8-10 in BIG EAST play.
 
Butler is slotted for eighth place for a second straight season.  Last year, the Bulldogs finished fifth after compiling a 10-8 BIG EAST record and a 22-9 overall mark.  Butler welcomes back three returning starters.  The usual stingy Bulldog defense will be anchored by senior guard Aaron Thompson.  St. John’s is a few points behind the Bulldogs in ninth place.  The Red Storm are in the second year of the coach Mike Anderson era and can count on a pair of returning starters and some promising newcomers to fit into Anderson’s pressing style.  Guard Rasheem Dunn is top returning scorer and forward Julian Champagnie made the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
 
DePaul and Georgetown were placed 10th and 11th, respectively.  The Blue Demons’ confidence to improve on last year’s 16-16 overall record and 3-15 BIG EAST mark is centered on guard Charlie Moore, who is the second leading returning scorer in the BIG EAST with a 15.5 average and led all players with a 6.1 assist mark.  Georgetown, which finished 15-17 overall and 5-13 in league competition, can build around two double-figure scorers, guard Jahvon Blair (10.8 ppg) and forward Jamorko Pickett (10.2), a pair of seniors. 

2020-21 Preseason Coaches' Poll
First-place votes in parentheses.
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	Pts.
1. Villanova (9)	99
2. Creighton (2)	91
3. Providence	79
4. Connecticut	69
5. Seton Hall	67
6. Marquette	50
7. Xavier	47
8. Butler	37
9. St. John's	33
10. DePaul	20
11. Georgetown	13