NEW YORK - The two major top 25 polls in men's basketball - Associated Press and USA Today - released their 2026-27 preseason rankings this afternoon and the BIG EAST is well-represented.  

UConn enters the season ranked No. 4 according to the AP voters and No. 5 on the USA Today coaches poll. The Huskies were picked to finish first on the 2026-27 BIG EAST preseason poll, released in conjunction with the conference's Media Day in New York City on Thursday, Oct. 1.   Last season, head coach Dan Hurley guided UConn to its third Final Four and National Championship game appearances over the last four seasons, finishing with a 34-6 overall record.  This year, the Huskies will be led by a pair of All-BIG EAST selections.  Silas Demary Jr. – the 2026-27 preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year – was a first team all-league pick last year, averaging 10.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.  Sophomore Braylon Mullins, an All-Freshman team pick last season, averaged 12.0 points and 3.5 boards per outing and was a unanimous selection to the preseason 2026-27 All-BIG EAST first team.  Classmate Na’jai Hines – a transfer forward from Seton Hall – was tabbed as a preseason second team all-league honoree.  UConn opens its 2026-27 regular season slate on Monday, Nov. 2 at home against Gardner-Webb at 9 p.m. ET live on Peacock.  

St. John's is ranked No. 13 on the AP poll and No. 14 on the USA Today coaches poll.  The Johnnies were picked second in the BIG EAST preseason coaches poll, earning two first-place votes.  A season ago, the Red Storm compiled a 30-7 overall record en route to becoming the first school in BIG EAST history to capture back-to-back outright regular season and conference tournament titles.  The win at Madison Square Garden was the fifth tournament title for the Johnnies as they advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999.  Head coach Rick Pitino has a pair of preseason first team all-conference selections – Tounde Yessoufou and Ian Jackson.  Yessoufou was a unanimous selection to the preseason All-BIG EAST first team.  The 6-5 sophomore averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.0 steals at Baylor a season ago.  Jackson averaged nearly 10.0 points in 18 minutes per game for the Red Storm last year.  SJU plays its 2026-27 regular season opener on Monday, Nov. 2 at home against Monmouth in a game that will air on ESPN+.

Villanova and Marquette are among 19 teams which also received votes on the AP preseason poll, while Creighton also received votes on the USA Today coaches poll.  

The Wildcats - third on the BIG EAST's predicted order of finish - open the 2026-27 college basketball season on Sunday, Nov. 1 in Rome, taking on Notre Dame in the Eternal City Tip-Off.  The game will air live on FOX at 9:30 a.m. ET.  Last year, in head coach Kevin Willard's first season on the sidelines, Villanova made a return to the NCAA Tournament en route to a 24-win season. Returning to the Nova lineup in 2026-27 is preseason first team selection Tyler Perkins.  The 2025-26 Most Improved Player award winner and third team All-BIG EAST honoree led the Wildcats in scoring a season ago at 13.7 points per outing.  A pair of Nova newcomers were also honored by the coaches, as transfer forwards Kwame Evans Jr. and Devin Royal were named to the preseason All-BIG EAST second team.

Marquette was tabbed to finish fourth according to the BIG EAST coaches, garnering one first place vote.  Head coach Shaka Smart returns a strong nucleus of talent, including standout guard Nigel James Jr. - the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year a season ago.  A unanimous 2026-27 preseason All-BIG EAST first team pick, James averaged 16.4 points, 3.4 boards, 4.9 assists, and 2.0 steals during his rookie campaign.  Two other Golden Eagles also earned preseason All-BIG EAST accolades – junior Royce Parham on the second team and senior transfer Sananda Fru on the third team.  Marquette opens the regular season on Monday, Nov. 2 at home against Mercyhurst at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Creighton - under first year head coach Alan Huss - was tabbed for seventh on the BIG EAST preseason poll.  The Bluejays have a pair of preseason All-BIG EAST third team selections as a foundation for the 2026-27 season. Jackson McAndrew returns to the lineup after missing much of last season due to injury, while defensive mainstay Oswin Erhunmwunse joins the Jays after two seasons at Providence. Additionally, fifth-year forward Jasen Green is among the best all-around players in the conference.  They open play on Monday, Nov. 2 at home, hosting Kansas City at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.