Kalkbrenner & Ashworth Honored, Men's Basketball Picked Second in BIG EAST
10/23/2024 7:30:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Ryan Kalkbrenner named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Creighton men's basketball team has been picked to finish second in the BIG EAST Conference in the annual survey of league coaches, which was unveiled as part of BIG EAST Media Day on Tuesday morning at Madison Square Garden.
It marks the second straight year CU has been picked second, and fourth time in the past five seasons the Bluejays have been tabbed for a top-two finish. CU's 2020-21 squad and 2023-24 teams were also both picked second, and eventually finished in second place, while the 2022-23 squad that eventually reached the Elite Eight was picked first and finished in third place.
Connecticut, the defending BIG EAST regular season and tournament champion and the reigning national champion, was chosen to finish first in the poll. The Huskies received all possible 10 first-place votes and 100 points from the league's head coaches who were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
Creighton finished 25-10 overall and 14-6 in BIG EAST play last season and returns starters Ryan Kalkbrenner (17.3 ppg., 7.6 rpg., 3.1 bps.), Steven Ashworth (11.1 ppg., 4.2 apg.) and Mason Miller (5.6 ppg., .454 3FG%), along with a talented crop of newcomers.
In 2024-25, Creighton will be led by Kalkbrenner, who is a Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST selection for the third time and also earned his first Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year accolade. Kalkbrenner remains the only player in program history to earn Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST honors multiple times. The only other Bluejays to be named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year have been Doug McDermott (2013-14) and Marcus Zegarowski (2020-21).
Joining Kalkbrenner with Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST acclaim was Connecticut's Alex Karaban, Marquette's Kam Jones, Providence's Bryce Hopkins, St. John's Kadary Richmond and Villanova's Eric Dixon.
Creighton has matched or exceeded its preseason projection in all but one season since joining the BIG EAST in 2013-14, the best showing in the league in that time. The Bluejays are seeking a ninth straight finish in the top four of the league standings. CU's team three years ago was predicted to finish eighth in the BIG EAST, then ended up in fourth. Five years ago, a team picked seventh in the BIG EAST's preseason poll went 13-5 in league play to share its first league title with Villanova and Seton Hall. That Bluejay team ended the year ranked seventh in the entire nation.
Ranked 15th in the preseason Associated Press poll, Creighton opens the season on Saturday at 7 p.m. with a charity exhibition game against No. 14 Purdue. The regular-season tips off on Nov. 6 against UTRGV. Single-game tickets are now available at http://GoCreighton.com/buy.
BIG EAST PRESEASON HONORS
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, C, Sr., 7-1, 270, Florissant, Mo.
PRESEASON FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Liam McNeeley, Connecticut, F, Fr., 6-7, 210, Richardson, Texas
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Alex Karaban, Connecticut, F, R-Jr., 6-8, 225, Southborough, Mass.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, C, Sr., 7-1, 270, Florissant, Mo.
Kam Jones, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 205, Memphis, Tenn.
Bryce Hopkins, Providence, G-F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Oak Park, Ill.
Kadary Richmond, St. John's, G, Gr., 6-6, 205, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Eric Dixon, Villanova, F, Gr., 6-8, 265, Willow Grove, Pa.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
Pierre Brooks, Butler, F, Sr., 6-6, 200, Detroit, Mich.
Jahmyl Telfort, Butler, F, Gr., 6-7, 240, Montreal, Quebec
Deivon Smith, St. John's, G, Gr., 6-0, 175, Decatur, Ga.
Zach Freemantle, Xavier, F, Gr., 6-9, 227, Teaneck, N.J.
Dayvion McKnight, Xavier, G, Gr., 6-0, 190, Shelbyville, Ky.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Aidan Mahaney, Connecticut, G, Jr., 6-3, 185, Lafayette, Calif.
Steven Ashworth, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-0, 175, Alpine, Utah
Jayden Epps, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-2, 190, Norfolk, Va.
Wooga Poplar, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-5, 197, Philadelphia, Pa.
Ryan Conwell, Xavier, G, Jr., 6-4, 215, Indianapolis, Ind.
It marks the second straight year CU has been picked second, and fourth time in the past five seasons the Bluejays have been tabbed for a top-two finish. CU's 2020-21 squad and 2023-24 teams were also both picked second, and eventually finished in second place, while the 2022-23 squad that eventually reached the Elite Eight was picked first and finished in third place.
Connecticut, the defending BIG EAST regular season and tournament champion and the reigning national champion, was chosen to finish first in the poll. The Huskies received all possible 10 first-place votes and 100 points from the league's head coaches who were not permitted to vote for their own teams.
Creighton finished 25-10 overall and 14-6 in BIG EAST play last season and returns starters Ryan Kalkbrenner (17.3 ppg., 7.6 rpg., 3.1 bps.), Steven Ashworth (11.1 ppg., 4.2 apg.) and Mason Miller (5.6 ppg., .454 3FG%), along with a talented crop of newcomers.
In 2024-25, Creighton will be led by Kalkbrenner, who is a Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST selection for the third time and also earned his first Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year accolade. Kalkbrenner remains the only player in program history to earn Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST honors multiple times. The only other Bluejays to be named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year have been Doug McDermott (2013-14) and Marcus Zegarowski (2020-21).
Joining Kalkbrenner with Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST acclaim was Connecticut's Alex Karaban, Marquette's Kam Jones, Providence's Bryce Hopkins, St. John's Kadary Richmond and Villanova's Eric Dixon.
Creighton has matched or exceeded its preseason projection in all but one season since joining the BIG EAST in 2013-14, the best showing in the league in that time. The Bluejays are seeking a ninth straight finish in the top four of the league standings. CU's team three years ago was predicted to finish eighth in the BIG EAST, then ended up in fourth. Five years ago, a team picked seventh in the BIG EAST's preseason poll went 13-5 in league play to share its first league title with Villanova and Seton Hall. That Bluejay team ended the year ranked seventh in the entire nation.
Ranked 15th in the preseason Associated Press poll, Creighton opens the season on Saturday at 7 p.m. with a charity exhibition game against No. 14 Purdue. The regular-season tips off on Nov. 6 against UTRGV. Single-game tickets are now available at http://GoCreighton.com/buy.
BIG EAST PRESEASON HONORS
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, C, Sr., 7-1, 270, Florissant, Mo.
PRESEASON FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Liam McNeeley, Connecticut, F, Fr., 6-7, 210, Richardson, Texas
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Alex Karaban, Connecticut, F, R-Jr., 6-8, 225, Southborough, Mass.
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, C, Sr., 7-1, 270, Florissant, Mo.
Kam Jones, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 205, Memphis, Tenn.
Bryce Hopkins, Providence, G-F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Oak Park, Ill.
Kadary Richmond, St. John's, G, Gr., 6-6, 205, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Eric Dixon, Villanova, F, Gr., 6-8, 265, Willow Grove, Pa.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
Pierre Brooks, Butler, F, Sr., 6-6, 200, Detroit, Mich.
Jahmyl Telfort, Butler, F, Gr., 6-7, 240, Montreal, Quebec
Deivon Smith, St. John's, G, Gr., 6-0, 175, Decatur, Ga.
Zach Freemantle, Xavier, F, Gr., 6-9, 227, Teaneck, N.J.
Dayvion McKnight, Xavier, G, Gr., 6-0, 190, Shelbyville, Ky.
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Aidan Mahaney, Connecticut, G, Jr., 6-3, 185, Lafayette, Calif.
Steven Ashworth, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-0, 175, Alpine, Utah
Jayden Epps, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-2, 190, Norfolk, Va.
Wooga Poplar, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-5, 197, Philadelphia, Pa.
Ryan Conwell, Xavier, G, Jr., 6-4, 215, Indianapolis, Ind.
| 2024-25 Preseason BIG EAST Coaches Poll First-place votes in parentheses |
||
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1. | Connecticut (10) | 100 |
| 2. | Creighton | 84 |
| 3. | Xavier | 82 |
| 4. | Marquette (1) | 74 |
| 5. | St. John's | 70 |
| 6. | Providence | 54 |
| 7. | Villanova | 44 |
| 8. | Butler | 36 |
| 9. | Georgetown | 25 |
| 10. | Seton Hall | 24 |
| 11. | DePaul | 12 |
| Creighton's BIG EAST Preseason Poll History | |||
| Year | Preseason Pick | Actual Finish | Preseason All-BIG EAST Picks |
| 2013-14 | 3rd | 2nd | Doug McDermott (POY; 1st) |
| 2014-15 | 9th | T-9th | None |
| 2015-16 | 9th | 6th | None |
| 2016-17 | 3rd | T-3rd | Maurice Watson Jr. (1st); Marcus Foster (HM) |
| 2017-18 | 5th | T-3rd | Marcus Foster (1st); Khyri Thomas (HM) |
| 2018-19 | 9th | T-3rd | Martin Krampelj ((HM) |
| 2019-20 | 7th | T-1st | Ty-Shon Alexander (1st) |
| 2020-21 | 2nd | 2nd | Marcus Zegarowski (POY, 1st); Mitch Ballock (2nd) |
| 2021-22 | 8th | 4th | None |
| 2022-23 | 1st | 3rd | Ryan Kalkbrenner (1st), Arthur Kaluma (2nd), Ryan Nembhard (2nd), Baylor Scheierman (HM) |
| 2023-24 | 2nd | T-2nd | Ryan Kalkbrenner (1st), Trey Alexander (1st), Baylor Scheierman (2nd) |
| 2024-25 | 2nd | TBD | Ryan Kalkbrenner (POY, 1st), Steven Ashworth (3rd) |
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