Men’s Basketball Picked Third in Preseason BIG EAST Poll; Four Jays Honored
10/21/2025 7:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Four Jays on preseason All-BIG EAST Team
BIG EAST Basketball Media Day can be viewed on Peacock, starting at 8 a.m. Central today.
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Creighton men's basketball team has been picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Conference in the annual survey of league coaches, which was unveiled as part of 2025-26 BIG EAST Media Day on Tuesday morning at Madison Square Garden.
It marks the fourth straight year the Bluejays have been tabbed for a top-three finish. It is the third time CU has been picked exactly third in the BIG EAST poll, having also happened in 2013-14 as well as 2016-17.
Defending league champion St. John's garnered 7-of-11 first place votes and was chosen atop the poll with 97 points, just ahead of Connecticut. The Huskies collected four first place votes and 94 points. Creighton was third with 80 points, just ahead of Providence (64) and Marquette (60). The second half of the league poll consists of Georgetown (57), Villanova (50), Xavier (33), DePaul (29), Butler (26) and Seton Hall (15).
Creighton finished 25-11 overall and 15-5 in BIG EAST play last season and returns starters Jackson McAndrew (7.8 ppg., 4.4 rpg.) and Jasen Green (4.9 ppg., 3.2 rpg.) along with a talented crop of newcomers.
Three of those newcomers join McAndrew with Preseason All-BIG EAST accolades, giving CU four honorees for the first time since its 2022-23 team that eventually finished the season in the Elite Eight. Owen Freeman was voted a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection and Josh Dix was a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team choice. McAndrew and Nik Graves were both Preseason All-BIG EAST Third Team honorees.
Freeman is the eighth different Bluejay to earn Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team recognition, and first to do it prior to playing a game with the Bluejays. It also means CU has had a First Team pick each of the last four seasons, as Trey Alexander was chosen prior to 2023-24 and Ryan Kalkbrenner was honored each of the previous three campaigns.
Joining Freeman with Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST acclaim was Connecticut's Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr., Marquette's Chase Ross, and the St. John's duo of Bryce Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor. Ejiofor was voted the league's Preseason Player of the Year.
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 10th straight finish in the top four of the league standings.
Ranked 23rd in the preseason Associated Press poll, Creighton hosts an exhibition game on Saturday at 6 p.m. against Colorado State. The regular-season tips off on Nov. 5 against South Dakota. Single-game tickets are now available at http://GoCreighton.com/buy.
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's, F, Sr., 6-9, 245, Garland, Texas
Owen Freeman, Creighton, F, Jr., 6-10, 240, Moline, Ill.
Bryce Hopkins, St. John's, G-F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Oak Park, Ill.
Alex Karaban, UConn, F, R-Sr., 6-8, 230, Southborough, Mass.
Tarris Reed Jr., UConn, C, Sr., 6-11, 265, St. Louis, Mo.
Chase Ross, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 210, Dallas, Texas
Josh Dix, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-6, 205, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Jason Edwards, Providence, Gr., G, 6-1, 180, Atlanta, Ga.
Ian Jackson, St. John's, G, So., 6-5, 195, Bronx, N.Y.
KJ Lewis, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-4, 210, El Paso, Texas
Nik Graves, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-2, 190, Durham, N.C.
CJ Gunn, DePaul, Sr., G, 6-7, 200, Indianapolis, Ind.
Malik Mack, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-2, 175, Oxon Hill, Md.
Jackson McAndrew, Creighton, So., F, 6-10, 225, Wayzata, Minn.
Dillon Mitchell, St. John's, F, Sr. 6-8, 210, Tampa, Fla.
Joson Sanon, St. John's, G, So., 6-5, 200, Fall River, Mass
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Creighton men's basketball team has been picked to finish third in the BIG EAST Conference in the annual survey of league coaches, which was unveiled as part of 2025-26 BIG EAST Media Day on Tuesday morning at Madison Square Garden.
It marks the fourth straight year the Bluejays have been tabbed for a top-three finish. It is the third time CU has been picked exactly third in the BIG EAST poll, having also happened in 2013-14 as well as 2016-17.
Defending league champion St. John's garnered 7-of-11 first place votes and was chosen atop the poll with 97 points, just ahead of Connecticut. The Huskies collected four first place votes and 94 points. Creighton was third with 80 points, just ahead of Providence (64) and Marquette (60). The second half of the league poll consists of Georgetown (57), Villanova (50), Xavier (33), DePaul (29), Butler (26) and Seton Hall (15).
Creighton finished 25-11 overall and 15-5 in BIG EAST play last season and returns starters Jackson McAndrew (7.8 ppg., 4.4 rpg.) and Jasen Green (4.9 ppg., 3.2 rpg.) along with a talented crop of newcomers.
Three of those newcomers join McAndrew with Preseason All-BIG EAST accolades, giving CU four honorees for the first time since its 2022-23 team that eventually finished the season in the Elite Eight. Owen Freeman was voted a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection and Josh Dix was a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team choice. McAndrew and Nik Graves were both Preseason All-BIG EAST Third Team honorees.
Freeman is the eighth different Bluejay to earn Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team recognition, and first to do it prior to playing a game with the Bluejays. It also means CU has had a First Team pick each of the last four seasons, as Trey Alexander was chosen prior to 2023-24 and Ryan Kalkbrenner was honored each of the previous three campaigns.
Joining Freeman with Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST acclaim was Connecticut's Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr., Marquette's Chase Ross, and the St. John's duo of Bryce Hopkins and Zuby Ejiofor. Ejiofor was voted the league's Preseason Player of the Year.
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 10th straight finish in the top four of the league standings.
Ranked 23rd in the preseason Associated Press poll, Creighton hosts an exhibition game on Saturday at 6 p.m. against Colorado State. The regular-season tips off on Nov. 5 against South Dakota. Single-game tickets are now available at http://GoCreighton.com/buy.
2025-26 BIG EAST Men's Basketball Preseason Honors
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's, F, Sr., 6-9, 245, Garland, TexasPRESEASON FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Braylon Mullins, UConn, G, Fr., 6-6, 196, Greenfield, Ind.PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Solo Ball, UConn, G, Jr., 6-4, 200, Leesburg, Va.Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's, F, Sr., 6-9, 245, Garland, Texas
Owen Freeman, Creighton, F, Jr., 6-10, 240, Moline, Ill.
Bryce Hopkins, St. John's, G-F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Oak Park, Ill.
Alex Karaban, UConn, F, R-Sr., 6-8, 230, Southborough, Mass.
Tarris Reed Jr., UConn, C, Sr., 6-11, 265, St. Louis, Mo.
Chase Ross, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 210, Dallas, Texas
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
Silas Demary, UConn, G, Jr., 6-4, 195, Raleigh, N.C.Josh Dix, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-6, 205, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Jason Edwards, Providence, Gr., G, 6-1, 180, Atlanta, Ga.
Ian Jackson, St. John's, G, So., 6-5, 195, Bronx, N.Y.
KJ Lewis, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-4, 210, El Paso, Texas
PRESEASON ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Oswin Erhunmwunse, Providence, F, So., 6-10, 235, Benin City, NigeriaNik Graves, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-2, 190, Durham, N.C.
CJ Gunn, DePaul, Sr., G, 6-7, 200, Indianapolis, Ind.
Malik Mack, Georgetown, G, Jr., 6-2, 175, Oxon Hill, Md.
Jackson McAndrew, Creighton, So., F, 6-10, 225, Wayzata, Minn.
Dillon Mitchell, St. John's, F, Sr. 6-8, 210, Tampa, Fla.
Joson Sanon, St. John's, G, So., 6-5, 200, Fall River, Mass
| 2025-26 Preseason BIG EAST Coaches Poll First-place votes in parentheses |
||
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 1. | St. John's (7) | 97 |
| 2. | Connecticut (4) | 94 |
| 3. | Creighton | 80 |
| 4. | Providence | 64 |
| 5. | Marquette | 60 |
| 6. | Georgetown | 57 |
| 7. | Villanova | 50 |
| 8. | Xavier | 33 |
| 9. | DePaul | 29 |
| 10. | Butler | 26 |
| 11. | Seton Hall | 15 |
| 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 | 2nd | Ryan Kalkbrenner (POY, 1st), Steven Ashworth (3rd) |
| 2025-26 | 3rd | TBD | Owen Freeman (1st), Josh Dix (2nd), Nik Graves (3rd), Jackson McAndrew (3rd) |
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