Men's Basketball Picked Fifth as Foster & Thomas Honored By BIG EAST

2017 BIG EAST Media Day Photo Gallery

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The 2017-18 Creighton men's basketball team has been picked to finish fifth in the BIG EAST Conference, with guards Marcus Foster and Khyri Thomas earning individual honors. The results of a preseason poll of BIG EAST coaches were announced on Wednesday morning as part of the league's annual Media Day festivities at Madison Square Garden.

Creighton was the coaches' pick for fifth place in the poll, and will look to match or exceed its preseason projection for the fifth straight season. The Bluejays put together a 25-10 season in 2016-17 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in six seasons after spending 16 weeks in the Top 25.

This season, Greg McDermott's team boasts a strong backcourt that includes returning starters Foster and Thomas. Foster was a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST choice last year after leading the league in field goals and the Bluejays with 18.2 points per game. He is a Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST pick after being an Honorable Mention preseason pick a year ago. Thomas was a Preseason Honorable Mention All-Conference selection this year after a 2016-17 campaign in which he was shared BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year acclaim and averaged 12.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game.

Four-time defending league champion Villanova was picked to win the BIG EAST crown, garnering 8-of-9 possible first-place votes. The Wildcats return two starters from last year's team that finished 32-4, including Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year Jalen Brunson. Junior wing Mikal Bridges earned a Second Team All-BIG EAST preseason nod and Wildcats forward Omari Spellman was tabbed Preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year.

Seton Hall was chosen for second place in the BIG EAST poll, with Preseason All-BIG EAST picks Khadeen Carrington and Angel Delgado leading the way. Xavier is expected to leap from seventh place to third place in the BIG EAST after finishing last season in the Elite Eight. Senior Trevon Bluiett is a Preseason First Team All-Conference selection for the Musketeers. Rodney Bullock and Kyron Cartwright are expected to pace Providence to a fourth-place showing according to the league coaches.

St. John's, Marquette, Butler, Georgetown and DePaul round out the bottom half of the league poll, with sophomores Shamorie Ponds (St. John's), Marcus LoVett (St. John's) and Markus Howard (Marquette) each named Preseason Second Team All-Conference.

Creighton opens the regular-season on Nov. 10 against Yale.

2017-18 BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)

Villanova (8) 80
Seton Hall (1) 71
Xavier (1) 63
Providence 59
Creighton 48
St. John's 36
Marquette 34
Butler 32
Georgetown 15
DePaul 12

BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Jalen Brunson, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-3, 190, Lincolnshire, Ill.

BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Omari Spellman, Villanova, F, Fr., 6-9, 245, North Royalton, Ohio

BIG EAST Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Kelan Martin, Butler, F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Louisville, Ky.
Marcus Foster, Creighton, G, Sr., 6-3, 210, Wichita Falls, Texas
Khadeen Carrington, Seton Hall, G, Sr., 6-4, 195, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Angel Delgado, Seton Hall, C, Sr., 6-10, 245, Bajos De Haina, D.R.
Jalen Brunson, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-3, 190, Lincolnshire, Ill.
Trevon Bluiett, Xavier, G, Sr., 6-6, 198, Indianapolis, Ind.

BIG EAST Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team*
Markus Howard, Marquette, G, So., 5-11, 175, Chandler, Ariz.
Rodney Bullock, Providence, F, Sr., 6-8, 225, Hampton, Va.
Kyron Cartwright, Providence, G, Sr., 5-11, 185, Compton, Ca.
Marcus LoVett, St. John's, G, So., 6-0, 180, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Shamorie Ponds, St. John's, G, So., 6-1, 165, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Mikal Bridges, Villanova, F/G, Jr., 6-7, 210, Malvern, Pa.

Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Khyri Thomas, Creighton, G, Jr., 6-3, 205, Omaha, Neb.
Desi Rodriguez, Seton Hall, G/F, Sr., 6-6, 215, Bronx, N.Y.
J.P. Macura, Xavier, G, Sr., 6-5, 203, Lakeville, Minn.
*A tie in the voting created an extra position on the second team.

Men's Basketball Picked Fifth as Foster & Thomas Honored By BIG EAST

Players Mentioned

Marcus Foster

Khyri Thomas

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