Coach Jim Boeheim's squad was picked to finish second in the BIG EAST Conference in the league's preseason poll. Boeheim is the only coach who has resided in the league since its inception.
Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski
SU Second In BIG EAST Poll
10/17/2012 8:14:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Syracuse was picked to finish second in The BIG EAST Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll announced on Wednesday in New York City. The Orange is defending conference champions. Senior guard Brandon Triche and junior forward C.J. Fair earned BIG EAST Preseason honors as Triche was selected to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team and Fair was selected as a Preseason BIG EAST Honorable Mention.
Syracuse ia coming off a 34-3 mark, the best record in school history. The Orange won the BIG EAST regular-season crown with a 17-1 record and stayed in the top five of the national polls every week of the season. Syracuse reached the NCAA East Regional final. Triche and Fair figure to lead the Orange this season. Both earned All-BIG EAST preseason recognition.
Louisville has three starters back from last year's team that reached the NCAA Final Four, also won The BIG EAST Championship Presented by American Eagle Outfitters and finished with a 31-6 record. Senior guard Peyton Siva, who was selected 2012-13 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, is the floor leader for the Cardinals. He averaged 9.1 points and was fourth in the league in assists with a 5.6 mark last year. Center Gorgui Dieng averaged 9.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and a league-leading 3.2 blocked shots. Forward Chane Behanan made the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team after averaging 9.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.
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Notre Dame was picked for third place with 166 points. Coach Mike Brey may have the most experienced team in the league. The Irish return all five starters, including 6-9 senior Jack Cooley, the BIG EAST Most Improved Player last season. He helped Notre Dame post a 21-12 overall record and a 13-5 conference mark.Â
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Cincinnati was picked fourth, the Bearcats' highest preseason position since joining the BIG EAST in 2005-06.  Coach Mick Cronin's club has won 26 games in each of the past two seasons. Last year, the Bearcats made it to The BIG EAST Championship title game and the NCAA Sweet 16. This season, they will depend on junior guard Sean Kilpatrick, a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection.
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The league coaches placed Georgetown in fifth place. The Hoyas finished 24-9 last year under coach John Thompson III and were 12-6 in the BIG EAST. Thompson has to replace three starters, but has a solid young nucleus that includes sophomore forward Otto Porter, a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team pick.      Â
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Pittsburgh is the pick for sixth place. After 10 straight NCAA Championship appearances, the Panthers slipped to 22-17 overall last year, though they did win the College Basketball Invitational. They were 5-13 in BIG EAST play. Senior point guard Tray Woodall hopes to avoid the injury bug which contributed to Pitt's slippage last year.Â
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Marquette, which placed seventh in the poll, is coming off its second straight NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. The Golden Eagles' season ended with a 27-8 overall mark and a second-place BIG EAST finish at 14-4. For 2012-13, coach Buzz Williams has three returning starters including a strong backcourt that includes Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Todd Mayo.
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The coaches tabbed USF for eighth, by far its highest position in the poll since joining the BIG EAST in 2005-06. Last year, the Bulls had a breakthrough season, earning their first NCAA bid since 1993 and won two NCAA games for the first time in school history. Stan Heath, the BIG EAST Coach of the Year, led the Bulls to a 22-14 finish and a 12-6 mark in BIG EAST play. Sophomore point guard Anthony Collins, a critical contributor as a freshman last year, returns to direct the attack.
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Connecticut is the pick for ninth place. New head coach Kevin Ollie, a former Husky player, follows Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun. Ollie will depend on the talented backcourt of Shabazz Napier, a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team selection, and Ryan Boatright. Last year's squad finished 20-14 and earned an NCAA Championship bid.
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The coaches have St. John's 10th.   Coach Steve Lavin missed most of the games last season during his recovery period from cancer surgery. He will have a young team again in 2012-13 led by guard D'Angelo Harrison, a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team selection.  Â
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Rutgers is slotted for 11th place. The Scarlet Knights are building under third-year coach Mike Rice. He can build around the sophomore backcourt trio of Eli Carter, Myles Mack and Jerome Seagears.
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Villanova is picked 12th. The Wildcats want to bounce back from last year's 13-19 record. DePaul is 13th. The Blue Demons will be led by junior forward Cleveland Melvin, a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team pick. Seton Hall was voted 14th. The Pirates are coming off an NIT berth last season. Providence is 15th. Second-year coach Ed Cooley expects improvement as he builds the Friar program.
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2012-13 Preseason Coaches' Poll
                                                               Pts.
1. Louisville (14) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 196
2. Syracuse                                           175
3. Notre Dame (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 166
4. Cincinnati                                        152
5. Georgetown                                    136
6. Pittsburgh                                        132
7. Marquette                                      121
8. USFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 96
9. Connecticut                                     83
10. St. John's                                        73
11. Rutgers                                           63
12. Villanova                                         61
13. DePaul                                            48
14. Seton Hall                                     42
15. Providence                                    31
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First-place votes in parentheses
Syracuse ia coming off a 34-3 mark, the best record in school history. The Orange won the BIG EAST regular-season crown with a 17-1 record and stayed in the top five of the national polls every week of the season. Syracuse reached the NCAA East Regional final. Triche and Fair figure to lead the Orange this season. Both earned All-BIG EAST preseason recognition.
Louisville has three starters back from last year's team that reached the NCAA Final Four, also won The BIG EAST Championship Presented by American Eagle Outfitters and finished with a 31-6 record. Senior guard Peyton Siva, who was selected 2012-13 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, is the floor leader for the Cardinals. He averaged 9.1 points and was fourth in the league in assists with a 5.6 mark last year. Center Gorgui Dieng averaged 9.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and a league-leading 3.2 blocked shots. Forward Chane Behanan made the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team after averaging 9.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.
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Notre Dame was picked for third place with 166 points. Coach Mike Brey may have the most experienced team in the league. The Irish return all five starters, including 6-9 senior Jack Cooley, the BIG EAST Most Improved Player last season. He helped Notre Dame post a 21-12 overall record and a 13-5 conference mark.Â
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Cincinnati was picked fourth, the Bearcats' highest preseason position since joining the BIG EAST in 2005-06.  Coach Mick Cronin's club has won 26 games in each of the past two seasons. Last year, the Bearcats made it to The BIG EAST Championship title game and the NCAA Sweet 16. This season, they will depend on junior guard Sean Kilpatrick, a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team selection.
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The league coaches placed Georgetown in fifth place. The Hoyas finished 24-9 last year under coach John Thompson III and were 12-6 in the BIG EAST. Thompson has to replace three starters, but has a solid young nucleus that includes sophomore forward Otto Porter, a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team pick.      Â
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Pittsburgh is the pick for sixth place. After 10 straight NCAA Championship appearances, the Panthers slipped to 22-17 overall last year, though they did win the College Basketball Invitational. They were 5-13 in BIG EAST play. Senior point guard Tray Woodall hopes to avoid the injury bug which contributed to Pitt's slippage last year.Â
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Marquette, which placed seventh in the poll, is coming off its second straight NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. The Golden Eagles' season ended with a 27-8 overall mark and a second-place BIG EAST finish at 14-4. For 2012-13, coach Buzz Williams has three returning starters including a strong backcourt that includes Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Todd Mayo.
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The coaches tabbed USF for eighth, by far its highest position in the poll since joining the BIG EAST in 2005-06. Last year, the Bulls had a breakthrough season, earning their first NCAA bid since 1993 and won two NCAA games for the first time in school history. Stan Heath, the BIG EAST Coach of the Year, led the Bulls to a 22-14 finish and a 12-6 mark in BIG EAST play. Sophomore point guard Anthony Collins, a critical contributor as a freshman last year, returns to direct the attack.
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Connecticut is the pick for ninth place. New head coach Kevin Ollie, a former Husky player, follows Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun. Ollie will depend on the talented backcourt of Shabazz Napier, a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team selection, and Ryan Boatright. Last year's squad finished 20-14 and earned an NCAA Championship bid.
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The coaches have St. John's 10th.   Coach Steve Lavin missed most of the games last season during his recovery period from cancer surgery. He will have a young team again in 2012-13 led by guard D'Angelo Harrison, a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team selection.  Â
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Rutgers is slotted for 11th place. The Scarlet Knights are building under third-year coach Mike Rice. He can build around the sophomore backcourt trio of Eli Carter, Myles Mack and Jerome Seagears.
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Villanova is picked 12th. The Wildcats want to bounce back from last year's 13-19 record. DePaul is 13th. The Blue Demons will be led by junior forward Cleveland Melvin, a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team pick. Seton Hall was voted 14th. The Pirates are coming off an NIT berth last season. Providence is 15th. Second-year coach Ed Cooley expects improvement as he builds the Friar program.
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2012-13 Preseason Coaches' Poll
                                                               Pts.
1. Louisville (14) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 196
2. Syracuse                                           175
3. Notre Dame (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 166
4. Cincinnati                                        152
5. Georgetown                                    136
6. Pittsburgh                                        132
7. Marquette                                      121
8. USFÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 96
9. Connecticut                                     83
10. St. John's                                        73
11. Rutgers                                           63
12. Villanova                                         61
13. DePaul                                            48
14. Seton Hall                                     42
15. Providence                                    31
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First-place votes in parentheses
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