Villanova’s Jalen Brunson Selected Preseason Player of the Year
-Wildcats’ Omari Spellman Chosen Preseason Freshman of the Year-
NEW YORK – Villanova guard Jalen Brunson has been chosen 2017-18 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches. Wildcat forward Omari Spellman was named Preseason Freshman of the Year. The coaches, who were not permitted to place their own players on their ballots, also chose an All-BIG EAST First Team, All-BIG EAST Second Team and All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention.
Brunson, a 6-3 junior from Lincolnshire, Ill., averaged 14.1 points and 4.1 assists for the Wildcats. His assist average ranked second in the BIG EAST. His assist/turnover ratio of +2.0 was third in the league. From his point guard position, Brunson guided the Wildcats to a 32-4 record, which included a BIG EAST regular-season crown and a BIG EAST Tournament title. He was a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection and an All-Tournament Team pick. Two seasons ago, Brunson was a starter on the Wildcats’ NCAA national championship team.
Spellman, a 6-9 native of North Royalton, Ohio, is a player who is effective around the basket and a threat to score from 3-point range. In 2016-17, he was ruled an academic redshirt by the NCAA and was not able to play, but was able to practice with the team. Spellman played his final year of high school basketball at St. Thomas More (Conn.) and averaged 16 points and seven rebounds in 2015-16. In the Jordan Brand Classic, he recorded 12 points and 15 rebounds.
The 2017-18 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team includes three unanimous selections: Creighton guard Marcus Foster, Seton Hall center Angel Delgado and Xavier guard Trevon Bluiett. All three are seniors. The other first team picks are Butler forward Kelan Martin and Seton Hall guard Khadeen Carrington.
Foster was third in the BIG EAST in scoring last year with an 18.2 average and he made 73 3-pointers. He helped the Bluejays to a 25-10 overall record, a tie for third place in the league with a 10-8 mark and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Creighton advanced to the BIG EAST Tournament title game with Foster making the All-Tournament Team.
Delgado and Carrington were two critical components of Seton Hall’s 21-12 season that included the Pirates’ second straight NCAA Tournament berth. Delgado led the nation in rebounding with a 13.1 mark and averaged 15.2 points. Carrington, another senior, was the team’s leading scorer with a 17.1 average, sixth in the BIG EAST. Delgado was an All-BIG EAST First Team and All-Tournament selection, while Carrington made the All-BIG EAST Second Team.
Bluiett, a Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team pick for a second straight season, also has made the all-conference first team at the end of the past two years. Last season, he averaged 18.5 points and 5.7 rebounds. His scoring mark ranked second in the league. Bluiett has been an All-Tournament Team selection each of the past two seasons.
Butler’s Martin also made the Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team for a second consecutive year. The 6-7 forward led the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding with 16.0 and 5.8 averages, respectively. He was an All-BIG EAST Second Team pick for a second straight season in 2016-17. The Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 round last year and finished 25-9 overall and 12-6 in the BIG EAST.
Due to a tie in the voting, the Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team has six members with Providence and St. John’s each grabbing two spots. Both Friars are seniors, forward Rodney Bullock and guard Kyron Cartwright. Bullock led the PC squad with a 15.7 scoring mark and a 6.4 rebounding average. Cartwright was named BIG EAST Most Improved Player after leading the league in assists with a 6.7 average to with an 11.4 scoring mark. Bullock and Cartwright were All-BIG EAST Second Team picks who helped the Friars to their fourth straight NCAA Tournament bid.
The two St. John’s selections are guards Shamorie Ponds and Marcus LoVett. Both made the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team unanimously last year. Ponds finished fifth in the BIG EAST in scoring with a 17.4 average, while LoVett was ninth at 15.9. Ponds’ 2.1 steal average led the league. Both players made more than 80 percent of their free throws.
Marquette’s Markus Howard and Villanova’s Mikal Bridges are the other second team honorees. Howard joined Ponds and LoVett on the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team after averaging a team-leading 13.2 points. He was first in the nation in 3-point shooting, connecting on 54.7 percent of his shots beyond the arc. Bridges, a 6-7 junior forward, averaged 9.8 points and 4.6 points. He also shared the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Preseason All-BIG EAST Honorable Mention group includes three selections – Creighton junior guard Khyri Thomas, Seton Hall senior wing Desi Rodriguez and Xavier senior guard J.P. Macura. Thomas showed all-around skills last season with averages of 12.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists, and shared BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors. Rodriguez, a 6-6 senior, averaged 15.7 points and 5.2 boards. Macura, a 6-5 senior guard, was the Musketeers’ second top scorer, averaging 14.4 points.
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.
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.