NEW YORK (AP) — UConn was picked to win the Big East by the league's coaches on Thursday with defending champion St. John's the second choice.

The Huskies, who made their third national championship game appearance in the last four seasons, are led by preseason Big East Player of the Year selection Silas Demary Jr. Demary averaged 10.1 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds for the Huskies last season.

The Red Storm received two first-place votes. St. John's is coming off two consecutive Big East regular-season and tournament titles — the first team ever to do that. Rick Pitino's squad made the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999. They are led by preseason first-team conference selections Tounde Yessoufou and Ian Jackson.

Villanova, Marquette and Providence were the next three in the preseason poll. Xavier was picked sixth. Creighton, led by new head coach Alan Huss, was seventh.

DePaul, which had its best finish in the Big East a season ago, was chosen eighth with Seton Hall and Georgetown behind them.

Butler was the 11th choice under first-year coach Ronald Nored.

The Big East held its annual media day at a local New York hotel instead of Madison Square Garden, which has hosted the event every year since 2014.

The event was presided over by new conference commissioner Tim Brosnan, who took over for Val Ackerman. Ackerman, who was the head of the conference from 2013-26, retired at the end of August.

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