Oct. 17, 2012
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Notre Dame men’s basketball, which returns all five starters from last season’s team that finished 22-12 overall and 13-5 in BIG EAST play, was chosen to finish third in the BIG EAST’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll, announced today (Oct. 17) at the league’s annual media day held at the New York Athletic Club in New York, N.Y.
The ESPN/USA Today poll also was released today and the Irish will begin the season ranked 23rd.
Irish senior forward Jack Cooley (Glenview, Ill.) earned a spot on the BIG EAST preseason all-BIG EAST first team. Cooley was a second team all-conference selection as a junior after averaging 14.6 points and 10.2 rebounds in league play in 2011-12. Junior Jerian Grant (Bowie, Md.) was named to the league’s preseason honorable mention team.
The Irish received one first-place vote. Defending BIG EAST tournament champion and 2012 NCAA Final Four participant, Louisville, was the unanimous choice to win this year’s regular-season crown as the Cardinals garnered 14 votes (coaches are not permitted to vote for their town team). Louisville finished the ’11-’12 campaign with a final 31-6 record. Syracuse was tabbed for second place as the Orange are coming off a program-best 34-3 season.
Cincinnati, which earned a spot in the BIG EAST championship game last season and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16, was picked fourth. The Bearcats were followed by Georgetown in fifth place, Pittsburgh in sixth place, Marquette in seventh, USF in eighth. Connecticut in ninth and St. John’s rounds out the top 10.
The final five teams selected were Rutgers (11th), Villanova (12th), DePaul (13th) , Seton Hall (14th) and Providence (15th).
Louisville guard Peyton Siva was named the BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches. Siva also joined Cooley on the preseason all-BIG EAST first team. Other players selected to the team were Gorgui Dieng (Louisville), Sean Kilpatrick (Cincinnati), Otto Porter (Georgetown) and Vincent Council (Providence).
The second team was made up of Shabazz Napier (Connecticut), Cleveland Melvin (DePaul), D’Angelo Harrison (St. John’s), Anthony Collins (USF) and Brandon Triche (Syracuse).
Steven Adams of Pittsburg was chosen as the BIG EAST Preseason Rookie of the Year. In addition to Grant, Also named to the BIG EAST Honorable Mention Team were Chane Behanan of Louisville, Tray Woodall (Pittsburgh) and C.J. Fair (Syracuse).
2012-13 Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Louisville (14)
2. Syracuse
3. Notre Dame (1)
4. Cincinnati
5. Georgetown
6. Pittsburgh
7. Marquette
8. USF
9. Connecticut
10. St. John’s
11. Rutgers
12. Villanova
13. DePaul
14. Seton Hall
15. Providence
2012-13 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Peyton Siva, Louisville
2012-13 BIG EAST Preseason Rookie of the Year Steven Adams, Pittsburgh
2012-13 Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati
Otto Porter, Georgetown
Gorgui Dieng, Louisville
Jack Cooley, Notre Dame
Vincent Council, Providence
2012-13 Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut
Cleveland Melvin, DePaul
D’Angelo Harrison, St. John’s
Anthony Collins, USF
Brandon Triche, Syracuse
2012-13 Preseason BIG EAST Honorable Mention
Chane Behanan, Louisville
Jerian Grant, Notre Dame
Tray Woodall, Pittsburgh
C.J. Fair, Syracuse