Oct. 24, 2007
The Notre Dame men’s basketball team has been picked by the league’s coaches to finish ninth in the 16-team BIG EAST Conference, which again is expected to rank among the nation’s premier conferences for the 2007-08 season. The BIG EAST will feature an 18-game league schedule this season, with the Irish set to do battle in the league while being led by senior forward and three-year starter Rob Kurz. The team’s other top returners include a pair of 2006-07 BIG EAST all-rookie team selections – guard Tory Jackson and forward Luke Harongody – while junior guard Kyle McAlarney also returns and could combine with Jackson to form one of the BIG EAST’s top backcourts.
Georgetown and Louisville are the co-favorites to win the regular-season title, based on the voting in the annual BIG EAST preseason coaches poll.
2007-08 Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Georgetown (8) – 217
Louisville (8) – 217
3. Marquette – 191
4. Pittsburgh – 170
5. Syracuse – 153
6. Connecticut – 149
7. Villanova – 143
8. Providence – 141
9. Notre Dame – 122
10. West Virginia – 112
11. DePaul – 79
12. Cincinnati – 62
13. Seton Hall – 56
14. St. John’s – 52
15. Rutgers – 32
16. South Florida – 23
First-place votes in parentheses