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Villanova picked second in Big East men’s basketball preseason poll

There’s a new preseason No. 1 in the Big East.

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament-First Round- Villanova vs Saint Mary’s David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

There’s a new preseason No. 1 in the Big East, breaking a five-year long streak that the Villanova Wildcats had as the projected top team heading into the season.

The Seton Hall Pirates were voted No. 1, with the defending conference champions Villanova coming in at No. 2.

Despite both Seton Hall and Villanova receiving five first-place votes each, the Pirates were able to edge the ‘Cats by a one-point margin.

Last season, the Wildcats finished the year 26-10 overall, with a 13-5 showing in conference play. They reclaimed the regular season title and then pulled off the first-ever Big East Tournament three-peat. Their season eventually ended with a loss to the Purdue Boilermakers in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

2019 Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll

Ranking Team Points
Ranking Team Points
1 Seton Hall (5) 77
2 Villanova (5) 76
3 Xavier 52
4 (T) Marquette 50
4 (T) Providence 50
6 Georgetown 49
7 Creighton 45
8 Butler 21
9 St. John's 19
10 DePaul 11