Posh Alexander named to the Big East first team; Big East preseason rankings

The Big East’s coaches have spoken, and the coaches think the Red Storm are a middle-of-the-pack Big East squad (Bubble Team?) with one player making all-league honors — the energetic point guard Posh Alexander.

Alexander, a repeat all-Big East First team member, has gotten some national attention (he’s on Dick Vitale’s All-American Third Team, for example) with good reason. Alexander has been a defensive terror, leading the league in steal percentage (and steals per game), while creating offense with his physical style. He scored 13 points per game and nearly six assists per contest in Big East play.

He paces the team. But with the departure of high-scoring Julian Champagnie and Aaron Wheeler, who found his shot and was a deft scorer from January into March, the team has many offensive questions without surefire answers.

As the season approaches, the Johnnies are deep in Media Days — the Big East’s Media Day is today — and the Red Storm will have the Red Storm Tip-Off on Friday, October 21st, with musical guest Blxst. (Analysis of the musical guest to come in a later post.)

Preseason exhibition games start next Wednesday with a tilt against Adelphi.

And just to have all the league honors in one place...

2022-23 Big East Preseason Honors

Big East Preseason Player of the Year: Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, Jr., 6-9, 245

Big East Preseason Freshman of the Year: Cam Whitmore, Villanova, F, Fr., 6-7, 232

Preseason All-Big East First Team

• Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, C, Jr., 7-1, 260
• Jared Bynum, Providence, G, Gr., 5-10, 180
• Posh Alexander, St. John’s, G, Jr., 6-0, 200
• Colby Jones, Xavier, G, Jr., 6-6, 207
• Jack Nunge, Xavier, F, Gr., 7-0, 245

Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team^

[^Tie in the voting created an extra position on the Second Team.]

• Arthur Kaluma, Creighton, F, So., 6-7, 225
• Ryan Nembhard, Creighton, G, So., 6-0, 170
• Kadary Richmond, Seton Hall, G, Jr., 6-6, 210
• Caleb Daniels, Villanova, G, Gr., 6-4, 210
• Eric Dixon, Villanova, F, R-Jr., 6-8, 255
• Justin Moore, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-4, 215

Preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention

• Chuck Harris, Butler, G, Jr., 6-2, 200
• Baylor Scheierman, Creighton, F, Sr., 6-7, 205
• Cam Whitmore, Villanova, F, Fr., 6-7, 232

Big East Preseason Coaches’ Poll (by points, first-place votes in parentheses)

1. Creighton (8) 98
2. Xavier (2) 86
3. Villanova (1) 85
4. Connecticut 77
5. Providence 62
6. St. John’s 52
7. Seton Hall 44
8. Butler 36
9. Marquette 32
10. Georgetown 21
11. DePaul 12