TicketsOct. 26, 2005
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NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Villanova is a narrow choice over Connecticut to win the 2005-06 BIG EAST regular season crown in a poll of the league's head coaches. The Wildcats earned nine first-place votes while UConn picked up seven. The Wildcats accumulated 215 total points while the Huskies had 213.
Cincinnati, which begins play in the BIG EAST this season, was picked to finish ninth. Bearcat senior Eric Hicks was an honorable mention selection on the BIG EAST preseason all-league team.
Villanova returns all five starters from last year's team, which finished with a 24-8 record and advanced to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA. It is only the second time in league history that Villanova has been picked for first place in the preseason. The coaches made the Wildcats the preseason favorites in 1982-83.
Connecticut, which tied for the 2004-05 BIG EAST regular season title with a 13-3 mark and finished the year with a 23-8 record, has four of last season's five starters returning.
Louisville, which posted a 33-5 ledger and reached the Final Four last season, was picked third, with Syracuse, last year's BIG EAST Tournament champion, voted fourth. West Virginia was picked fifth, followed by Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Notre Dame and Cincinnati.
Connecticut's Rudy Gay and Syracuse' Gerry McNamara were elected preseason co-Players of the Year. Villanova placed three players on the 10-man preseason all-league team.