{"id":104688,"date":"2024-11-02T12:31:25","date_gmt":"2024-11-02T16:31:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=104688"},"modified":"2024-11-02T12:32:05","modified_gmt":"2024-11-02T16:32:05","slug":"big-east-stars-land-award-watch-lists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/11\/02\/big-east-stars-land-award-watch-lists\/","title":{"rendered":"Big East Basketball Stars Land On National Award Watch Lists"},"content":{"rendered":"

Big East basketball stars being honored didn’t stop with Creighton’s <\/span>Ryan Kalkbrenner<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Liam McNeeley<\/span><\/a> of UConn being <\/span>popular picks<\/span><\/a> among the Big East coaches. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the players who made the watch list for each of the individual position awards. That is a sign that the season is right around the corner.\u00a0<\/span>Eight Big East <\/span>teams will be in action<\/span><\/a> on Monday as the 2024-25 college basketball season gets underway. St. John’s is first up with a 6:30 p.m. ET home game against Fordham. The Stony Brook-Marquette wraps up the eight games involving Big East teams.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are three Big East teams in the top 20 in the national polls. UConn is No. 3, Creighton is ranked 15th and Marquette comes in at No. 18 in <\/span>The Associated Press Top 25 poll<\/span><\/a>. UConn is third, Creighton is 14th and Marquette is 17th in the <\/span>Coaches poll<\/span><\/a>. Time will tell how accurate those rankings are.\u00a0<\/span>St. John’s, Xavier, and Providence are among the other teams receiving votes in the AP poll. The Red Storm and Musketeers also picked up votes in the Coaches Poll. It won’t take much for St. John’s and Xavier to break into the top 25.<\/span><\/p>\n

Big East Basketball Stars Land On National Award Watch Lists<\/b><\/h2>\n

The best and the brightest Big East basketball stars will tell you that the awards at the end of the season will matter more than the ones before the season. However, if people want to include them on watch lists for national awards, they will say, “Thank you very much.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced candidates for the five position awards. Players from six Big East programs were named to the watch lists for the awards. UConn is leading the way for four players to be recognized. That is one of the reasons why UConn is the <\/span>preseason pick<\/span><\/a> to win the Big East title.<\/span><\/p>\n

Big East Basketball Star Kalkbrenner the Center of Attention<\/b><\/h3>\n

It was not a surprise to see Big East Preseason Player of the Year Kalkbrenner on the <\/span>list of candidates<\/span><\/a> for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar<\/a> Award. That honor goes to the best center in men’s college basketball. He is ready to shine again at Creighton.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 7-foot-1 Kalkbrenner delayed his professional career and is <\/span>set for his fifth season<\/span><\/a> at Creighton. Kalkbrenner averaged 17.3 points and 7.6 rebounds for the Bluejays during the 2023-24 season.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ryan Kalkbrenner named to the @hoophallu<\/a> Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Preseason Watch List.<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd17: https:\/\/t.co\/vjwtWs3tVr<\/a>#GoJays<\/a> x #KareemAward<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/jMxgrwZHlU<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Creighton Men\u2019s Basketball (@BluejayMBB) November 1, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n