Pitt Picked 4th In Preseason Poll

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The FAN) — The Pitt men's basketball team was picked to finish fourth by the media in the Big East preseason poll at the conference's annual media day Wednesday at the New York Athletic Club.

The Panthers received 188 votes and one first-place vote. Since 2002-03, Pitt has been picked to finish in fourth place or higher in six of the last eight league preseason polls.

Here's the entire preseason poll, including each team followed by votes received (first-place votes in parenthesis):

1. UConn (7) — 209 points
1. Syracuse (5) — 209 points
3. Louisville (3) — 201 points
4. Pitt (1) — 188 points
5. Cincinnati — 169 points
6. Marquette — 155 points
7. West Virginia — 132 points
8. Villanova — 127 points
9. Notre Dame — 114 points
10. Georgetown — 104 points
11. Rutgers — 75 points
12. St. John's — 71 points
13. Seton Hall — 56 points
14. USF — 43 points
15. Providence — 40 points
16. DePaul — 27 points

Other preseason awards of interest:

2011-12 Preseason Big East Player of the Year

Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh

2011-12 Preseason Big East Rookie of the Year

Andre Drummond, Connecticut

2011-12 Preseason All-Big East First Team

Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh, G, Sr.
Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut, G/F, So., 6-5
Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette, G, Sr.
Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame, F, G, 6-8
Kris Joseph, Syracuse, F, Sr., 6-7, 210
Kevin Jones, West Virginia, F, Sr., 6-8, 260

2011-12 Preseason All-Big East Second Team

Yancy Gates, Cincinnati, F, Sr., 6-9, 260
Alex Oriahki, Connecticut, F/C, Jr., 6-9, 240
Peyton Siva, Louisville, G, Jr., 5-11, 180
Scoop Jardine, Syracuse, G, Sr., 6-2, 190
Maalik Wayns, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-2, 200

2011-12 Preseason All-Big East Honorable Mention

Andre Drummond, Connecticut, C, Fr., 6-11, 275
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut, G, So., 6-0, 170
Cleveland Melvin, DePaul, F, So., 6-8, 208
Jae Crowder, Marquette, F, Sr., 6-6, 235
Augustus Gilchrist, USF, F/C., Sr., 6-10, 245