All-Big East: Gillespie unanimous, Champagnie honored again

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Villanova guard Collin Gillespie (2) drives past Butler guard Bo Hodges, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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Connecticut’s R.J. Cole (2) drives to the basket against the defense of DePaul’s Philmon Gebrewhit (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

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St. John’s Julian Champagnie (2) goes to the basket as Xavier’s Jack Nunge (24) and Adam Kunkel (5) defend during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, March 2, 2022, in New York. St. John’s won 81-66. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Seton Hall’s Jared Rhoden brings the ball up during the second half of the team’s NCAA college basketball game against Xavier, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

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Marquette’s Justin Lewis (10) is guarded by Connecticut’s Andre Jackson in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in Hartford, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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Connecticut’s Adama Sanogo (21) is defended by DePaul’s Nick Ongenda (14) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Storrs, Conn. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)

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Villanova’s Justin Moore (5) reacts with Collin Gillespie (2) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Butler, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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Marquette’s Justin Lewis, left, is fouled by Butler’s Bryce Nze, right, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

By Mike Fitzpatrick

NEW YORK (AP) — Villanova guard Collin Gillespie was the only unanimous pick for the all-Big East team Sunday, and St. John’s forward Julian Champagnie joined him as a repeat selection.

Connecticut guard R.J. Cole and forward Adama Sanogo also were on the first team, along with Marquette forward Justin Lewis and Seton Hall swingman Jared Rhoden.

Gillespie, the co-Big East player of the year last season, is averaging 16.3 points per game to pace the 11th-ranked Wildcats. He leads the conference in 3-point shooting (43.1%) and free-throw percentage (91.5%).

Champagnie is averaging 18.9 points and 6.6 rebounds. He just missed winning the Big East scoring title for the second consecutive year, nipped by Lewis in the final game of the regular season.

Two players from regular-season champion Providence were included on the all-Big East second team: guard Jared Bynum and center Nate Watson. Joining them were DePaul guard Javon Freeman-Liberty, Creighton forward Ryan Hawkins and Villanova guard Justin Moore.

Receiving honorable mention were St. John’s point guard Posh Alexander, Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner, Marquette guard Darryl Morsell and Xavier center Jack Nunge.

The conference’s head coaches vote for the all-conference teams and are not allowed to pick their own players.

The league’s player of the year will come from the all-Big East first team. The winner will be announced Wednesday afternoon at Madison Square Garden before the Big East Tournament opener, when the conference also reveals its coach of the year, freshman of the year and scholar-athlete of the year.

Creighton had three players on the all-freshman team: guard Trey Alexander, forward Arthur Kaluma and point guard Ryan Nembhard, who was chosen Big East rookie of the week six times before a season-ending wrist injury late last month.

Nembhard was a unanimous selection to the all-freshman team, along with Georgetown guard Aminu Mohammed and Marquette guard Kam Jones. UConn guard Jordan Hawkins also made the squad.

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