David Duke of PC was named 2’nd team All-Big East (Photo: TCU Athletics)

By KEVIN McNAMARA

The Big East coaches have made their picks and no Providence Friars made the cut on the conference’s six-player All-Big East team.

Sandro Mamukelashvili (Seton Hall), Collin Gillespie and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Villanova), Marcus Zegarowski (Creighton), Julian Champagnie (St. John’s) and James Bouknight (UConn) are the first teamers.

The coaches clearly factored in team success into their voting choices as both David Duke and Nate Watson enjoyed outstanding seasons for the Friars. They were joined on the All-Big East second team by Damien Jefferson of Creighton and Zach Freemantle and Paul Scruggs of Xavier

In Big East games, Duke finished third in scoring (16.5 ppg.), first in assists (5.2), eighth in rebounds (7.1) and 15th in 3-point shooting (.386).

Duke helped Providence complete the regular season with a 9-10 record and as the six seed in this week’s Big East Tournament. He averaged 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists this past week and posted 20 points and seven rebounds in a victory over Villanova (54-52).  

In Big East play Watson was fourth in scoring (16.3), third in field goal shooting (.595) and 10th in rebounding (6.8).

Watson said he’s looking forward to playing in the Big East Tournament this week. “We have something to prove now. We’ve put ourselves in this situation and we want to get ourselves out of it.”

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM

Marcus Zegarowski, Creighton, G, Jr., 6-2, 180, Hamilton, Mass.

James Bouknight, Connecticut, G, So., 6-5, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Julian Champagnie, St. John’s, G-F, So., 6-8, 220, Brooklyn, N.Y.

*Sandro Mamukelashvili, Seton Hall, F, Sr., 6-11, 240, Tbilisi, Georgia

*Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Villanova, F, So., 6-9, 230, Kansas City, Kan.

Collin Gillespie, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-3, 190, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.

ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM

Damien Jefferson, Creighton, F, Sr., 6-5, 220, East Chicago, Ind.

David Duke, Providence, G, Jr., 6-7, 210, New York, N.Y.

Nate Watson, Providence, F, Sr., 6-10, 260, Portsmouth, Va.

Zach Freemantle, Xavier, F, So.,6-9, 225, Teaneck, N.J.

Paul Scruggs, Xavier, F, Sr., 6-4, 196, Indianapolis, Ind.

ALL-BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION

Denzel Mahoney, Creighton, G-F, Sr., 6-5, 220, Oviedo, Fla.

Jahvon Blair, Georgetown, G, Sr., 6-4, 190, Brampton, Ont.

Jermaine Samuels, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-7, 230, Franklin, Mass.

BIG EAST ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

*Chuck Harris, Butler, G, 6-2, 190, Washington, D.C.

Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, F, 6-9, 240, Bamako, Mali

*Dawson Garcia, Marquette, F, 6-11, 235, Prior Lake, Minn.

*Posh Alexander, St. John’s, F, 6-0, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Colby Jones, Xavier, G, 6-5, 195, Birmingham, Ala.

*Denotes unanimous selection

So how wide open is the Big East Tournament? Providence will play DePaul Wednesday at 9 p.m. and if the Friars are fortunate to win they’d matchup up with a red-hot Connecticut team Thursday. PC coach Ed Cooley says the Huskies “are playing as well as anyone in the country. They’re one of the tougher outs in there but I think there’s opportunity.”