New York, NY – The Big East Conference descended on Madison Square Garden for Media Day on Tuesday, and the message was clear: the league is deeper, more competitive, and ready to challenge the nation’s elite programs. From Rick Pitino’s retooled St. John’s squad to Geno Auriemma’s defending national champion UConn women, the 2025-26 season promises high-stakes basketball and compelling storylines across the conference.
St. John’s: Pitino’s Red Storm Picked First, But Questions Remain
St. John’s head coach Rick Pitino stood before the media with a familiar blend of confidence and caution, acknowledging his team’s preseason No. 1 ranking in the Big East while tempering expectations for a roster that features 10 new players.
“I really don’t pay too much attention to prognosticators because, especially in this day and age, I don’t even know the names of the players from the other teams because they all change so much,” Pitino said. “We have 10 new players, so I think it’s a guess. Everybody’s guessing.”
The Red Storm earned the top spot in the preseason poll after a 2024-25 campaign that saw them win 18 close games, including two on last-second floaters by Zuby Ejiofor. That defensive identity—winning close games despite inconsistent shooting—was the foundation of last year’s success, and Pitino expects it to carry over.
“We won a lot of close games at the Garden, and for a team that didn’t shoot particularly well, that was really exciting to see because we did it with defense,” Pitino said.
Zuby Ejiofor: From Unknown to Big East Preseason Player of the Year
The centerpiece of St. John’s title hopes is Zuby Ejiofor, the Big East Preseason Player of the Year. The junior forward, who barely played as a freshman at Kansas, has transformed into one of the league’s most dominant players under Pitino’s tutelage.
“It’s just good coaching,” Pitino joked when asked if he envisioned Ejiofor’s rise. “Now, Zuby has worked really hard. Every player I’ve had that reaches this level has an incredible threshold for work, and he has an incredible threshold for pain.”
The Big East Conference unveils its 2025-26 Men’s Preseason Honors at Media Day in New York City, with St. John’s forward Zuby Ejiofor earning Preseason Player of the Year recognition. UConn’s Braylon Mullins was named Preseason Freshman of the Year, while the Huskies placed three players on the Preseason All-Big East First Team. Mandatory Credit: Bad Dawg Sports
But Pitino was quick to warn that Ejiofor’s success will bring new challenges. He compared the forward’s situation to a defensive end who suddenly faces double teams after a breakout season.
“I told him a story about Michael Jordan,” Pitino said. “When I coached against him, Michael would take the first quarter and distribute the basketball and make sure everybody got their shots. And then in the fourth quarter, he’d score 35 points. I told Zuby to let the game come to him early on. He’s going to be a marked man. Get the other guys’ shots, distribute the basketball, and finish the game in the final five minutes in high fashion.”
Ejiofor, who received an NBA Combine invite last spring but chose to return for his junior season, embraced the challenge.
“I just hope to be remembered as someone who left it on the floor, left everything he has, played to win, and just known as a winner,” Ejiofor said. “I came here to win. I want St. John’s to have winning known as the standard here.”
The 6-foot-9 forward also addressed the pressure of being the conference’s top player.
“That’s just what the game comes with, honestly,” Ejiofor said. “I’ll still approach my day the same way as I’ve always done and just compete. I’ve always prided myself on being a competitor on the floor. That’s just how I’m going to approach every single game, every single day, every single practice.”
Another key piece for St. John’s is Bryce Hopkins, who has impressed Pitino in recent weeks with his conditioning and play.
“Bryce has been great the last week, played terrific in the opening exhibition game,” Pitino said. “He’ll start out against Michigan. His body looks great. He’s lost a lot of weight, he’s toned it down, he’s shooting the ball well, so he’s playing good basketball. I think he’s very comfortable.”
Hopkins will join Ejiofor and Deivon Smith in what Pitino expects to be a fluid starting lineup that changes based on matchups.
“I think you’re going to find the starting lineup changes constantly with this basketball team on matchups,” Pitino said. “If we’re going against a big team, we’ll play a big lineup. If we’re going against a small team, a small lineup. You’ll know who I think the five best players are with five minutes to go in the game.”
The Big East Conference unveils its 2025-26 Men’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll at Media Day, with Rick Pitino’s St. John’s Red Storm earning seven first-place votes and 97 points to claim the top spot. Defending national champion UConn follows closely in second place with four first-place votes and 94 points, setting up a marquee rivalry between the conference’s top two programs. Mandatory Credit: Bad Dawg Sports
UConn Rivalry Heats Up, But Pitino Sees Broader Competition
The rivalry between St. John’s and UConn has grown into one of the conference’s marquee matchups, with both programs ranked in the top five nationally entering the season. But Pitino downplayed the notion that UConn is a bigger game than any other Big East opponent.
“I don’t consider UConn any more of a rival than Villanova or Providence or Marquette or Creighton or any of them,” Pitino said. “Their fan base makes them very special because they travel bigger than anybody else. That being said, we’ve got great respect for them. We’ve had some great games, even in the Garden, Big East, when we lost 95-90 and they won the national championship. So they’re a big game for us, but no bigger than Providence or Villanova or any of the other teams.”
Pitino also praised the conference’s depth, citing Georgetown, Providence, DePaul, and Villanova as significantly improved teams.
“Georgetown is one of the most physical teams that people have watched,” Pitino said. “Providence is much better, DePaul is much better, Villanova is much better than last year. The Big East is different, much different than last year.”
One of the most intriguing storylines of the season is the addition of Rick Pitino’s son, Richard, as head coach at Xavier. The elder Pitino acknowledged the challenge his son faces with 13 new players and no returning starters.
“He’s going through the same thing I went through my first year; he’s having to bring in 13 new players,” Pitino said. “Nobody stayed, and that’s difficult. So he’s gonna have a difficult season, but that’s to be expected when you have 13 new players and you’re just starting out. The good thing is he’s at Xavier—great basketball tradition, great arena, great city, and he’s in the Eastern time zone, which is what we all like in our family.”
Pitino expressed excitement about coaching against his son but emphasized the family’s focus on Richard’s success.
“It’s very exciting to have him in the league,” Pitino said. “It’s going to take him a while to build the program back up. He’s got 13 new players. If you look at the all-league selection, you don’t see any Xavier players, so it’s going to take a little time for him to recruit the talent. It’s going to take a little time to get these types of players.”
MSG as Home: Pitino’s Vision for St. John’s
Pitino also discussed the importance of playing more games at Madison Square Garden, where St. John’s is now averaging 19,000 fans per game—a dramatic increase from the 5,000-6,000 they drew before his arrival.
“Remember, it takes 13,000 people, around that number, to break even for St. John’s,” Pitino said. “And St. John’s was averaging; they were playing six, seven games a year, and they were averaging 5,000, 6,000 people. So they were bleeding financially. Now we’re getting 19,000 people, and they’re making money, and I think we’re playing 12 or 13 games this year, including an exhibition game. I’d love to see someday us play 15, 16 games in the Garden.”
UConn Women: Defending Champions Eye Repeat with New Faces
Across the conference, Geno Auriemma’s UConn Huskies are the defending national champions and the preseason favorite to repeat. But Auriemma, who has navigated the pressure of defending titles more than any coach in history, knows the challenges that lie ahead.
“I have found over the years that the hardest thing for a team post-championship is having a balance between two things,” Auriemma said. “One, because we’ve done it already, let’s be bored during the season and wait for the NCAA tournament, because that’s the most fun, and they forget what a road it was to get to that point and what a struggle that is to get to that point. So we’ve got to remind them of that and not be too cocky going into the season, but confident.”
The Big East Conference unveils its 2025-26 Women’s Preseason Coaches’ Poll at Media Day, with defending national champion UConn earning a unanimous first-place ranking with all 10 first-place votes and a perfect 100 points. Marquette sits in second place with 85 points, while Seton Hall earned one first-place vote to claim third with 80 points. Mandatory Credit: Bad Dawg Sports
The Huskies return three starters from last year’s championship team, including Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, but have added five new players, creating a roster with depth and talent but also questions about chemistry and roles.
Azzi Fudd: Embracing Leadership in Her Final Season
Azzi Fudd, the senior guard and one of the program’s most decorated players, is entering her final season at UConn. She has embraced a leadership role, learning from former teammate Paige Bueckers and taking on more responsibility both on and off the court.
“I feel like the way that she just carries herself, she’s a great person and a great teammate,” Fudd said of Bueckers. “The way that she leads, the way that she cares for her teammates, so she’s going to lead in a personal way. She knows, oh, I can talk to you this way, and she’s always going to be there. So I can push her this way, and I can pick her up this way. So I feel like what I learned from her was just the attention to detail that she had.”
Fudd has also added ball-handling to her skill set, allowing UConn to play faster and more versatile lineups.
“It’s fun. It’s a lot of fun,” Fudd said. “I feel like this team that we have, there are so many people that can bring the ball up the floor, start the offense, get things going for us. So we have that kind of versatility. It’s going to make it a lot of fun to play with this year, and just make it, we want to play fast, so you don’t have to outlet it to a specific person. You can just outlet it to a guard, get it up the floor, and start. That’s exactly what we’re looking for this year.”
Auriemma’s message to Fudd and other seniors is simple: stay present.
“In five months, it’s over,” Auriemma said. “Whether you suck or whether you’re great, it’s gonna end. And a lot of times, they worry about both of those things. It’s gonna end, and I’m scared that it’s gonna end and not end the right way. So I’m gonna suck because I’m scared. So my thing is it’s gonna end, so you might as well enjoy it. And that takes some getting used to. So my message always is, don’t think about April. Don’t think about March. Don’t think about December. Come here every day, and let’s see what we can put together every day.”
Fudd has embraced that mindset, reflecting on the lessons she’s learned from watching former teammates navigate their final seasons.
“I think it’s really just being able to see a lot of my other teammates, whether it was their fourth year or they came back for a fifth year, getting to see how they handled it,” Fudd said. “I feel like I’ve had a lot of incredible people to look up to in that sense, but really just trying to embrace everything. Coach says it, and I remember hearing it for the first time as a freshman and being like, oh my gosh, she’s so dramatic. And she’s telling our seniors how they’re going to miss the hard practices, they’re going to miss going back to the apartment to hang out with everyone. They’re going to miss CD walks, CD games, and pre-game meals because when you go to the league, it’s a business, and that bond isn’t the same. You’re not in this bubble anymore.”
The Big East Conference unveils its 2025-26 Women’s Preseason Honors at Media Day, with UConn sophomore forward Sarah Strong earning Preseason Player of the Year recognition. The defending national champion Huskies dominated the honors, placing four players on the Preseason All-Big East Team, including senior Azzi Fudd and freshman Kelis Fisher, who was named Preseason Freshman of the Year. Mandatory Credit: Bad Dawg Sports
Sarah Strong: Finding Her Voice
Sophomore forward Sarah Strong is one of the most talented players in the country, but Auriemma is pushing her to become more vocal and assertive as a leader.
“The thing that you have to do is get players like Sarah not to be hesitant because there’s upperclassmen ahead of her,” Auriemma said. “That’s a natural, well, who am I when we have these upperclassmen that have been here longer? And so my biggest thing with Sarah is just say to her every day, ‘You’re Sarah Strong. Whatever you say, they’re gonna go, yeah, that sounds good to me.’ But getting her to actually embrace that, it’s gonna take a little bit of time.”
Fudd praised Strong’s growth and confidence entering her sophomore season.
“Sarah is a lot more confident,” Fudd said. “You can see, last year, not that she wasn’t, she’s always been confident, but you can see it in the way that she’s been talking, more vocal. Before, it was like you could tell she’d want to say something, but she didn’t want to step on anyone, so she would just listen and observe. And this year she started to talk, and she’s—I mean, she knows what she’s talking about, so I’m like, spit it out. Like, what do you have? Like, share. Like, help us because having a player like her on your side, like she makes you better when she’s speaking, when she’s not speaking. Just her being with you she makes you a better player.”
Auriemma compared Strong to some of the program’s all-time greats, noting that she is one of only a few sophomores to be named preseason All-Big East.
“Sarah Strong at that, at sophomore age—well, we’ve only had a few freshmen make All-American, so that automatically separates her,” Auriemma said. “And we’ve only had a few sophomores be preseason All-American and close to like preseason national player. So that puts her in a whole nother level.”
The Challenge of Repeating
Auriemma has won 11 national championships at UConn, but he knows that repeating is never easy—even with a talented roster.
“Each one of those repeats had returners who were able to almost carry it on their own,” Auriemma said. “This particular year, based on what I’ve seen so far, trying to incorporate five new players is a lot. And we don’t have a Diana Taurasi personality on our team, so that’s gonna have to evolve. Whoever that is, I don’t know that Azzi has that type of leadership quality. She has tremendous others. She leads by example. And Sarah’s young, and like you said, she’s finding her voice.”
Auriemma also addressed the perception that UConn’s depth is a luxury, noting that managing a 14-player roster is more complicated than it appears.
“Too many players is a good problem to have if they can all play,” Auriemma said. “And sometimes on the outside, the perception is they can all play. And on the inside, the reality is, tell me a team that has 14 players and they can all play. They can’t. So it is a good problem, so it isn’t. So everybody’s gotta buy in, and everybody gets an opportunity for the whole month of October, and maybe some in November, to prove that you’re in that top eight or nine. Then how the other four react can determine how much fun you have coaching them.”
UConn’s Dominant NCAA Tournament Run
Auriemma reflected on last year’s national championship, calling it one of the most dominant Final Four runs in program history.
“I think the way we played throughout that NCAA tournament was as good an NCAA tournament run as any other team’s ever had,” Auriemma said. “I thought maybe it was one of the most dominant Final Four runs by these particular kids, by this group. We beat a number one seed in the final eight, we beat a number one seed in the semifinal, and we beat a number one seed in the final. It doesn’t happen very often. So I think we proved we were one of the best champions ever by the way we played.”
MSG Games on the Horizon?
Auriemma also expressed interest in playing more games at Madison Square Garden, potentially partnering with St. John’s for a doubleheader event.
“We used to do that. We played St. John’s here, and I would hope that we could do it again,” Auriemma said. “I know Joe and I have talked about it a lot, and we’ve talked to the people here about it. We’ve talked almost like we just did at Mohegan about having a doubleheader here with one game and another game at night. Us and St. John’s, maybe the men at St. John’s. I don’t know. But I do think we should aspire to play a game or two here every year.”
Big East Poised for Competitive Season
Both Pitino and Auriemma emphasized the depth and competitiveness of the Big East entering the 2025-26 season. With UConn and St. John’s leading the way, and programs like Georgetown, Providence, Villanova, Marquette, and Creighton all improved, the conference is positioned to make a significant impact on the national stage.
“The Big East is different, much different than last year,” Pitino said. “Georgetown is the real deal. Providence is much improved. DePaul is much improved. Certainly, Marquette and Creighton are just as good. Villanova is much improved. They just won the game by 13 points, and I hear great things about them as well.”
As the season approaches, the Big East will once again be a proving ground for some of college basketball’s best programs, coaches, and players. And with Madison Square Garden as the stage, the stakes have never been higher.
What’s Next
St. John’s: Plays their second Preseason game, Saturday against Michigan at Madison Square Garden UConn Women: Opens the season against Louisville on November 4, after wrapping up the preseason against Southern Connecticut on 10/26 in Hartford, CT. Big East: Conference play begins in December, with the Big East Tournament returning to Madison Square Garden in March for the men’s and Mohegan Sun for the Women’s tournament.
👉 Join Bad Dawg Sports Premium for $12.50/year (LIMITED TIME) and get exclusive college basketball coverage, insider analysis, and behind-the-scenes access to the biggest games and storylines in the Big East and beyond.
