1986–87 Big East Conference Men's Basketball Season

The 1986–87 Big East Conference men's basketball season was the eighth in conference history, and involved its nine full-time member schools.

Georgetown, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse were the regular-season co-champions with identical records of . Georgetown won the Big East tournament championship. In the NCAA Tournament, Providence and Syracuse both reached the Final Four, and Syracuse was the national runner-up.

Season summary & highlights

* Despite low expectations for the season, Syracuse won its first 15 games and finished the season as a regular-season conference co-champion and runner-up in the 1987 Big East tournament.
* Georgetown fielded a team that relied heavily on young and inexperienced players and was expected to have a rebuilding year, but instead had great success in conference and non-conference play, advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament, and finished the season ranked No. 4 behind the leadership of senior forward and team captain Reggie Williams. The team received the nickname "Reggie and the Miracles."
* Georgetown, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse were the regular-season co-champions with identical records of 12–4. It was the third regular-season championship or co-championship for both Georgetown and Syracuse and the first for Pittsburgh.
* Georgetown won its fifth Big East tournament championship.
* In the NCAA Tournament, Providence and Syracuse both reached the Final Four, and Syracuse finished as the national runner-up, narrowly losing the national championship game to Indiana.
* The 104 points Syracuse scored against Western Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA tournament tied the record for the most points scored in an NCAA tournament game by a single team.

Head coaches

Rankings

Georgetown, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse were ranked in the Top 20 of the Associated Press poll for the entire season, and St. John's was in the Top 20 for most of the season. Providence also reached the Top 20 during February 1987.

Regular-season statistical leaders

Postseason

Big East tournament

Seeding

Seeding in the Big East tournament was based on conference record, with tiebreakers applied as necessary. The eighth- and ninth-seeded teams played a first-round game, and the other seven teams received a bye into the quarterfinals.

The tournament's seeding was as follows:

Bracket

NCAA tournament

Five Big East teams received bids to the NCAA Tournament, with Georgetown seeded No. 1 in the Southeast Region. Pittsburgh and St. John's both lost in the second round, and Providence upset Georgetown in the Southeast Region final. Syracuse defeated Providence in a national semifinal game but lost to Indiana in the national championship game.

National Invitation Tournament

Two Big East teams received bids to the National Invitation Tournament, which did not yet have seeding. Playing in the same unnamed bracket, Seton Hall and Villanova both lost in the first round.

Awards and honors

Big East Conference

Player of the Year:
* Reggie Williams, Georgetown, F, Sr.
Defensive Player of the Year:
* Mark Jackson, St. John's, G, Sr.
Freshman of the Year:
* Derrick Coleman, Syracuse, F
Coach of the Year:
* John Thompson, Jr., Georgetown (15th season)

All-Big East First Team
* Reggie Williams, Georgetown, G, Sr., , , Baltimore, Md.
* Charles Smith, Pittsburgh, F, Jr., , , Bridgeport, Conn.
* Jerome Lane, Pittburgh, F, So., , , Akron, Ohio
* Billy Donovan, Providence, G, Sr. , , Baltimore, Md.
* Mark Jackson, St. John's, F, Sr., , , Brooklyn, N.Y.
* Sherman Douglas, Syracuse, G, So., , , Washington, D.C.

All-Big East Second Team:
* Dana Barros, Boston College, G, So., , , Boston, Mass.
* Perry McDonald, Georgetown, F, Jr., , , New Orleans, La.
* Mark Bryant, Seton Hall, F, Jr., , , Glen Ridge, N.J.
* Rony Seikaly, Syracuse, C, Jr. , , Athens, Greece
* Harold Jensen, Villanova, G, Sr., , , Trumbull, Conn.

All-Big East Third Team:
* Dave Kipfer, Providence, F, Sr., , , Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
* James Major, Seton Hall, G, Jr.,
* Willie Glass, St. John's, G, Jr., , , Atlantic City, N.J.
* Derrick Coleman, Syracuse, F, Fr., , , Mobile, Ala.
* Greg Monroe, Syracuse, G, Sr. , , Rochester, N.Y.

Big East All-Freshman Team:

* Tate George, Connecticut, G, , , Newark, N.J.
* Dwayne Bryant, Georgetown, G, , , New Orleans, La.
* Mark Tillmon, Georgetown, G, , , Washington, D.C.
* Rod Brookin, Pittsbugh, F, , , Steelton, Pa.
* Derrick Coleman, Syracuse, F, , , Mobile, Ala.

All-Americans

The following players were selected to the 1987 Associated Press All-America teams.

Consensus All-America First Team:
* Reggie Williams, Georgetown, Key Stats: 23.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 48.2 FG%, 38.6 3P%, 802 points

Consensus All-America Second Team:
* Mark Jackson, St. John's, Key Stats: 18.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.4 apg, 50.4 FG%, 41.9 3P%, 566 points

First Team All-America:
* Reggie Williams, Georgetown, Key Stats: 23.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 48.2 FG%, 38.6 3P%, 802 points

Second Team All-America:
* Mark Jackson, St. John's, Key Stats: 18.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.4 apg, 50.4 FG%, 41.9 3P%, 566 points

Third Team All-America:
* Jerome Lane, Pittsburgh, Key Stats: 15.8 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 56.8 FG%, 50.0 3P%, 522 points

AP Honorable Mention
* Sherman Douglas, Syracuse
* Charles Smith, Pittsburgh

See also

* 1986–87 NCAA Division I men's basketball season
* 1986–87 Connecticut Huskies men's basketball team
* 1986–87 Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team
* 1986–87 Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team
* 1986–87 Providence Friars men's basketball team
* 1986–87 St. John's Redmen basketball team
* 1986–87 Syracuse Orangemen basketball team

References

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