James Bouknight gets All-Big East First Team nod, Adama Sanogo named to Freshman Team

In its first season back in the Big East, UConn men’s basketball had two players earn end-of-season season awards. Star guard James Bouknight was named to the All-Big East First Team and freshman Adama Sanogo was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team.

Bouknight finished the season as UConn’s leading scorer with 20.2 points per game. He missed nine of the Huskies’ 17 conference games while recovering from an elbow injury, but made enough of an impact in the games he played to get the nod from the Big East coaches.

The sophomore scored at least 16 points in all competitions this season, minus a six-point game against Marquette on the day he injured his elbow. He also posted a career-high 40 points in an overtime loss to Creighton on Dec. 20. UConn was 10-2 with Bouknight in the lineup, losing only to Creighton and Villanova – the top two seeds in the conference. They were 4-4 without him.

The rest of the All-Big East First Team includes Creighton’s Marcus Zegarowski, St. John's Julian Champagnie, Seton Hall’s Sandro Mamukelashvili and Villanova’s Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Collin Gillespie. There are six members on the team due to a tie in voting.

Sanogo has been named the Big East Freshman of the Week in two of the past four weeks, including this week. He averaged 6.9 points and 4.9 rebounds this season while earning the starting role from senior Josh Carlton.

The 6-9 center from Mali re-classified up from the 2021 class to join UConn this season. He started his final 16 games and averaged 7.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in those games.

Sanogo shares the Big East All-Freshman team with Butler’s Chuck Harris, Marquette’s Dawson Garcia, St. John's Posh Alexander and Xavier’s Colby Jones.

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

+Due to a tie in the voting, an additional position was added