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Villanova’s Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Collin Gillespie earn first-team All-Big East honors

Robinson-Earl was a unanimous selection in the coaches' balloting. Teammate Jermaine Samuels was named honorable mention.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl of Villanova goes up for a shot against Isaiah Whaley of UConn during the 2nd half on Feb. 20, 2021 at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl of Villanova goes up for a shot against Isaiah Whaley of UConn during the 2nd half on Feb. 20, 2021 at the Finneran Pavilion at Villanova University.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer

Villanova teammates Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Collin Gillespie were named Sunday to the All-Big East first team in a vote of conference coaches.

Robinson-Earl, a 6-foot-9 sophomore forward, was one of two honorees who were unanimous selections. Senior forward Sandro Mamukelashvili of Seton Hall was the other.

Wildcats senior forward Jermaine Samuels earned honorable mention.

Robinson-Earl leads the Cats with 15.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game and is shooting 48.3% from the field. Gillespie, a senior guard who suffered a season-ending knee injury Wednesday night against Creighton, leads the team in assists (4.6 per game) and three-point baskets (41) while averaging 14.0 points.

» READ MORE: Collin Gillespie learned his lessons well to become one of the toughest players and strongest leaders at Villanova

Samuels, who scored a game-high 21 points in Villanova’s 54-52 loss Saturday at Providence, averages 11.4 points and 6.3 rebounds and shoots 41.2% from three-point range.

Also earning first-team All-Big East honors were Julian Champagnie of St. John’s, James Bouknight of Connecticut, and Marcus Zegarowski of Creighton. The team was expanded to six players because of a tie in the balloting by coaches, who could not vote for their own players.

Two pairs of teammates, David Duke and Nate Watson of Providence, and Paul Scruggs and Zach Freemantle of Xavier, joined Creighton’s Damien Jefferson on the second team. Denzel Mahoney of Creighton and Georgetown’s Jahvon Blair were honorable-mention picks with Samuels.