Big East rankings: Georgetown's Cooley is coming to town to face his old team
Throw out the records. Forget about postseason futures in a couple of months.
Saturday’s matchup between Providence and Georgetown is one of the Big East’s games of the year for off-court reasons. Ed Cooley’s stunning departure from his hometown for a league rival still simmers 10 months later, and the remaining ill will could boil over at Amica Mutual Pavilion.
The Friars remain on the edges of NCAA Tournament contention despite the season-ending left knee injury suffered by Bryce Hopkins. Their gritty comeback win at Seton Hall on Wednesday night could pay dividends in the long term. The Hoyas are at the outset of a full rebuild and have no chance to play in March — it could be a stretch to say they’ll be in the mix even at this time next year.
Storylines elsewhere will define this particular matchup, and it’s no less intriguing than if Connecticut played Marquette late next month with the regular season title on the line. That’s the drama of league play and the bitterness that can develop — or be stoked — between conference rivals.
The Huskies continue to cruise atop the league with a two-game lead in the loss column. They’ve hit full throttle thanks to seven straight victories and are outpacing Creighton, the Golden Eagles and the Pirates. UConn should control its own destiny into February and could cement its status as that critical month unfolds.
With that, let’s get to the latest batch of power rankings.
1. Connecticut (17-2, 7-1)
Last week, 1: Beat Villanova
This week: Xavier, Providence
What to know: It was after a loss at Villanova a few years back when Dan Hurley advised the rest of the college basketball world to “get us now.” That same trip to Philadelphia in January 2024 saw the Huskies solidify their No. 1 ranking in the national polls with a determined 66-65 road win. Tristen Newton starred with 25 points and some clutch buckets in the second half.
2. Creighton (15-5, 6-3)
Last week, 4: Beat Seton Hall, Xavier
This week: DePaul, Butler
What to know: A win like the triple-overtime classic against the Pirates can spark a team going forward. That’s certainly what the Bluejays will be hoping, and they have a bit of a sweet spot in the schedule now to build momentum. Trey Alexander has hit for 50 points in his last two games after a combined 14 in the previous two — his production is a must for this team to reach its ceiling.
3. Marquette (14-5, 5-3)
Last week, 3: Beat St. John’s, DePaul
This week: Seton Hall, at Villanova
What to know: The Golden Eagles nearly squandered a late 13-point lead but held on against the Red Storm. The following blowout of the Blue Demons was far more routine. Marquette has won three straight and appears to have stabilized after wobbling through the first quarter of its league schedule.
4. Seton Hall (13-7, 6-3)
Last week, 2: Lost to Creighton, Providence
This week: at Marquette, at DePaul
What to know: Two home losses are painful enough. That one was in triple-overtime and one came without Kadary Richmond added to the sting for the Pirates, who fell to the Bluejays and Friars. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman all hit for at least 20 points in that first defeat and Richmond was sidelined by general soreness for the second.
5. St. John’s (13-7, 5-4)
Last week, 5: Lost to Marquette, beat Villanova
This week: at Xavier
What to know: The Red Storm snapped a three-game losing streak by thumping the Wildcats at Madison Square Garden. St. John’s buried Villanova in the second half to complete a first season sweep in three decades against the former conference gold standard. Joel Soriano dominated up front with 21 points and nine rebounds.
6. Villanova (11-8, 4-8)
Last week, 6: Lost to Connecticut, St. John’s
This week: at Butler, Marquette
What to know: This season of extremes continues for the Wildcats — Battle 4 Atlantis champions, Big 5 doormats, 3-0 starters in the Big East and now losers in four of their last five. The latest setback was a thumping at the Red Storm, as Villanova closed just 4-for-25 from 3-point range and got crushed on the glass by a 42-23 count.
7. Xavier (10-9, 4-4)
Last week, 7: Beat Georgetown, lost at Creighton
This week: at Connecticut, St. John’s
What to know: The Musketeers won a third straight in a one-point thriller against the Hoyas before falling in a respectable road effort against the Bluejays. Quincy Olivari notched his third 20-point game in league play and seventh overall this season while edging Georgetown. Xavier led in the second half against Creighton but ultimately fell short thanks to chilly 40.8% shooting.
8. Providence (13-6, 4-4)
Last week, 8: Beat Seton Hall
This week: Georgetown, at Connecticut
What to know: Wednesday night at the Pirates was a character win for the Friars, as they rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half to post a 67-63 triumph. Josh Oduro netted 12 of his 16 points and Jayden Pierre had all of his 11 after the break. A grudge match with former coach Ed Cooley and the Hoyas awaits on Saturday.
9. Butler (13-7, 4-5)
Last week, 9: Beat DePaul, Georgetown
This week: Villanova
What to know: Winning against the Blue Demons and Hoyas in this particular season keeps you out of the conference basement. The Bulldogs took care of business twice last week, rolling by a combined 38 points. Pierre Brooks hit for 20 points on both nights and added 11 rebounds against Georgetown for his first double-double.
10. Georgetown (8-11, 1-7)
Last week, 10: Lost to Xavier, Butler
This week: at Providence
What to know: Ed Cooley left his team huddle during one timeout in a 90-66 loss to the Bulldogs. It’s something he did in a past life with Providence — the culture he built there was strong enough for the players to find solutions. That’s not the current case with the Hoyas, and those same Friars will welcome him for a spotlight game on Saturday.
11. DePaul (3-16, 0-8)
Last week, 11: Lost to Butler, Marquette
This week: at Creighton, Seton Hall
What to know: The Blue Demons fired coach Tony Stubblefield after less than three seasons and are in search of another fresh start in Chicago. This program needs a major systemic overhaul — a lone winning season since 2006-07, a last NCAA Tournament berth in 2003-04. That’s more than just the failure of one man on the bench.
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Georgetown's Cooley is coming to town to face his old team at the AMP
