Here are Bill Koch's weekly Big East men's basketball rankings, with Providence on the rise
Conference play, as always, proved to be the great equalizer leading into the Christmas holiday break.
Connecticut, Marquette and Creighton looked to be separating into their own private tier among Big East competition. The Huskies, Golden Eagles and Bluejays all recorded strong nonleague victories and were in early discussions for the top seeds in the NCAA Tournament.
All three of those teams dropped their respective league openers. Seton Hall, Providence and Villanova dished out a dose of reality, with the Wildcats doing the honors on the road. It was something of an annual reminder that the next few months will be anything but smooth sailing regardless of the quality within your chosen program.
How does that leave this latest edition of the power rankings? Prior performance still has to count for something. But we’re also about to enter a different chapter in terms of building a resumé, and a couple of more weeks like these will be enough to shift perception in certain cases.
Hope it was a nice holiday for all. An early Happy New Year wish for everyone — hope it’s a safe and enjoyable start to 2024.
1. Connecticut (11-2, 1-1)
Last week, 1: Beat Gonzaga (Seattle), lost at Seton Hall, beat St. John’s
This week: DePaul
What to know: Donovan Clingan (right foot) missing the majority of January will be a challenge for the Huskies. They hit the wall when the big man went to the locker room and ultimately fell in the league opener against the Pirates. UConn had just enough to outlast the Red Storm next time out and will face everyone’s best shot in the coming months.
2. Marquette (10-3, 1-1)
Last week, 2: Lost at Providence, beat Georgetown
This week: Creighton
What to know: This wasn’t quite the start to their league title defense the Golden Eagles might have had in mind. The Friars thumped them on the opening night and left head coach Shaka Smart questioning what went wrong with a few of his secondary performers. They jumped back on track by mauling the Hoyas, with David Joplin picking up 20 points and nine rebounds.
3. Providence (11-2, 2-0)
Last week, 4: Beat Sacred Heart, Marquette, Butler (OT)
This week: Seton Hall
What to know: The Friars made quite a statement in their conference opener, drilling the Golden Eagles pretty much from start to finish. Devin Carter led four in double figures, Ticket Gaines buried a handful of 3-pointers and Josh Oduro was an all-around master. Providence is one win from a third straight 3-0 start in league play.
4. Creighton (9-3, 0-1)
Last week, 3: Beat Alabama, lost to Villanova (OT)
This week: at Marquette, at Georgetown
What to know: There could come a time later in the year — perhaps when conference tournament seeding is being decided — when the Bluejays will want the opener back. Gagging away a 14-point lead and falling in overtime against the Wildcats was rather surprising. Creighton won’t win many games shooting 20.8% from 3-point range and forcing just eight turnovers.
5. Villanova (9-4, 2-0)
Last week, 6: Beat Creighton (OT), DePaul
This week: Xavier
What to know: Eric Dixon pulled the Wildcats onto his back and powered them to a rally against the Bluejays. He poured in 32 points in an overtime win, and only Hakim Hart joined him in double figures with 10. The following demolition of the Blue Demons included 12 3-pointers and 53.6% shooting from the field.
6. Butler (10-3, 1-1)
Last week, 5: Beat Saginaw Valley State, beat Georgetown, lost at Providence (OT)
This week: at St. John’s, Connecticut
What to know: The Bulldogs saw a seven-game winning streak snapped thanks to a mental error against the Friars. Butler declined to give a foul with a three-point lead late in regulation, Ticket Gaines knocked down the tying jumper and Providence finished it off in overtime. This remains arguably the most pleasant surprise in the league to date, but the Bulldogs will want more going forward.
7. Seton Hall (8-5, 1-1)
Last week, 9: Beat Missouri (Kansas City), beat Connecticut, lost at Xavier
This week: at Providence
What to know: There’s not much to separate the next three teams. The Pirates top this small group within the standings thanks to the best victory among them — a home spanking of the Huskies to open league play. Seton Hall built on the momentum it generated with a victory against the Tigers by denying Dan Hurley a triumphant return to his alma mater.
8. St. John’s (8-4, 1-1)
Last week, 8: Beat Fordham (Brooklyn), beat Xavier, lost at Connecticut
This week: Hofstra, Butler
What to know: The psychological battle has officially begun. Rick Pitino described the Huskies as “decent” after a tight road loss, hardly glowing praise for the defending national champions. The Red Storm missed out on an upset thanks to 4-for-18 shooting from 3-point range and seven missed free throws.
9. Xavier (7-6, 1-1)
Last week, 7: Beat Winthrop, lost at St. John’s, beat Seton Hall
This week: at Villanova
What to know: The Musketeers followed a three-game losing streak by winning three of their next four, but some warts remain. They were never really competitive in an opening league loss to the Red Storm, committing 18 turnovers and allowing five players to reach double figures. Quincy Olivari had a big night while sinking the Pirates, racking up 29 points.
10. Georgetown (7-6, 0-2)
Last week, 10: Beat Notre Dame (OT), lost at Butler, Marquette
This week: Creighton
What to know: The Hoyas picked up a nice road win against the rebuilding Fighting Irish before reality set in again. They weren’t all that close in league defeats against the Bulldogs and Golden Eagles — Marquette coming off a road loss at Providence was rather motivated to bounce back.
11. DePaul (2-9, 0-1)
Last week, 11: Lost to Northwestern, Villanova
This week: Chicago State, at Connecticut
What to know: Don’t listen to a single word from an opposing coach talking about how tough a road trip to face the Blue Demons might be. The Wildcats smashed them by an 84-48 count in the league opener. That should be standard operating procedure.
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence moves up to No. 4 in Koch's weekly Big East rankings
