Huskies still top dogs in Big East. Here's where Providence ended up after a pair of losses.
It’s been quite a start to 2024 for the New York metropolitan area.
St. John’s and Seton Hall are making their move toward the top of the Big East standings. Add in Connecticut — a fan base that likes to claim Madison Square Garden as Storrs South — and you have three of the Big East’s current 3-1 teams.
That’s good enough for a share of the top spot at the moment. It took all of four games for each of the conference’s 11 programs to suffer at least one defeat. That’s been a constant in the decade since basketball and football schools split in realignment — only Villanova has, at times, poked its head out above the pack and dominated with a gaudy record into March.
That’s the situation on the floor. There were headlines off it as well — the torn ACL suffered by Bryce Hopkins, which robs Providence of a star throughout the remainder of the 2023-24 season. The ongoing war of words between Dan Hurley and Rick Pitino is something straight out of the 1980s, when the league placed three teams in a single Final Four and dominated through personality on the sidelines.
More: Providence College basketball star Bryce Hopkins is done for the season.
We hope everyone’s had a great start to the new year. On to the latest batch of rankings:
1. Connecticut (13-2, 3-1)
Last week, 1: Beat DePaul, Butler
This week: at Xavier, Georgetown
What to know: An expected breather against the Blue Demons was followed by a real push against the Bulldogs. Stephon Castle came into his own with 14 points, nine rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes, a breakthrough performance from a heralded freshman. The Huskies continue to find answers absent Donovan Clingan (foot).
2. Marquette (11-4, 2-2)
Last week, 2: Beat Creighton, lost at Seton Hall
This week: Butler, Villanova
What to know: Balance was key against the Bluejays, with Sean Jones netting 15 points off the bench in a victory. The Golden Eagles were less effective on the road against the Pirates, squandering an early 10-point lead and succumbing in the second half. Tyler Kolek endured a rare bad night — just five points on 1-for-6 shooting.
3. Creighton (11-4, 2-2)
Last week, 4: Lost at Marquette, defeated Georgetown, Providence
This week: at DePaul, St. John’s
What to know: Keep an eye on the Bluejays and their ability to close games. They fumbled away a double-digit lead in the second half during a previous loss against Villanova and nearly did the same while hanging on against the Friars. Trey Alexander stepped forward with a clutch 3-pointer to put his team back on the right path.
4. St. John’s (11-4, 3-1)
Last week, 8: Beat Hofstra, Butler, Villanova
This week: Providence, at Creighton
What to know: The Friars visit on Wednesday, a reunion for Rick Pitino against the school with which he reached his first Final Four. Don’t expect the Red Storm to be gracious hosts — they're surging toward the top of the league with victories in nine of their last 11 games. St. John’s grabs 41.3% of available offensive rebounds, a mark that ranks third nationally.
5. Villanova (10-5, 3-1)
Last week, 5: Beat Xavier, lost to St. John’s
This week: DePaul, at Marquette
What to know: All the Wildcats had to do to secure a 4-0 league start was defend their home floor. The Red Storm had other ideas, jumping ahead early and putting Villanova on the defensive throughout. It was an odd result in a season full of them — this team can’t be trusted on a given night against anyone.
6. Seton Hall (10-5, 3-1)
Last week, 7: Beat Providence, Marquette
This week: at Georgetown, at Butler
What to know: The Pirates have officially turned the corner. Shaheen Holloway’s crew is 5-1 in its last six games, including a gritty road win against the Friars and a home rally past the Golden Eagles. Al-Amir Dawes is their X-factor — Seton Hall is 9-1 in games in which he scores in double figures and just 1-4 otherwise.
7. Providence (11-4, 2-2)
Last week, 3: Lost to Seton Hall, Creighton
This week: at St. John’s, Xavier
What to know: Two losses on the court were nothing compared to the season-ending left knee injury suffered by Bryce Hopkins. The Friars will go on without one of the league’s stars, and they felt his absence while falling behind by 18 points against the Bluejays. A gutsy rally suggests Providence’s spirit remains strong, but these next few weeks just got that much more difficult.
8. Butler (10-5, 1-3)
Last week, 6: Lost to St. John’s, Connecticut
This week: at Marquette, Seton Hall
What to know: The Red Storm bullied the Bulldogs in Queens and a potential home upset of the Huskies came up just shy. That leaves Butler slipping toward the bottom of the league — somewhat unjust considering how Thad Matta’s team has played to this point, but life isn’t always fair.
9. Xavier (7-7, 1-2)
Last week, 9: Lost at Villanova
This week: Connecticut, at Providence
What to know: The Musketeers entered a bye week with a sour taste after just missing a road upset against the Wildcats. Desmond Claude’s jumper rimmed out in a 66-65 thriller and Xavier dropped below .500 in league play. The Huskies and the wounded Friars won’t be anything resembling a soft reentry.
10. Georgetown (8-7, 1-3)
Last week, 10: Lost to Creighton, beat DePaul
This week: Seton Hall, at Connecticut
What to know: Ed Cooley will be thankful the Blue Demons are in the league. They might be all that saves the Hoyas from finishing in last place. Georgetown avoided disaster in a 68-65 home win, as Jayden Epps returned to the lineup and made it four players in double figures. A reunion with Dan Hurley — a throwback to their Providence-University of Rhode Island days — comes soon.
11. DePaul (3-11, 0-3)
Last week, 11: Beat Chicago State, lost at Connecticut, Georgetown
This week: Creighton, at Villanova
What to know: Wrong place, wrong time for the Blue Demons with the Huskies coming off an opening league loss to Seton Hall. The ensuing 85-56 thumping would have been expected. Da’Sean Nelson starred against the Hoyas with 19 points and seven rebounds in just 25 minutes, but it wasn’t enough to secure a rare victory.
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: UConn Huskies still sit on top of Big East rankings; Providence drops
