Big East Basketball Power Rankings Week 2: UConn Leads, Georgetown Climbs, Xavier Falls

After two weeks of results, there’s now a better idea of where each team in the Big East sits in the rankings. There are still a few teams that nobody is totally sure about (Seton Hall, looking squarely in your direction), but for the most part, the 11 Big East schools are settling into their roles.

Of course, it is still early. Georgetown being 4-0 is rarefied territory for the Hoyas, who have what seem to be two quality wins on the resume already. There’s still some thought that it’s fool’s gold, but for power rankings, we can only go on what the results tell us. And right now, the results say that Georgetown might be better than it’s been in several years.

Through Week 2, here’s where the Big East power rankings sit.

1. Connecticut Huskies (4-0)

Up until Saturday, Connecticut had played a bunch of nobodies. And then came BYU’s trip to Hartford, and the Huskies finally got a chance to prove themselves against quality competition. They didn’t disappoint, building a double-digit lead and holding off the Cougars’ comeback.

The Huskies are shooting better than anyone in the nation, and they defend the paint and the perimeter incredibly well. They’ll face another tough test this week in Arizona, and there’s no shortage of tough games on their schedule. Dan Hurley clearly scheduled with his eyes on regaining the national title, and this team appears to be capable of making that happen.

2. Georgetown Hoyas (4-0)

Georgetown isn’t likely to hold this through the season. But for the time being, the Hoyas own two of the best wins in the Big East. They’re the only team that’s beaten two Power 5 opponents, edging Clemson at home and winning at Maryland. That says that Ed Cooley has this moving in the right direction, and Georgetown has become a tough out.

So far, the Hoyas have been killing it on the offensive glass. Clemson tends to be a good rebounding team, and Georgetown battled the Tigers to a draw on the rebounds. If they can do that against an NCAA regular, they can compete with the Big East’s best.

3. St. John’s Red Storm (2-1)

St. John’s doesn’t yet have a signature win on its resume. That’s why the Red Storm sit below Georgetown, as they haven’t really passed a major test to this point. They had their chance against Alabama, losing 103-96 to the Crimson Tide. There’s nothing wrong with losing to Alabama, but it does dock the Red Storm a bit.

If St. John’s is going to come off this spot, it’s going to have to do better from the perimeter and from 15 feet. The Red Storm don’t make their free throws, and they don’t shoot the 3-pointer particularly well. Those are not typical traits of a Rick Pitino team, and this squad will need to fix that before Big East play begins.

4. Villanova Wildcats (3-1)

Villanova lost its season opener to BYU, but the Wildcats have ripped off three straight wins since then. They don’t have a signature win either, but they gave the Cougars a good battle and have a couple wins over good mid-majors. Queens and Duquesne won’t pop off the page to most fans, but they’re quality mid-major squads that should be near the top of their conferences.

Villanova also doesn’t hit its free throws, but the Wildcats are much better at nailing the deep shot. That’s long been a trait of Villanova basketball, and Kevin Willard appears to have kept that standard in taking over in Philadelphia.

5. Marquette Golden Eagles (3-2)

Losing twice is acceptable when you factor in that both losses have come to Power 5 opponents. That said, losing by 23 to Indiana on a neutral floor isn’t a great look for Marquette. The Golden Eagles have taken double-digit losses in three of Shaka Smart’s four seasons in Milwaukee, and with the league looking good again, that’s likely to happen this year too.

The shooting has to improve for Marquette. They have no trouble getting good looks, but they don’t usually make them. They’re in the bottom 60 nationally in 3-point percentage, and they rarely even take a mid-range jumper. It’s either get the ball inside or take a 3, and the threes haven’t fallen yet.

6. Creighton Bluejays (2-1)

Creighton did itself no favors with its performance at Gonzaga. A lot of teams will lose to the Bulldogs, but there’s a difference between losing and getting whacked by 27. With nothing else on the resume besides South Dakota and Maryland-Eastern Shore, it’s hard to take Creighton seriously at this point.

The Bluejays do a great job of not fouling, but they don’t force other teams into mistakes. Almost every defensive possession ends in a shot attempt, and against good-shooting teams like Gonzaga, that’s disastrous. Creighton has to improve the defense to make a mark in the league.

7. Butler Bulldogs (3-1)

Going to Dallas and losing to SMU isn’t bad, especially when it only comes by two points. The problem is that Butler’s first three opponents were about as weak as it gets. While the Bulldogs deserve a measure of credit for playing local opponents like Southern Indiana and IU-Indianapolis, those were also conveniently some of the worst teams in the nation.

Butler has been deadly from 3-point range thus far. It’s anyone’s guess as to whether that will continue as the Bulldogs play better teams.

8. Providence Friars (2-2)

It’s too early to tell much of anything from Providence. The Friars have losses to Virginia Tech on a neutral floor and in Boulder to Colorado. They also have two unimpressive wins over Penn and Holy Cross.

The Friars are really weak in the mid-range area. Not many teams like to play there, so it may not hurt them too much. But Providence allows way too many shots to get away with that weakness consistently. They have to force more turnovers.

9. Seton Hall Pirates (4-0)

At least Seton Hall didn’t lose in Walsh Gymnasium this year. The Pirates only play a couple of games in their tiny on-campus facility, and those are the ones they absolutely cannot drop. Last season they lost one to Fordham on their way to a 7-25 record, so at least they’ve made some progress.

Still, the Pirates won’t have proven anything until they beat a team in the top 200 of college basketball. They’ll get their chance in Maui, where they’ll face NC State and then either Boise State or USC.

10. Xavier Musketeers (2-2)

The Richard Pitino era is not off to a good start in Cincinnati. Xavier got its doors blown off twice last week, losing by 19 to both Santa Clara and Iowa. The loss to Iowa was somewhat excusable, but the Santa Clara game was not.

Xavier has looked shaky at best all season. Their best win is over Marist, and even that was only by four points. With Georgia coming up soon, then either Clemson or West Virginia, this could get worse before it gets better for the Musketeers.

11. DePaul Blue Demons (1-3)

Xavier might have looked shaky against Marist and Le Moyne, but at least it didn’t lose. DePaul not only lost to Buffalo, it lost by double digits at home. Buffalo might be a little better than last year’s 9-22 team, but this is nowhere near the Buffalo of the Nate Oats and Bobby Hurley era. It’s a game DePaul simply cannot lose.

It is more of the same for DePaul, which has struggled to find its footing for decades. The Blue Demons have just one winning season in Big East play in program history. It looks like another long winter in Chicago.

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