The Big East is starting to get quite meddled in the middle as seven NCAA Tournament caliber teams have either five or six conference losses. Here are my updated power rankings. Check out my latest bracketology in which I still have 11 Big East teams dancing.
By: David Kay
1. Pitt: 23-2, 11-1 (Last Week Ranking: 1)
The Panthers have remained the cream of the crop including impressive road wins at West Virginia and Villanova despite sharpshooter Ashton Gibbs being sidelined with a knee injury.
Up Next: vs. South Florida (Wed), at St. John’s (Sat)
2. Notre Dame: 21-4, 10-3 (LWR: 3)
Since getting worked in back-to-back road games at Marquette and St. John’s, the Irish have won seven straight. With some of the top tier Big East teams struggling of late, Notre Dame has a real chance to be a two seed come tourney time. In a way that kind of makes me smile since the Luke Harangody edition of the Ewing Theory is in full effect.
Up Next: at West Virginia (Sat)
3. Georgetown: 20-5, 9-4 (LWR: 5)
The Hoyas have now rattled off eight straight wins since starting conference play 1-4 and are one of the hottest teams in the country. It is amazing how teams know the backdoor Princeton cuts are coming yet G-Town is still able to get at least a handful of baskets per game that way.
Up Next: at UConn (Wed), at South Florida (Sat)
4. Villanova: 19-6, 7-5 (LWR: 4)
Nova lost at the Pavilion for the first time in 47 games when they fell to Pitt just days after suffering a heart-breaking final second loss at Rutgers. While the guards will still carry Jay Wright’s team, it is kind of strange to see a Wildcat team go big when they play Mouphtaou Yarou, Antonio Pena, and Isaiah Armwood but it certainly adds a different dimension.
Up Next: at Seton Hall (Tue), at DePaul (Sat)
5. Louisville: 19-6, 8-4 (LWR: 6)
I seriously do not understand how this team continues to win games. I mean, they are a solid team but I feel like they have no business having a record as good as it is. I guess Rick Pitino can still coach after all.
Up Next: at Cincinnati (Wed), vs. UConn (Fri)
6. UConn: 19-5, 7-5 (LWR: 2)
The dumbfounded look on Jim Calhoun’s face when St. John’s was running circles around the Huskies was strange to see. But UConn bounced back with a win against Providence in which Kemba Walker found his shot and maybe more importantly, played within himself. Jamal Coombs-McDaniel also gave them a big boost scoring a career-high 25 points.
Up Next: vs. Georgetown (Wed), at Louisville (Fri)
7. Syracuse: 20-6, 7-6 (LWR: 7)
Do you think any part of Jim Boeheim is thinking of actually playing man-to-man because the Cuse 2-3 zone has not been effective for the past month as the Orange have dropped six of eight since winning their first 18 games of the season. By the way, I have been whoring C.J. Fair all season long. Just remember that when you watch him continue to develop and produce.
Up Next: vs. West Virginia (Sat), vs. Rutgers (Sat)
8. St. John’s: 15-9, 7-5 (LWR: 10)
The Johnnies did not score a single field goal in the final nine minutes against Cincy but still managed to squeak out the two-point win. That is their Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde persona this season as that game came a few days after dismantling UConn. Question; Is Dwight Hardy a NBA prospect? Discuss.
Up Next: at Marquette (Tue), vs. Pitt (Sat)
9. West Virginia: 16-8, 7-5 (LWR: 9)
Fat, ugly girls might be slump busters for drunk, horny guys, but nothing snaps a losing skid like a game against DePaul. The Mountaineers dropped tough games to Nova and Pitt, but bounced back by beating the Blue Demons. PS-If that analogy came off as too mean, I apologize. Not really, but I still feel like I should pretend to feel bad about.
Up Next: at Syracuse (Mon), vs. Notre Dame (Sat)
10. Marquette: 15-10, 6-6 (LWR: 8)
South Florida handed them a win this past week in a game they should have lost. I guess good fortune had to come their way on at least one close game this season. They looked offensively abysmal in a loss to Georgetown and have some work to do if they want to be dancing next month.
Up Next: vs. St. John’s (Tue), vs. Seton Hall (Sat)
11. Cincinnati: 19-6, 6-6 (LWR: 11)
Hello, NIT! Like I said last time, this team is not going to make the tourney. They have a tough final six games of conference play and will not finish above five-hundred in Big East play. By the way, is there a bigger waste than Yancey Gates? He could be a dominating big man if he actually gave a crap.
Up Next: vs. Louisville (Wed), at Providence (Sat)
12. Seton Hall: 5-8, 11-14 (LWR: 12)
Jeremy Hazell became the fourth Pirate to score 2,000 points in his career. Nevermind the fact that he has probably chucked up five thousand more shots than those other three guys, it is still an impressive milestone. By the way, Kevin Willard dismissed guards Keon Lawrence and Jamel Jackson from the team for violating team rules. I am sick of hearing “for violating team rules.” It should mandatory that all schools release the exact reasoning to answer my curiousity.
Up Next: vs. Villanova (Tue), at Marquette (Sat)
13. Rutgers: 13-12, 4-9 (LWR: 13)
The Scarlet Knights could actually finish with at least a .500 record for the first time since the 2005-2006 season. Baby steps… baby steps.
Up Next: at Syracuse (Sat)
14. Providence: 14-11, 3-9 (LWR: 14)
Marshon Brooks has worked his way into a legitimate first round prospect for the 2011 NBA Draft. That’s all I got…
Up Next: vs. DePaul (Thu), vs. Cincinnati (Sun)
15. South Florida: 8-18, 2-11 (LWR: 15)
When they pissed away a 16-point second half lead to Marquette, I could actually hear Stan Heath writing cover letters in his head. The good news is they get DePaul in Tampa this week.
Up Next: vs. DePaul (Thu)
16. DePaul: 6-18, 0-12 (LWR: 16)
How happy do you think Ty Corbin is that he did not seriously pursue the DePaul head coaching gig this past off-season at his alma mater? Now he is the head man for the Utah Jazz. In terms of decision-making, that has to rank on the opposite end of the spectrum from Ron Burgundy choosing to drink milk on a scorching hot afternoon in San Diego.
Up Next: at Providence (Thu), vs. Villanova (Sat)
BIG EAST POWER RANKINGS ARCHIVE:
February 2, 2011
January 26, 2011
January 18, 2011
January, 11, 2011
January 3, 2011
December 26, 2010
David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank. He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities. You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.