Big East Tier Rankings: Post Gavitt Games

Top Dog (Until They Get Knocked Off)

• Nova: 2-1 – OT Loss at #2 UCLA. This game was an 11:30 PM ET tip, so I won’t hold the loss against the Wildcats too much. They have proven to be the kings of the Big East until someone can knock them off.

Big East Contenders

• Seton Hall: 3-0 – Beat #3 Michigan on the road in Ann Arbor.
• Xavier: 3-0 – Beat Ohio State w/o Zach Freemantle (X’s best or 2nd best player) but had uninspiring home wins against Niagara and Kent State. When Freemantle is back I fully expect them to contend for the Big East.

Maybe Contenders (I Need to See More)

• UConn: 3-0 – Untested, have played only low-majors but the Huskies have an absurd ~50 ppg MOV. The advanced analytics love Dan Hurley’s squad so far.
• Marquette: 4-0 – Upset #5 Illinois in Milwaukee (without Illini probable All-American Kofi Cockburn) and beat Ole Miss soundly on a neutral court but didn’t look impressive against New Hampshire. The analytics hate the Golden Eagles but I can’t deny their resume.

Solid Big East Teams

• St John’s: 2-1 – 2 point loss at Indiana, a probable tournament team.
• Providence: 3-0 – Won at Wisconsin but the Badgers were missing their arguable best player, Johnny Davis. Ok win over New Hampshire. Maybe UNH is better than previously thought.
• Creighton: 3-0 – Middling home wins over Arkansas Pine-Bluff and Kennesaw State. Won at Nebraska.
• Butler: 3-1 – Lost to Michigan State, a probable top 25 team by the end of the season. Looked ok, not great, in their buy games.

Things Might be Looking Up

• DePaul: Won at home against Rutgers, looked ok in their buy games.

Not Off to a Good Start

• Georgetown: 1-1 – Lost at home to Dartmouth.

Analytic Breakdown