In a way-too-early Big East power rankings, the St. John’s basketball team was ranked far too low after how the team finished the regular season and who should return for the Red Storm.
As one college basketball season ends, the next one begins and the 2020-21 Big East basketball season will be one of the most anticipated in recent memory with the return of the Connecticut Huskies.
While two teams already appear to have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, the Villanova Wildcats and the Creighton Blue Jays, although Creighton has come closer to the field than challenge Villanova for the top spot after the decision of Ty-Shon Alexander to enter the NBA Draft.
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However, The Athletic published its way-too-early Big East power rankings heading into next season and there could be some serious debate outside of the top two spots.
Following Creighton at No. 2 is the Seton Hall Pirates, Connecticut Huskies, Marquette Golden Eagles, Xavier Musketeers, Providence Friars, St. John’s Red Storm, Butler Bulldogs, Georgetown Hoyas, and DePaul Blue Demons.
Positioning No. 3 through No. 10 are clear tossups but these teams each lost its best player except the Red Storm, pending LJ Figueroa‘s NBA Draft decision, which the expectation is that he will return to Queens.
The pending return of Figueroa paired with the returning core of players that Mike Anderson returns after his first year at the helm of the Johnnies, the scoring threats that will be entering Queens, and becoming even more familiar in the coach’s system would have this team’s ceiling as the No. 3 seed in the 2021 Big East Tournament.
ALSO READ: Postponed NBA Combine puts St. John’s roster in flux
Ranking UConn ahead of any team in the Big East, with the exception of DePaul, seems a bit premature considering the Huskies have made progress over the two seasons Dan Hurley has been at the helm of the program but a ninth and fifth place finish in the American Athletic Conference shouldn’t scare any Big East team on paper.
Way-too-early rankings are a fun way to engage a debate and create excitement for the following season and we all know this country needs to try and get excited over something in the sports world and a return to old-school Big East could do the trick.