Through six weeks of basketball, it has become clear that the Big East just might be a mediocre league.
As we discussed last week, UConn’s demise after being swept in three games during the Maui Invitational was greatly exaggerated but no one else has really stood out throughout non-conference play.
Now, the push to the NCAA Tournament will commence with league play starting but teams beating up on each other is not great for the Big East in trying to get more than three teams in the tournament.
The top three teams remain consistent – albeit in a different order – and the rest of the conference is still a jumbled mess as we look at the updated Big East power rankings.
1. UConn Huskies (8-3)
So as long as Dan Hurley’s team doesn’t play in a high school level gym in Maui, they’re still unbeatable.
After its troubling trip to Hawai’i, the Huskies have rattled off four straight victories and its last three wins have come against Baylor, Texas, and Gonzaga. It’s safe to say that UConn is back.
If you still had doubts after the Huskies took down a Baylor team that did not have VJ Edgecombe due to injury and saw Jeremy Roach leave with a concussion, UConn flexed its muscles against a healthy Texas team and took down Gonzaga without a major contribution from Samson Johnson, who entered concussion protocol in the first half atter a hard fall.
Liam McNeeley is playing like the 5-star freshman everyone expected him to be, and all Dan Hurley needed was time to make this roster gel.
THIS WEEK: vs. Xavier (Wednesday) and at. Butler (Saturday)
2. Marquette Golden Eagles (9-2)
Marquette has now two of its last three games, but this was arguably the most difficult stretch of the non-conference slate with road games against Iowa State and Dayton sandwiched between a rivalry matchup with Wisconsin.
Still, Marquette has proven to be one of the best teams in the conference and will continue to be a fringe Top-15 team around the country for the rest of the season.
As long as Kam Jones and David Joplin are on the floor, the Golden Eagles will be a team to fear.
THIS WEEK: vs. Butler (Wednesday) and at. Xavier (Saturday)