It's the most wonderful time of the year!
Not just because it's the holiday season, but also because Big East conference play has finally begun.
By this time next week, ten of the eleven Big East squads will have played its first confernece game.
Until then, let's breakdown what we saw this week.
1. UConn Huskies (10-1)
This week: 77-73 win vs. No. 18 Florida (New York), 71-63 win vs. Texas
Connecticut finished its non-conference schedule with two marquee wins this week.
Senior Alex Karaban played a key role in both games, scoring 18 points against Texas and 13 points against Florida. Tarris Reed Jr. continues to be limited by an ankle injury but was active in both contests this week, making a key impact on both ends of the floor.
The Huskies faced one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country and emerged with a 10–1 record, collecting notable wins against BYU, Illinois, Kansas, Florida, and Texas.
2. St. John's Red Storm (6-3)
This week: 91-64 win vs. Iona
St. John’s impressed in its lone game this week, hosting Iona. After a sluggish start, the Red Storm unleashed an explosive offensive onslaught spearheaded by Oziyah Sellers.
Sellers shot 4-for-7 from beyond the arc en route to a team-high 19 points. When the Stanford transfer is rolling, so is St. John’s. The Red Storm are 3–1 in games in which Sellers has knocked down at least three triples.
In addition to Sellers’ performance, sophomore Ian Jackson also impressed with 14 points and three assists. This week marked the first time Jackson was given the true point guard role, and he played it well beyond just what the box score shows.
Rick Pitino’s defense continued to shine against Iona, holding the Gaels to just 64 points and forcing 13 turnovers.
Overall, this performance was a step in the right direction for St. John’s. The Red Storm now need to begin stacking wins and building momentum moving forward. They will open their Big East schedule with DePaul at home before traveling to Kentucky to take on the Wildcats.
3. Seton Hall Pirates (10-1)
This week: 81-59 win vs Rutgers
Seton Hall handled business against Rutgers in its lone game of the week. The Pirates led wire-to-wire and forced 18 turnovers on the defensive end.
AJ Staton-McCray and Budd Clark once again served as the offensive catalysts. Staton-McCray scored 18 points, while Clark dished out seven assists. Clark is averaging 5.5 assists per game, which ranks him second in the Big East.
Despite the decisive win, the Pirates slipped one spot in this week’s rankings. While they may not have as much talent as the two teams ahead of them, they have greatly exceeded expectations thus far.
A major test awaits with a road trip to Providence on the docket this Friday night.
4. Butler Bulldogs (8-2, 1-0 Big East)
This week: 113-110 win vs. Providence
Butler came out on top in a double-overtime thriller against Providence on Saturday.
Sophomore Evan Haywood drilled a clutch three-pointer to put the Bulldogs ahead in the final minute. Haywood finished the night with 18 points, shooting 4-for-8 from beyond the arc.
Gonzaga transfer Michael Ajayi was sensational, playing 44 minutes while scoring 28 points and pulling down 15 rebounds. Ajayi leads the nation in rebounding, averaging 11.9 boards per game. Thad Matta landed an absolute gem in the transfer portal with Ajayi this past spring.
Butler continues to look like a legitimate threat after knocking off Providence this week.
The Bulldogs will be put to the test on Tuesday when they travel to Storrs to take on UConn.
5. Villanova Wildcats (8-2)
This week: 89-61 loss at No. 2 Michigan, 79-61 win vs. Pittsburgh
Villanova was overwhelmed by a powerhouse Michigan team before rebounding with a home win against Pitt. Michigan has looked unstoppable all season, sporting a 10–0 record and the No. 1 ranking on KenPom, so it is difficult to fault Villanova too much for the lopsided loss.
The Wildcats offense struggled against the Wolverines, shooting just 33.9-percent from the field and 27-percent from beyond the arc.
Against Pitt, the 'Cats bounced back in a big way, shooting 52 -percent from the field and 40.9-percent from three. Duke Brennan and Bryce Lindsay led the way in the latter game with 24 points apiece.
Villanova is off to a solid 8–2 start but has feasted on subpar competition in all of its wins. Both losses have come against top-tier opponents -- BYU and Michigan.
The Wildcats will have a chance to prove themselves this week when they travel to Wisconsin to take on a solid Badger squad.
6. Xavier Musketeers (8-3)
This week: 75-57 win vs. Missouri State
Xavier finds itself at its highest ranking of the season, all the way up to No. 6.
The Musketeers have overcome a slow start and are currently riding a five-game winning streak.
Jovan Milicevic led the scoring with 17 points in Xavier’s lone game this week. He has been elite from beyond the arc, shooting 42.9-percent from three-point range so far this season.
Forward Filip Borovicanin recorded his third double-double of the year with 13 points and 11 rebounds against Missouri State.
Like UConn, Xavier has now completed its non-conference schedule, with its remaining 20 games coming against Big East opponents. The Musketeers will host Creighton on Wednesday before traveling to the nation’s capital to face Georgetown on Saturday night.
7. Providence Friars (7-5, 0-1 Big East)
This week: 86-79 win vs. Brown, 113-110 loss at Butler
It was not a good week for Providence, as the Friars squeaked by Brown before suffering a heartbreaking loss to Butler.
Freshman forward Jamier Jones stepped up against Brown, finishing with 16 points and six rebounds in just 18 minutes of action. He helped pick up the slack on an off night for Providence’s usual contributors.
In the loss to Butler, the backcourt tandem of Jason Edwards and Jaylin Sellers poured in 32 and 26 points, respectively. Edwards’ lone turnover of the night came at a crucial moment and directly led to Butler taking the lead for good.
8. Georgetown Hoyas (7-3)
This week: 76-68 win vs. Saint Peter's
Georgetown’s slide in the rankings continued this week after the Hoyas needed overtime to defeat St. Peter’s.
Georgetown missed 12 free throws and committed 15 turnovers, both of which largely contributed to the game being as close as it was.
Sophomore Julius Halaifonua shined with 22 points and nine rebounds. He has played very well since stepping into the starting center role in Vince Iwuchukwu’s absence. When Iwuchukwu returns, Ed Cooley will have a promising frontcourt pairing on his hands.
Georgetown will play its first two conference games this week, traveling to Marquette before hosting Xavier.
9. Creighton Bluejays (5-5)
This week: 83-76 loss vs. Kansas State
Another week in the bottom three for Creighton followed by a home loss to Kansas State. For whatever reason, it simply has not clicked for Greg McDermott’s squad all season.
After getting overwhelmed in the first half, a stronger second-half performance was not enough to pull the Bluejays back into the game. They limited turnovers and converted at the free-throw line, yet still came away with a disappointing result.
Iowa transfer Josh Dix turned in his best performance of the season, finishing with 18 points and seven rebounds in the loss.
This group looks like it does not have what it takes to compete in the conference this year. The roster has talent, but so far, there is little to show for it.
10. Marquette Golden Eagles (5-6)
This week: 79-59 loss at No. 6 Purdue
Marquette stood no chance against Purdue on the road this week. The Golden Eagles never led and trailed by as many as 30 points, falling below .500 on the season.
This team’s season appears to be over before it ever truly got going. The offense has been poor, scoring has been inconsistent, and there is a lack of a true scoring threat. Overall, the talent on this roster is simply not promising.
Teams like Creighton and Providence, which have not produced many positive results but still possess talent, at least have a chance to turn things around. A team like Marquette does not.
This is shaping up to be a lost season, and the program may need to reconsider how it operates moving forward.
11. DePaul Blue Demons (8-3)
This week: 92-49 win vs. Morgan State, 61-58 win at Wichita State
If DePaul had decisively beaten Wichita State, they would have finally moved out from the cellar this week. Instead, the snuck by and will remain in last place.
Prior to the Wichita State matchup, the Blue Demons obliterated Morgan State at home led by senior Kaleb Banks’ 19 points. CJ Gunn’s early season success continued in the Wichita State win with 18 points.
DePaul finishes their non-conference schedule at 8-3, which is a solid record for a rebuilding program.
A very tough week is on tap as they will take on the big dogs in St. John’s and UConn.