Welcome to the Big East Basketball Power Rankings. Every week from now through the end of the regular season the editors of SB Nation's Big East blogs will cast their vote in an attempt to measure the current state of the Big East. The results are below. This feature runs on Mondays, in theory.

Not a whole lot to write about this week, because we're in pretty much the same spot as last week. The one sort of notable change is Marquette jumping to the two spot to overtake Georgetown, but the two teams are more or less tied, same as last week. Syracuse is still on top -- no surprise there -- Providence is still in the basement and unless we get some upsets in the next two weeks it'll probably stay that way.

We'll see you back here next week.

1. Syracuse (10) (27-1, 14-1): 160 points -- Last week: 1

2. Marquette (22-5, 11-3): 143 points -- Last week: 3

3. Georgetown (20-5, 10-4): 141 points -- Last week: 2

4. Notre Dame (19-8, 11-3): 135 points -- Last week: 4

5. Louisville (21-6, 9-5): 120 points -- Last week: 5

6. Cincinnati (19-8, 9-5): 104 points -- Last week: 6

7. South Florida (17-10, 10-4): 102 points -- Last week: 7

8. West Virginia (17-10, 7-7): 92 points -- Last week: 8

9. Seton Hall (18-9, 7-8): 83 points -- Last week: 9

10. UConn (16-10, 6-8): 70 points -- Last week: 10

11. Rutgers (12-15, 4-10): 59 points -- Last week: 12

T-12. Pittsburgh (15-13, 4-11): 42 points -- Last week: 11

T-12. Villanova (11-15, 4-10): 42 points -- Last week: 13

14. St. John's (11-16, 4-10): 35 points -- Last week: 14

15. DePaul (11-15, 2-12): 18 points -- Last week: 15

16. Providence (13-15, 2-13): 14 points -- Last week: 16

Individual ballots are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Welcome to the Big East Basketball Power Rankings. Every week from now through the end of the regular season the editors of SB Nation's Big East blogs will cast their vote in an attempt to measure the current state of the Big East. The results are below. This feature runs on Mondays, in theory.

It seems the Big East has finally settled into a nice rhythm with four tiers. The first tier, the elites, is pretty easy. It's Syracuse and only Syracuse. Yes, they've been given scares (including last night), but they've assured themselves a nice spot in the Big East tournament and it'll be a shock if they don't win the regular season title outright.

Next you have the Georgetown, Marquette, Notre Dame and Louisville tier of talented teams that will beat up on each other but mostly take care of business for anyone below them.

Cincinnati, South Florida, West Virginia, Seton Hall, UConn and to some extent Pitt are harder to figure out. Can someone please explain to me how South Florida is 8-4? Or why Pitt seems to have regressed and SHU and WVU have taken divebombs of late? And let's not even talk about the mess that is UConn.

Finally there are Rutgers, Villanova, St. John's, DePaul and Providence. These teams suck. Especially Providence. Goddamn Providence.

I can't find any good candidates for a homer or hater this week, the teams have done a pretty good jobs of sorting themselves, and once you get everyone into a tier its tough to argue any one team is better than another.

We'll see you back here next week.

1. Syracuse (10) (26-1, 13-1): 160 points -- Last week: 1

2. Georgetown (19-5, 9-4): 144 points -- Last week: 2

3. Marquette (21-5, 10-3): 140 points -- Last week: 3

4. Notre Dame (17-8, 9-3): 133 points -- Last week: 4

5. Louisville (20-6, 8-5): 123 points -- Last week: 5

6. Cincinnati (17-8, 7-5): 108 points -- Last week: 7

7. South Florida (15-10, 8-4): 93 points -- Last week: 9

8. West Virginia (16-10, 6-7): 88 points -- Last week: 6

9. Seton Hall (17-8, 6-7): 80 points -- Last week: 11

10. UConn (15-9, 5-7): 77 points -- Last week: 8

11. Pittsburgh (15-11, 4-9): 57 points -- Last week: 10

12. Rutgers (12-13, 4-8): 48 points -- Last week: 12

13. Villanova (11-13, 4-8): 48 points -- Last week: 13

14. St. John's (10-15, 4-9): 31 points -- Last week: 14

15. DePaul (11-13, 2-10): 17 points -- Last week: 15

16. Providence (13-13, 2-11): 13 points -- Last week: 16

Individual ballots are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Welcome to the Big East Basketball Power Rankings. Every week from now through the end of the regular season the editors of SB Nation's Big East blogs will cast their vote in an attempt to measure the current state of the Big East. The results are below. This feature runs on Mondays, in theory.

Once again there is no question about the top team in the league -- Syracuse has a stranglehold on the No. 1 spot and with Fab Melo back in the fold its tough to picture the Orange slipping very far. Georgetown took a strong hold on the second spot, and Marquette slipped to third somehow staying above Notre Dame despite getting pounded by the Irish 76-59.

But the team that really interests me is Pittsburgh. They were 16th two weeks ago, but then Travon Woodall returned from injury and the Panthers have caught fire. Pico from Rumble in the Garden said it was like watching an NBA team pull off a lopsided mid-season trade, and he's not wrong.

Homer of the Week No one was blatant enough to earn this, though Voodoo Five and Cardiac Hill both came dangerously close by listing their teams at 8. Still, those are respectable rankings confirmed by other voters, but it all feels a bit fishy to me. Hater of the Week goes to anyone who thinks Marquette should be ranked higher than Notre Dame. To be fair to Casual Hoya and On The Banks, they submitted their ballots early this week so they have an excuse. No one else does.

We'll see you back here next week.

1. Syracuse (12) (23-1, 10-1): 192 points -- Last week: 1

2. Georgetown (18-4, 8-3): 179 points -- Last week: 3

3. Marquette (19-5, 8-3): 162 points -- Last week: 2

4. Notre Dame (15-8, 7-3): 161 points -- Last week: 4

5. Louisville (18-5, 6-4): 142 points -- Last week: 6

6. West Virginia (16-8, 6-5): 128 points -- Last week: 5

7. Cincinnati (16-7, 6-4): 118 points -- Last week: 8

8. UConn (15-7, 5-5): 112 points -- Last week: 7

9. South Florida (13-10, 6-4): 92 points -- Last week: 9

10. Pittsburgh (15-9, 4-7): 88 points -- Last week: 14

11. Seton Hall (15-8, 4-7): 71 points -- Last week: 10

12. Rutgers (12-12, 4-7): 56 points -- Last week: 11

13. Villanova (10-12, 3-7): 53 points -- Last week: 12

14. St. John's (10-13, 4-7): 43 points -- Last week: 13

15. DePaul (11-11, 2-8): 19 points -- Last week: 15

16. Providence (13-11, 2-9): 17 points -- Last week: 16

Individual ballots are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Welcome to the Big East Basketball Power Rankings. Every week from now through the end of the regular season the editors of SB Nation's Big East blogs will cast their vote in an attempt to measure the current state of the Big East. The results are below. This feature runs on Mondays, in theory.

Although this post is about the Big East generally, and only exists because several Big East editors are kind enough to submit ballots to me each week, but it's posted on a UConn blog, so that's going to be my focus at the start. This league, or at least the people who rank teams in it, are insane. UConn has lost three straight games, five of its last seven, and is still somehow ranked in the top half of the league, they fell one spot to number seven, and I can't believe.

Elsewhere: blah, blah, blah Syracuse is still the best and I hate that I have to write that every week. Marquette put in a really nice showing to steal the number two spot that Georgetown vacated by losing to Pitt, and Notre Dame and West Virginia are just hanging out, putting up 6-3 starts despite each of them being bad enough to lose to UConn at least once.

South Florida is a total enigma (highest rank on a ballot this week? Fourth. Lowest rank? 10th), and Cincinnati, Seton Hall and Rutgers aren't much easier to figure out. Pitt strung together two nice wins to break out of the basement, which is now occupied by Providence, who is fighting tooth and nail to reclaim their birthright as the Big East's worst team from DePaul.

Homer of the Week goes to the Nova Blog, who I warned in this space last week. The Wildcats lost twice this week (to Marquette and Louisville), and the Nova Blog responded by moving them up to 10th. Hater of the Week goes to Rumble in the Garden, who put Georgetown sixth. Yes, the Hoyas did lose to Pitt, but in no universe is it justifiable to rank them below UConn.

Best ballot of the week went to Voodoo Five's Ken who originally submitted this:

1. Syracuse
2-15. Dartboard
16. Providence
17. Big East Refs

We'll see you back here next week.

1. Syracuse (10) (22-1, 9-1): 160 points -- Last week: 1

2. Marquette (18-4, 7-2): 147 points -- Last week: 3

3. Georgetown (16-4, 6-3): 136 points -- Last week: 2

4. Notre Dame (14-8, 6-3): 121 points -- Last week: 8

5. West Virginia (15-7, 5-4): 116 points -- Last week: 4

6. Louisville (17-5, 5-4): 112 points -- Last week: 10

7. UConn (14-6, 4-4): 98 points -- Last week: 6

8. Cincinnati (15-7, 5-4): 93 points -- Last week: 5

9. South Florida (13-9, 6-3): 91 points -- Last week: 9

10. Seton Hall (15-6, 4-5): 72 points -- Last week: 7

11. Rutgers (12-10, 4-5): 63 points -- Last week: 11

12. Villanova (10-12, 3-7): 45 points -- Last week: 12

13. St. John's (9-12, 3-6): 40 points -- Last week: 13

14. Pittsburgh (13-9, 2-7): 37 points -- Last week: 16

15. DePaul (11-9, 2-6): 22 points -- Last week: 15

16. Providence (12-10, 1-8): 11 points -- Last week: 14

Individual ballots are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Welcome to the Big East Basketball Power Rankings. Every week from now through the end of the regular season the editors of SB Nation's Big East blogs will cast their vote in an attempt to measure the current state of the Big East. The results are below. Note: this feature should run on Mondays, but I'm forgetful.

Hey look, Syracuse lost! Sure, it was without one of their most important players (if not their most important player), but still, they lost, and that would usually mean it's time for someone else to make a play for the top spot in the rankings. But not in 2012's Big East where nothing works like it is supposed to. I won't say the conference is bad, but it sure is confusing.

Georgetown, for their part, locked up second place, and Marquette and West Virginia both posted strong showings, but really, the league is a mess. UConn and Seton Hall took well deserved tumbles, while Cincinnati just hung out as a sleeper that's going to make a lot of opponents miserable.

I can't even begin to explain the seasons of Notre Dame, South Florida or Louisville and if you'd care to give it a shot you're a braver man than I. Everyone else, to put it delicately, sucks. Yes, even you Villanova, and no, I don't care that you beat Seton Hall (big assist to the force known as Big East Gravity in that one). And Pittsburgh? You're just embarrassing everyone at this point. Why don't you sit the next few weeks out.

I'd like to give out a Homer of the Week, but I think most everyone is too down on their team to overinflate them (though The Nova Blog is pushing their luck by having the Wildcats at 11). Hater of the Week is easy enough though. The Smoking Musket can come on down for slotting Georgetown fifth, especially when UConn, a team that's lost four of its last six, is hanging out in second.

We'll see you back here next week.

1. Syracuse (9) (21-1, 8-1): 144 points -- Last week: 1

2. Georgetown (16-3, 6-2): 129 points -- Last week: 3

3. Marquette (17-4, 6-2): 116 points -- Last week: 5

4. West Virginia (15-5, 5-2): 112 points -- Last week: 4

5. Cincinnati (17-4, 6-2): 110 points -- Last week: 6

6. UConn (14-5, 4-3): 110 points -- Last week: 2

7. Seton Hall (15-4, 4-3): 83 points -- Last week: 4

8. Notre Dame (12-8, 4-3): 80 points -- Last week: 10

9. South Florida (12-9, 5-3): 78 points -- Last week: 11

10. Louisville (15-5, 3-4): 70 points -- Last week: 8

11. Rutgers (11-9, 3-4): 54 points -- Last week: 9

12. Villanova (10-10, 3-5): 46 points -- Last week: 14

13. St. John's (8-11, 2-6): 36 points -- Last week: 12

14. Providence (12-8, 1-6): 25 points -- Last week: 13

15. DePaul (10-9, 1-6): 22 points -- Last week: 15

16. Pittsburgh (11-9, 0-7): 1 points -- Last week: 16

Individual ballots are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Welcome to the Big East Basketball Power Rankings. It's taken a little while to get this up and running this season, but we'll be publishing one every week from now through the end of the regular season. Each week the editors of SB Nation's Big East blogs will cast their vote in an attempt to measure the current state of the Big East. The results are below. Note: this feature will run on Mondays beginning next week.

I hope you're sitting down, because what I'm about to write might shock you: everyone thinks Syracuse is good. I know, it seems hard to believe that the undefeated No. 1 team in the nation would come out on top of the Big East Power Rankings, but yet, there the Orange are, holders of the top line on every ballot.

UConn and Georgetown are battling it out for the right to come in second place (UConn won, but barely), but that's not particularly telling because there are six teams (Seton Hall, Marquette, Cincinnati and West Virginia are the other four) who could reasonably make a claim for that spot based on conference record.

Things get a little messy in the Louisville/Rutgers/Notre Dame/South Florida area (that's right, South Florida is in the middle tier) before dropping off a cliff to head into what I like to refer to as "DePaul territory." DePaul territory is notable because both Pittsburgh and Villanova saw the prime piece of real estate that South Florida abandoned at the bottom of the power rankings and each team is killing itself to take the spot. They're a combined 1-11 in conference (the one win was over... wait for it.... DePaul) and to be honest I'm a little uncomfortable being seen with them right now.

Usually we like to hand out a Homer of the Week and Hater of the Week award, but everyone seemed pretty reasonable, considering the confusing mess the conference is right now. If you want to get picky it seems a little harsh for One Foot Down and Troy Nunes to both have Villanova at 16, but the Wildcats are 8-10 so it's far from indefensible.

We'll see you back here next week.

1. Syracuse (10) (20-0, 7-0): 160 points

2. UConn (14-3, 4-2): 139 points

3. Georgetown (15-3, 5-2): 136 points

4. Seton Hall (15-3, 4-2): 124 points

5. Marquette (15-4, 4-2): 122 points

6. Cincinnati (14-4, 4-1): 118 points

7. West Virginia (13-5, 4-2): 109 points

8. Louisville (14-5, 2-4): 81 points

9. Rutgers (11-8, 3-3): 75 points

10. Notre Dame (11-8, 3-3): 73 points

11. South Florida (10-8, 3-2): 70 points

12. St. John's (8-9, 2-4): 47 points

13. Providence (12-7, 1-5): 40 points

14. Villanova (8-10, 1-5): 30 points

15. DePaul (10-8, 1-5): 23 points

16. Pittsburgh (11-8, 0-6): 14 points

Individual ballots are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

Don't forget to make your picks in our Pick'Em contest.

Trevardo Williams making plays for UConn - College Football Nation Blog - ESPN
For a guy who measures 6-foot-1 and 231 pounds, Williams might better be suited to play linebacker. But his 4.4 speed allows him to get after the quarterback in a hurry. What makes him even better this season is that Williams has improved his technique so much, he does not have to rely on his speed alone. Now it is all about film study and taking the right angles, along with hand placement and leverage.

Game Predictions-120111 - Big East Blog - ESPN
Cincinnati figured out it is better when Jordan Luallen is in the game, and Isaiah Pead is touching the ball as much as possible. Indeed, the battle on the ground is going to be huge in this one. The Huskies have held six of their 11 opponents below 100 yards and have held three teams to 20 yards or less. Cincinnati leads the nation in tackles for loss (8.5 per game).

Pendergast Plans Big Changes For Ticket Holders - Courant.com
Expect UConn to employ a tiered price system for next season. That means, simply put, that each game will be priced based on its apparently public appeal. So you can expect to pay more to see Duke and Oklahoma, perhaps Baylor and Notre Dame, too, than you will Seton Hall and Marquette.

Jeff Jacobs: Former UConn QB Dan Orlovsky Gets Start For Colts Against Patriots - Courant.com
Yet the Shelton kid who had everything to do with winning at UConn and, unfortunately, who has been tattooed with "0-16" in the NFL, knows this above all. He knows he wants to feel a nice deep bruise. He knows he wants some bones to ache. He wants to crawl of out of bed on Monday morning to the music of some very sore muscles.

UConn Baseball Releases 2012 Schedule - University of Connecticut Official Athletics Site
The spring season begins on February 17 as the Huskies take part in the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge in St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Fla. against Indiana, Purdue and Ohio State. The challenge will be the first of five early season tournaments for UConn.

Continue reading this post »

Welcome back to the Big East Football Power Rankings. Every week the editors of SB Nation's Big East blogs will cast their vote in an attempt to measure the current state of the Big East. The results are below.

With one week to go in the season everyone pretty much knows where they are. West Virginia, which once again is in the top spot, is sharing the spotlight with BCS hopefuls Cincinnati and Louisville. Pittsburgh, Rutgers and to a lesser extent UConn are floundering in the middle, and South Florida and Syracuse are, to put it delicately, floundering.

It seems entirely possible that the conference is going to only have five bowl eligible teams (Pittsburgh and Syracuse play next week, so one of them is guaranteed a slot), and maybe it's just me, but that seems horrifically bad. It gets even worse when you consider that both the Orange and South Florida only needed to go 2-5 in the conference to make a bowl, but now might be left at home come the holidays.

We'll see you back here next week for our final rankings. Until then enjoy the end of Big East football, such as it is.

1. West Virginia (5) (8-3, 4-2): 54 points -- vs. Pittsburgh W 21-20 -- Last Week: 1

2. Cincinnati (8-3, 4-2): 46 points -- @ Syracuse W 30-13 -- Last Week: 4

3. Louisville (2) (7-5, 5-2): 45 points -- @ South Florida W 34-24 -- Last Week: 3

T-4. Pittsburgh (5-6, 3-3): 30 points -- @ Pittsburgh L 21-20 -- Last Week: 5

T-4. Rutgers (6-5, 4-3): 30 points -- @ UConn L 40-22 -- Last Week: 2

6. UConn (5-6, 3-3): 22 points -- vs. Rutgers W 40-22 -- Last Week: 6

7. South Florida (5-6, 1-5): 14 points -- vs. Louisville L 34-24 -- Last Week: 7

8. Syracuse (5-6, 1-5): 7 points -- vs. Cincinnati L 30-13 -- Last Week: 8

Past Rankings: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13

Individual ballots are after the jump.

Continue reading this post »