Big East Power Rankings

1. Notre Dame. Entering the weekend, they were in the top 5 in both offense and defense, 2nd in free throws, 1st in three point accuracy, 2nd most attempts of the three, 1st in rebounding margin, 1st in assists, and 2nd in turnover percentage. Enough said. They have a great front and back court, and play solid on both sides of the ball.

2. Georgetown. Their defense right now is out of this world. Teams are only averaging 54.8 points a game. 27 points a half. With that you can get away with the 12th ranked offense but it is a serious flaw. They come in dead last in free throw shooting. They play a great high low game. Teams double down on Hibbert and leave open shooters and they are feasting. They grind out games and execute on offense.

3 Marquette. They have a solid back court but are lacking in size. They make up for it with pressure defense and steals. But they need prove that they can stand up against teams with legitimate post players. It’s hard to push one of the best guards in the league but Dominic James needs to find another level to his game if Marquette wants to go deep into the NCAA Tournament.

4. Connecticut. They are much improved with the 3rd ranked offense. Their defense has improved in the past several games but stands at a paltry 11th. They lack the outside shot but have controlled the paint. With a solid front and back court, Uconn is primed to compete with the elite in the conference. Price is the best point guard in the league, averaging 6.40 assists a game.

5. West Virginia. They lack the size down low and are having trouble with more athletic teams but they are still dangerous. They have one of the best outside shooting teams but rely heavily on it. If their shot isn’t falling, then they have problems generating points. They also have one of the best perimeter defensive units.

6. Syracuse. This team is improving with every game. They are one of the best on the offensive side and the defense is slowly coming along. Their freshmen are incredible but will they be able to hang against the top Big East teams? Donte Greene is leading the league in scoring at 19.4 points a game and doing most of his damage from three and from the stripe. He is in the lead for rookie of the year.

7. DePaul. Surprise! Who knew that this team would come out of the gates with solid play. They might have peaked at the seventh spot but they have certainly shown signs of maturity. Teams are having a hard time stopping Draelon Burns, averaging 17.2 points a game and Dar Tucker is turning into a player. The glaring weakness to this team is their rebounding. They are the only team in The Big East to average a negative in rebounding margin.

8. Villanova. Health issues have made them play small ball and it has hurt them against bigger teams. This team needs more scoring from the rest of the team. Scottie Reynolds is carrying this team. Donte Cunningham needs to raise his game to another level.

9. Pittsburgh. Another team that has health issues and this talented team is reeling. They are going to be dangerous and one of the best teams in the conference when they get healthy. They just don’t have the depth to withstand injuries to their key freshmen. DeJuan Blair is a monster on the boards and leads the conference in offensive rebounds at 4.25 a game.

10. Louisville. They are clawing to save their season but the early bad losses has put them three feet deep in the hole. They have been battling injuries, character issues and poor execution. Earl Clark is a vacuum cleaner, causing teams to be one and done. He is number one with 7.43 defensive rebounds a game.

11. Cincinnati. They are a team on the rise right now and have put together several good performances. Deonta Vaughn is their catalyst, averaging 17.3 points a game and is turning into an all around player. The bench needs to produce more and they need to rebound better.

12. St. John’s. This team does not have the talent to win the conference outright but they work hard and it has turned into solid wins. Justin Burrell is a talented freshman but they can’t rely on his scoring alone. D.J. Kennedy and Eugene Lawrence needs to step up and help.

13. Seton Hall. The talented back court can’t mask their deficiencies. They can’t hit the outside shot or stop the opposing team. They are a tested group, playing in tight ball games throughout the season but they are not coming out of these games with victories.

14. Providence. While not as disappointing a season as Louisville so far, Providence’s talent should have put them in contention for a NCAA Tournament seed. They need to right the ship and fast before they fall into mediocrity.

15. USF. This team could have up and quit after the first couple of games, but they played hard and are hurting teams with the three ball. They just don’t have the overall balance to compete with Big East teams. But this team will be on the rise. Kentrell Gransberry is a beast and is tops in rebounding at 11.2 a game.

16. Rutgers. They are young and have played that way so far. They are building up a solid front and back court right now but this team is going to struggle with executing and making shots. Inman and Chandler are a great combo, totaling 27 points a game. Hamady Ndiaye is an anchor on defense for them. They have pieces but they aren’t fitting in right now.