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2019-20 Big East Conference Basketball Power Rankings 4.0

By Dan Stokes

VILLANOVA, PA - JANUARY 21: Collin Gillespie #2 of the Villanova Wildcats drives to the basket against Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs in the second half at Finneran Pavilion on January 21, 2020 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The Villanova Wildcats defeated the Butler Bulldogs 76-61. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
VILLANOVA, PA - JANUARY 21: Collin Gillespie #2 of the Villanova Wildcats drives to the basket against Aaron Thompson #2 of the Butler Bulldogs in the second half at Finneran Pavilion on January 21, 2020 in Villanova, Pennsylvania. The Villanova Wildcats defeated the Butler Bulldogs 76-61. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Alpha Diallo, Providence Friars. Big East. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

This is the fourth edition of our 2019-2020 Big East Conference Basketball Power Rankings. Another great week of conference play, another new team at the top.

It was a pretty light schedule for the Big East last week, having played only nine games. The conference power rankings this week might seem a bit out of whack. However, this week did see some pretty powerful matchups.

Spoiler Alert! Seton Hall is not at the top since they played one game this week. They are still the best team in the conference.

10. DePaul Blue Demons (1-6 Big East, 13-7)

The Blue Demons struggled mightily at Wintrust Arena last week with an 83-68 blowout loss to Creighton and a 13-point loss to a reeling Red Storm squad. Freshman Romeo Weems has regressed in conference play, being held to single digits in five of seven games. Dave Leitao‘s squad that was once thought of as a potential team to participate in March Madness seems like it was just a mirage.

9. Providence Friars (4-4, 11-10)

Ed Cooley had a really tough week. The Friars lost to No. 10 Seton Hall in Newark, New Jersey then suffered a four-point loss to Villanova at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center. While I still believe the Friars are a lock to earn a postseason bid, back-to-back losses against ranked opponents could potentially hurt their seeding. Alpha Diallo still paces the team with 13.7 points per game (PPG) and 8.0 rebounds while sophomore shooting guard David Duke has been a revelation in conference play averaging 13.4 PPG.

8. St. John’s Red Storm (2-6, 13-8)

This is the fourth week I’ve been doing these rankings, and it’s the fourth time I’ve bounced between deciding if they are a “bubble team” or the team that was picked to finish ninth in the conference’s preseason poll. Mike Anderson has a very talented squad. Rasheem Dunn has been a revelation. LJ Figueroa has been consistent averaging 14.8 PPG in eight conference games, but it still feels like the Red Storm are missing “the go-to-guy.”

Dunn is really a sixth-man, but due to his aggressiveness, he’s starting for the Johnnies. Figueroa is really a second scoring option on a good team and Mustapha Heron is a third or fourth scoring option on a really deep team. With 10 games left in the regular season, the Johnnies need to show what they are made of.

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