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College basketball conference rankings: Is the Big East back? The Big East is back!

By Brandon Jefferson

PROVIDENCE, RI - JANUARY 10: Butler Bulldogs players calm down Butler Bulldogs head coach LaVall Jordan after receiving a technical foul during a college basketball game between Butler Bulldogs and Providence Friars on January 10, 2020, at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
PROVIDENCE, RI - JANUARY 10: Butler Bulldogs players calm down Butler Bulldogs head coach LaVall Jordan after receiving a technical foul during a college basketball game between Butler Bulldogs and Providence Friars on January 10, 2020, at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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After some lean years due to conference realignment and traditional powers experiencing some struggles, it would appear the Big East is indeed back.

1. Big East

Ladies and gentlemen, the Butler Bulldogs are a top-five team in college basketball! LaVall Jordan has brought this program back to heights many thought they would never see after Brad Stevens left for the NBA. Armed with an experienced roster, this group is putting together a season that is no fluke. They will be a team to watch in March, as the Seton Hall Pirates will be too. They’ve run off six straight wins and have the size to be a defensive juggernaut in a postseason tournament run. Combine that with the best scorer in the country (Myles Powell) and things are looking up for the team from New Jersey.

2. Big 12

My sincerest apologies to the Kansas Jayhawks and all of the Rock Chalk Jayhawk fans. Less than a week after proclaiming them the best team in the nation, they were taken down by the Baylor Bears–while I won’t repeat the same jinx twice, doubt the Bears at your own risk. Waiting in the wings are the West Virginia Mountaineers and we all know that Bob Huggins has been scratching at the itch of keeping this program relevant for the last few seasons. He might have arguably his most talented team in quite some time and with Texas Tech taking a step back so far, Huggins is hoping his team will be able to keep up their strong play as the season continues.

3. Big Ten

Again, the Big Ten is probably the deepest conference in the country this season. There’s a scenario where they could approach the 10 team mark in terms of members from the Big Ten that are taken into the 2020 NCAA Tournament. They drop this week due to the horrific blowout loss that Michigan State suffered on the road to the Purdue Boilermakers. Now, it is par for the course for a Tom Izzo team to suffer a letdown during conference play, but with some of the losses already on Purdue’s leger (Illinois and Nebraska), this one stings a little more. Especially, when factoring in that this is the Spartans’ first loss in Big Ten play. Going forward, don’t expect to see this group any lower than this spot.

4. SEC

The Florida Gators are not who we thought they were and honestly it gets a little more disappointing with every loss. Their latest, a 91-75 defeat at the hands of Missouri. If Mike White can get his team to play on the same page for a prolonged stretch this season there’s still hope that this team could be the one people projected them to be at the beginning of the season. On the other end of the spectrum, the Kentucky Wildcats have begun to round into form and take their place atop the conference standings. John Calipari is letting his three-point-guard lineup (Ashton Haggans, Immanuel Quickley and Tyrese Maxey) share the floor more and it is paying major dividends for Big Blue Nation.

5. Pac-12

The Washington Huskies continue to be a riddle wrapped in an enigma. After their performance against the Southern California teams last week, they went out and laid an egg down the stretch and let the Stanford Cardinals pull a win from out of nowhere. Of course, with two freshmen–Jaden McDaniels and Isaiah Stewart–leading the way inconsistency is to be expected. Add in the fact that their upperclassmen leader, Quade Green has recently been ruled academically ineligible. Yet, we were treated to quite the game between Arizona and Oregon (who I forgot to mention as a top-tier team in last week’s section) that the Ducks pulled out in overtime. Dana Altman will look to continue to keep the team flying under the national radar as the calendar turns to March.

6. ACC

Finally out of the cellar. No thanks to the recent play of the North Carolina Tar Heels who have seen their season go down the drain since the injury to Cole Anthony a few weeks ago. Things are so bad that the Clemson Tigers were finally able to get their first-ever win in Chapel Hill. The other Tobacco Road mainstay has picked up the slack and the Duke Blue Devils look to have a chance to make another deep run in March. With Tyus Jones back, Vernon Carey playing strong and Mike Krzyzewski on the sidelines this group has what it takes to bring another national title to Durham.

7. American

The hopes of this conference might not rest squarely on the shoulders of the Memphis Tigers anymore but it did them no favors to come back in their game after suffering an upset loss at home to the Georgia Bulldogs and lose again. Memphis is the belle of the ball for this conference so every loss they suffer is damning for the entire group. However, the silver lining is that it made everyone take a second look at Wichita State who has been having a solid season for Gregg Marshall this year. If the Shockers can keep this play up they won’t only bring home the conference title but they will be a team that few want to have on their side of the bracket when things get underway in March.

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