Now everyone in the Big East has played at least one conference game, as Villanova became the last team to do so by beating Seton Hall. These rankings can now compare apples to apples, something that had not yet been true this season.

Through the Christmas holiday, here is where the Big East power rankings land.

1. Connecticut Huskies (12-1)

Previous: 1

Connecticut is lapping the field yet again. The Huskies took on what was thought to be the No. 2 team in the league in Butler and handled the Bulldogs by 19. Connecticut continues to dominate defensively, though the three-point shooting must improve.

Dan Hurley’s club is good enough to win games by holding opponents in the 60s, but if the Huskies want to win a national title, they will need to shoot better from deep.

2. Villanova Wildcats (10-2)

Previous: 5

Villanova’s ranking sat low because the Wildcats had not yet proven themselves. That changed with wins over Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, and Seton Hall. The last of those was the most impressive, as they knocked off the Pirates on the road. There is a blowout loss to Michigan, but the Wolverines have done that to just about everyone since mid-November.

Villanova still gives up too many good looks from three-point range, but the Wildcats are excellent at protecting the paint. That could make for an intriguing matchup with Connecticut if the teams remain near the top when they meet in a month.

3. Butler Bulldogs (10-3)

Previous: 2

Butler did not acquit itself well against Connecticut, but the Bulldogs rebounded by edging Northwestern on a not-quite-neutral floor. They also survived Providence in double overtime, showing this team can handle pressure.

It is not an exaggeration to say the next two weeks will define who the Bulldogs are. They visit Creighton, host Villanova, and travel to St. John’s. Getting two of three would be huge for Butler.

4. Seton Hall Pirates (11-2)

Previous: 4

Seton Hall is not simply a home-court hero. The Pirates earned two tough road wins against Kansas State and Providence, showing this team is capable of finishing in the top half of the Big East.

The loss to Villanova, however, reinforced that Seton Hall is not quite on the level of the league’s elite. The Pirates will have a chance to change that narrative, with Creighton, Connecticut, and Butler all coming to Newark over the next couple of weeks.

5. St. John’s Red Storm (8-4)

Previous: 3

At this point, St. John’s will not gain much attention until it wins a truly meaningful game. The Red Storm do not have a bad loss, but Baylor remains their only win against a top-75 opponent. That will not be enough come March.

December was pedestrian for St. John’s. They went 4-1, but the best win was Mississippi, which barely sits inside the top 100. Their lone conference game came against DePaul, which did little to move the needle. The talent is there, but it is time for the Red Storm to prove it.

6. Creighton Bluejays (8-5)

Previous: 7

Three straight wins represent progress for Creighton, and more importantly, the Bluejays were never seriously challenged in any of them. Marquette and Xavier are not strong teams this season, and an NCAA-caliber program should handle those matchups convincingly.

Creighton did exactly that, beating Xavier by 41 in Cincinnati before topping Marquette by 21 at home. There is still plenty of work to do, but things are trending upward in Omaha.

7. Providence Friars (7-6)

Previous: 10

Providence played two Big East games before Christmas and lost both, yet the Friars moved up three spots because their performances exceeded expectations. Taking Butler to double overtime on the road was impressive, as was a five-point loss to Seton Hall.

Providence is showing it will be a tough out in conference play. For a team that looks NIT-caliber this season, that deserves credit.

8. Xavier Musketeers (9-4)

Previous: 8

Consistency remains an issue for Xavier. The Musketeers appeared to be turning a corner after winning the Crosstown Shootout during a five-game win streak, only to be embarrassed by Creighton in a 98-57 loss at home.

Their response was telling. Xavier followed that performance by going on the road and beating Georgetown. That swing perfectly explains why the Musketeers neither rise nor fall in these rankings.

9. Georgetown Hoyas (9-4)

Previous: 6

Welcome to reality, Georgetown. The Hoyas opened December with a 20-point loss at North Carolina, then nearly suffered a home upset against St. Peter’s. That should not be happening to a Big East team.

A road win at Marquette was a step forward, but Georgetown quickly gave that momentum back by losing to Xavier at home. It is becoming clear that many of the Hoyas’ wins have more to do with their opponents than their own development.

10. DePaul Blue Demons (8-5)

Previous: 11

DePaul is clearly moving in the right direction. The Blue Demons earned a surprise win at Wichita State and competed well in losses to Connecticut and St. John’s.

There is still a long way to go, but DePaul finally has some reason for optimism, something the program has lacked for years.

11. Marquette Golden Eagles (5-8)

Previous: 10

No one expected a stretch that included road trips to Wisconsin and Purdue to go well, but Marquette could have at least been competitive. Instead, the Golden Eagles were blown out in both games.

They followed that with an 0-2 start to Big East play, losing by 21 at Creighton and by nine at home to Georgetown. This looks like Shaka Smart’s worst team since 2017, and certainly his worst in Milwaukee. A roster overhaul is needed.

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