Big East Basketball Rankings: Marquette holds strong, middle muddles

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - FEBRUARY 12: Markus Howard #0 of the Marquette Golden Eagles reacts with Joey Hauser #22 of the Marquette Golden Eagles after scoring against the DePaul Blue Demons at Wintrust Arena on February 12, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 18: Coach Steele of Xavier calls a play. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

8. Xavier Musketeers

After dropping six consecutive games earlier in the season, it seemed as though Xavier was destined for the conference’s cellar. Now that they have responded with three straight victories (two of which on the road), though, the Musketeers are emerging as a legitimately dangerous team in the conference. They boast a balanced offensive attack that features five players currently averaging double-digits in points per game. And while they definitely turn the ball over a lot and struggle from the free throw line, they can beat anyone when on their game.

With a matchup with Butler still looming left on the schedule, the Musketeers will not only have a chance to sweep their rivals but also potentially pop their NCAA Tournament bubble. Considering this has been a down season for Xavier on the whole, that would definitely be a victory that the fanbase would enjoy. Also, if they keep up their current hot play as of late, no one will want to see them at MSG.

7. Creighton Bluejays

Creighton has really struggled in conference play so far this season. Despite entering 2019 as one of the Big East teams in strong position to make the NCAA Tournament, they have floundered to just 5-9 in conference play with two different four-game losing streaks. That is not exactly what head coach Greg McDermott had in mind during this campaign. On the whole, though, the Bluejays are one of the youngest teams in the nation and the future looks extremely bright for the program when you took a step back.

With regards to their NCAA Tournament hopes this season, though, Creighton is in a tough spot. They are only one game over .500 for the entire season and they will likely need to win each of their final four games to get back into strong consideration for an at-large bid. With that said, though, KenPom projects the team to go 3-1 so it is not out of the realm of possibility. They would likely also need a win in the BET. Creighton might be a long shot but they aren’t quite done yet.

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