NCAA Basketball: Kansas and Baylor rise, Tennessee falls in latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
23. Providence (18-7)
While their 6-0 start in conference play is a thing of the past, the Friars have still played great basketball for most of this season. Providence already has home wins over Connecticut and Marquette (in double overtime) and still sit in an enviable place in this tight Big East race, though this past week didn’t exactly go the way they anticipated.
Before that, the Friars took care of business back on Wednesday night, securing a 74-62 home win over Georgetown. They played well on the defensive end and were led by Bryce Hopkins as per usual, leading the way with 17 points. Unfortunately, they couldn’t quite handle their own on the road over the weekend, dropping a tough 73-68 contest at St. John’s. Hopkins was even more outstanding with 29 points and 9 rebounds, but the Red Storm offense outperformed them.
Even with the loss, a 10-4 mark in this Big East still speaks volumes to Providence’s season to this point. They blew their chance to sit atop the conference standings this week, but are still well on their way to the Big Dance. The Friars only have two more road games this season, meaning there’s definitely a road to another conference title if they continue to take care of business. Next week’s action includes home games with Creighton and Villanova; a slate that seems a little less intimidating than before this season began.