Connecticut, Louisville and Pittsburgh have remained at the top of the Big East. DePaul, South Florida and Rutgers remain at the bottom.
Big deal.
All that was expected.
The jump-out-of-the-bushes surprises have come from elsewhere.
Providence was picked 10th in the conference preseason poll. The Friars currently sit in sixth place.
Seton Hall, a preseason No. 13, has transformed its 0-6 conference start into a ninth-place standing with five straight victories.
Cincinnati, picked to finish 11th, turned its 0-3 conference start into a tie for sixth with seven victories in nine games.
Tournament talk is starting for some of these teams.
“We have to play like a team that has something to play for,” Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said. “It’s new territory for our kids, but something they’re well aware of now.”
Who’s hot
Connecticut (23-1, 11-1): The winning streak of 12 includes victories over five ranked opponents. The Huskies haven’t allowed more than 61 points in their last six games.
Villanova (20-4, 8-3): Coach Jay Wright has added veterans to the starting lineup, and the move has added to the Wildcats’ success. They travel to West Virginia on Friday, where they haven’t won since 1999. “One of the toughest places to play in America,” Wright said.
Pittsburgh (22-2, 9-2): The Panthers handled West Virginia even with DeJuan Blair in foul trouble. Consider that a breakthrough for the already unbreakable Panthers.
Cincinnati (17-8, 7-5): The Bearcats have been sprinting, but here comes an uphill climb. After winning five of their last six games, they host Pittsburgh on Saturday and go to Louisville a week later.
Who’s lukewarm
Georgetown (13-9, 4-7): The Hoyas have had no more than three days between games since Jan. 22, adding to the difficulty of halting their tumble. They had a week break after losing to Cincinnati before heading to Syracuse on Saturday. “It was good to get some rest and improve and think about Georgetown rather than another opponent,” coach John Thompson III said.
Seton Hall (14-9, 5-6): The Pirates have momentum on their side, having won five straight heading into a home game Monday night against No. 1 Connecticut. Coach Bobby Gonzalez is reminding his players that Seton Hall never has beaten a No. 1 team. “That’s pretty significant,” he said.
Providence (15-9, 7-5): Randall Hanke became the fourth member of this season’s Friars team to crack the 1,000-point mark for his career, joining Geoff McDermott, Weyinmi Efejuku and Jeff Xavier. Providence, North Carolina and Marquette are the only teams with four 1,000-point scorers.
Marquette (20-4, 9-2): The Golden Eagles allowed Villanova to score 102 points in Tuesday’s loss.
Syracuse (18-7, 6-6): After losing by 17 points at Villanova and by 14 points at Connecticut, the Orange returns home to face also struggling Georgetown on Saturday. “We’re happy to be off the road,” coach Jim Boeheim said.
West Virginia (16-8, 5-6): The Mountaineers host Villanova on Friday. Villanova is the sixth ranked team West Virginia has played in its last eight games.
Louisville (18-5, 9-2): The Cardinals need forward Terrence Williams to keep it up. He leads them in scoring, rebounding and assists.
Notre Dame (13-10, 4-7): After shocking Louisville, the Irish face desperate South Florida.
Who’s cold
DePaul (8-17, 0-12): The Blue Demons lost their last five games by an average of 20.4 points, including a 23-point drubbing Tuesday from visiting Seton Hall. Next up: at Louisville and at Pittsburgh.
Rutgers (10-14, 1-10): Turning the ball over 15.5 times per game is no way for a team to overcome its offensive struggles.
St. John’s (12-12, 3-9): The Red Storm is 0-7 on the road. That’s not good news, considering it plays Saturday at Marquette. “We’ve let teams get off to too many good starts,” coach Norm Roberts said.
South Florida (8-15, 3-8): The Bulls shocked everyone with a victory over Marquette a week ago behind 21 points from Jesus Verdejo. Then they lost by 15 to Providence. They haven’t won back-to-back games since November.
