Providence went 1-0 this week when they beat DePaul on the road to complete the season sweep of the Blue Demons. Last week Providence got 22 votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll and they are now getting 28 votes in that poll this week which ranks them 27th. They were 28th a week ago with those 22 votes. The Friars got 44 votes in the AP Poll last week which was good for 28th. Providence has finally done enough to crack the top 25 in the AP Poll. This is the first time they have been ranked in the top 25 by the writers since March 15, 2004 when the Friars were ranked 21st in the final AP poll of that season. Providence was ranked 25th in the USA Today Coaches poll on November 24th earlier this season. This ranking means Providence’s game against Villanova on Tuesday will be played by 2 ranked teams.

The Big East

Villanova won both of their games this week. They demolished Seton Hall by 26 and then won at Marquette by 11. The Wildcats are now 25-2 on the season. Both polls ranked Villanova 6th last week and they remain 6th this week. The Wildcats remain the highest-ranked Big East team this season and the only that has been ranked in the top 5 at any point.

Butler was 19th in both polls last week and the Bulldogs slip this week after winning at Creighton and then getting beaten fairly handily at Xavier by 17. Butler is now ranked 23rd in both polls.

Last week the Georgetown Hoyas got 23 votes in the AP poll which ranked them 31st in that poll. They got 16 votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll ranking them 32nd in that poll. This week the Hoyas are 26th the AP poll with 58 votes and 26th in the USA Today Coaches Poll with 31 votes. Georgetown went 2-0 this week beating St. John’s and DePaul at home.

The Big East has 3 teams in the top 25 this week after having only 2 in the last 2 weeks. No other Big East teams are receiving votes in either poll.

Providence’s Non-Conference Opponents

Kentucky remains at the top of both polls in week 16 with their 27-0 record. The Wildcats went on the road and beat Tennessee by 18 and then returned home to crush Auburn by 35 points while scoring 110 points in the process. That was the first time Kentucky hit the century mark this season.

Notre Dame went 2-0 last week with wins over Wake Forest at home and Boston College on the road. The Fighting Irish were 10th in both polls last week and moved up to 9th this week in the AP poll and 8th in the USA Today Coaches Poll.

Rhode Island got 1 vote last week in the USA Today Coaches Poll but the Rams got 0 votes in that poll this week. They did get 3 votes in the AP Poll this week though.

To see both polls in their entirety, click here.

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