Week 5 of the college basketball polls have been released and Providence is moving on up after a 2-0 week that included a thrilling win on the road at in-state rival Rhode Island. The Friars also defeated Hartford handily at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center to start the week after making their debut in both polls for the first time since March 2015. Providence debuted in the AP Poll at 23rd and 24th in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll last week. They are now 15th in the AP Poll and 18th in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll this week.
This is officially Week 4 of the college basketball polls and it also happens to be the week Providence makes their 2015-16 debut in both the AP Poll and the USA Today Coaches’ Poll. The Friars had a 3-1 week that included an impressive showing in the Wooden Legacy Tournament. They defeated NJIT on Monday night before heading out West to take on Evansville in the tournament opener.
The first preseason poll of the 2015-16 season has been released. USA Today put out their first installment of their in-season weekly Top 25 poll voted on by college basketball coaches. The full list of voters this year can be found at the bottom of this post. Providence makes an appearance in the “Others Receiving Votes” section while Villanova and Butler are in the Top 25. The Friars finished the 2014-15 season in that same “Others Receiving Votes” with 3 votes. They received 5 votes in the preseason poll — and a good bet is that one of the voters that chose them was Creighton’s Greg McDermott.
Providence’s 1-1 week, including a home defeat on Saturday at the hands of Butler, has dropped them out of the AP poll top 25. The Friars held the 24th spot after being 25th the week prior. They are now 27th in the AP poll. Providence was 23rd in the USA Today Coaches poll a week ago and have fallen out of that poll this week. The Friars are just on the outside looking in at the 26th spot.
Despite a 28-point blowout loss at Villanova on Tuesday the writers and now the coaches have Providence in the top 25. The Friars moved up 1 spot in the AP poll to 24th while the USA Today Coaches poll moved Providence up from 27th to 23rd. As you might expect the last time Providence was ranked in both polls at the same time was the final poll of the 2004 season. Back then Providence was 21st in the AP poll and 19th in the USA Today Coaches poll.
This now means that Saturday’s regular season finale will be a face off of two teams ranked in the top 25 with Butler being ranked 21st in both polls this week. That will be the first time Providence will be ranked while playing a ranked opponent at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center since the fateful Pittsburgh loss on March 2, 2004.
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.
Providence went 1-1 this week with their home win against DePaul and then their road loss at St. John’s. Last week Providence got 13 votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll and they are now getting 9 votes in that poll this week which ranks them 33rd. They were 33rd a week ago with those 13 votes. The Friars got 17 votes in the AP Poll last week which was good for 32nd. They have fallen out of favor with those writers and got just 3 votes this week which ranks them 36th.
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