National Polls Update: Week 17

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.

The Big East

Villanova beat down Providence on their Senior Night on Tuesday and followed that up by taking down Xavier at the Cintas Center on Saturday. With a Gonzaga loss to BYU the Wildcats have now slid onto the 1 seed line in the latest bracket releases. Villanova also moved into that #4 spot in the polls this week too. 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 dropped from 19th to 23rd after their loss at Xavier on February 21st but the Bulldogs took care of business last week against bottom dwellers Marquette and DePaul. The result is Butler moving up to 21st in both polls this week as mentioned above.

After being on the cusp at 26th in both polls a week ago Georgetown has lost some steam with the AP voters following their loss at St. John’s on Saturday in their only action of last week. The USA Today Coaches poll still slots the Hoyas 26th but they have fallen to 33rd in the AP poll. That’s now behind St. John’s.

The Red Storm beat Xavier at home on Monday and then the aforementioned win against Georgetown on Saturday got them to 20 wins on the season. That 2-0 week got them some love with 27 votes in the AP poll and 12 in the USA Today Coaches poll. That ranks them 29th in the AP poll and 32nd in the USA Today Coaches poll.

The Big East has 3 teams in the top 25 for the second straight week. 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 17 with their 29-0 record. The Wildcats went on the road and beat Mississippi by 18 and then returned home to handily defeat #18 Arkansas by 17 points on Saturday.

Notre Dame lost their only game of last week by 5 at the Carrier Dome at the hands of Syracuse. The Fighting Irish slip from 9th in the AP poll last week to 12 this week and from 8th in the USA Today Coaches poll last week to 11th this week.

Rhode Island got 3 votes in the AP poll this week ranking them 38th. The Rams got 7 votes in the USA Today Coaches poll this week placing them in a tie for 36th with Stephen F. Austin. The Rams are also in a 3-way tie for the top spot in the Atlantic 10 currently.

To see both polls in their entirety, click here.

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Mike Hopkins

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