Providence Back on the Outside Looking in of National Polls

After being ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation a week ago for the first time since March of 2004 the Providence Friars are back on the outside looking in after a 1-1 week with a 6 point win at home against Yale and a 20 point road loss at Kentucky on Sunday. While Providence was ranked 25th in the USA Today Coaches Poll last week the Friars were 4 spots outside the top 25 in the AP Poll. This week’s polls both have Providence receiving votes with the Friars getting 56 votes in the AP poll which is 32 behind 25th ranked Utah and 50 votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll which is 7 behind 25th ranked Illinois.

After an impressive 6-0 start to the season the Friars hit their first road block against the 1st ranked (in both polls) Kentucky Wildcats. While Providence was able to hang with John Calipari’s vaunted Wildcats for about 30 of the game’s 40 minutes the final result of a 20 point loss, dead on the Las Vegas opening line, is likely what many people will see if they didn’t watch the game.

As for the rest of the Big East, the league has gotten off to an impressive start and currently sits at 48-11 on the season. Villanova moved into the top 10 in both polls, 9th in the USA Today Coaches Poll and 9th in the AP Poll, while Butler made it’s first appearance of the season in either poll with a 23rd ranking in the AP Poll. The Bulldogs are also receiving votes (44) in the USA Today Coaches Poll that would slot them at 29th. Other Big East teams receiving votes this week are Georgetown (33rd in AP Poll and 36th in USA Today Coaches Poll), Creighton (34th in the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls), Seton Hall (T-39th in the AP Poll) and St. John’s (T-39th in the AP Poll).

The Friars only have 1 game this week and it comes on the road at Boston College’s Conte Forum Friday night at 7pm.

To see both polls in their entirety, click here.

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Mike Hopkins

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