Last year was rough for Big East basketball, with just three teams out of 11 making the NCAA Tournament — or even being in postseason contention at all. As a result, there were several coaching changes and plenty of roster turnover throughout the league.
On paper, it does look like the Big East has truly improved its chances of being competitive with the rest of the high-major leagues. But how do the teams stack up against one another?
Here’s a look at the preseason power rankings for the Big East for the 2026-27 campaign.
1. UConn Huskies
2025-26: 34-6 (17-3)
Key players: Silas Demary Jr., 6-foot-5 senior guard, 10.1 points, 5.9 assists per game; Braylon Mullins, 6-foot-6 sophomore guard, 12 points per game; Nikolas Khamenia, 6-foot-8 sophomore forward, 5.7 points per game (Duke); Najai Hines, 6-foot-10 sophomore center, 6.5 points, 5.5 rebounds per game (Seton Hall)
Even with two-year starting 6-foot-3 junior guard Solo Ball lost for the season (wrist injury), UConn does bring back two key backcourt starters in Demary and Mullins, the latter of whom is a breakout candidate. There’s plenty of hype with the two sophomore frontcourt transfers, with Hines having some early NBA Draft buzz as a breakout star.
2. St. John’s Red Storm
2025-26: 30-7 (18-2)
Key players: Ian Jackson, 6-foot-4 junior guard, 9.4 points per game; Tounde Yessoufou, 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, 17.8 points per game (Baylor); Quinn Ellis, 6-foot-5 senior guard, four-star international prospect; Babacar Sane, 6-foot-8 senior forward, four-star international prospect
It’s a roster that’s been in flux the entire offseason, but the current projected core has a ton of potential. Ellis is viewed as one of the top international players coming from overseas, while Yessoufou was one of the top scoring freshmen from last season who elected to return to college. Expect the defense for a Rick Pitino-coached team to remain elite.
3. Villanova Wildcats
2025-26: 24-9 (15-5)
Key players: Tyler Perkins, 6-foot-4 senior guard, 13.7 points, 5.4 rebounds per game; Devin Royal, 6-foot-6 senior forward, 13.7 points, 5.7 rebounds per game (Ohio State); Kwame Evans Jr., 6-foot-9 senior forward, 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds per game (Oregon); Luigi Suigo, 7-foot-3 freshman center, four-star international prospect
The Wildcats bring back their top scorer (Perkins) from last year, but he’ll be surrounded by a completely revamped supporting cast. Both Royal and Evans are proven high-major starters and key options, while Suigo has a high ceiling as a center prospect, having received some first-round buzz in the process of the last NBA Draft.
4. Providence Friars
2025-26: 15-18 (7-13)
Key players: Ryan Mela, 6-foot-6 junior forward, 9.9 points, 5.3 rebounds per game; Devin Vanterpool, 6-foot-4 junior guard, 15.8 points, 6.3 rebounds per game (Florida Atlantic); Malik Mack, 6-foot-1 senior guard, 13.6 points, 4.1 assists per game (Georgetown); Miles Byrd, 6-foot-7 senior forward, 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds per game (San Diego State)
First-year head coach Bryan Hodgson suffered a blow with the loss of 6-foot-8 forward and former G-League Ignite star Pate Dink last week, but there’s plenty of talent among the newcomers. Mack is a proven starter at the Big East level, while former Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Byrd gives their perimeter defense a big boost. The Friars have one of the highest ceilings of any Big East team and the roster still has a chance to improve in the coming weeks.
5. Marquette Golden Eagles
2025-26: 12-20 (7-13)
Key players: Nigel James, 6-foot sophomore guard, 16.4 points, 4.9 assists per game; Royce Parham, 6-foot-9 junior forward, 12.5 points per game; Nolan Minnessale, 6-foot-5 junior guard, 19.8 points per game (St. Thomas); Sanada Fru, 6-foot-11 senior forward, 9.0 points, 6.1 rebounds per game (Louisville)
Even after last year’s disastrous campaign, the Eagles were able to keep leading scorer James, who’ll be on the shortlist for Big East Player of the Year. The case for Marquette is that the supporting cast is better, thanks to the addition of Fru in the frontcourt to boost the interior defense and team rebounding. If Minnessale gives them another consistent double-digit scoring option, look for the Eagles to make a jump up the standings.
6. Xavier Musketeers
2025-26: 15-18 (6-14)
Key players: Jovan Milicevic, 6-foot-10 junior forward, 12.4 points per game; Tru Washington, 6-foot-4 senior guard, 11.9 points per game (Miami); Ruben Dominguez, 6-foot-6 junior guard, 10.2 points per game (Texas A&M); Michael Nwoko, 6-foot-10 senior center, 13.4 points, 5.9 rebounds per game (LSU)
Coach Richard Pitino’s group last year was filled with mid-major transfers, creating lackluster results. This year’s group is more experienced at this level, led by guards Washington and Dominguez. Depth shouldn’t be an issue with the Musketeers but the one concern is whether there are true all-league players that can raise this team’s ceiling.
7. DePaul Blue Demons
2025-26: 16-16 (8-12)
Key players: Layden Blocker, 6-foot-2 senior guard, 11.1 points, 3.5 assists per game; Kahmare Holmes, 6-foot-3 junior guard, 19.5 points per game (Wofford); Wilson Jacques, 7-foot sophomore center, 8.8 points, 8.8 rebounds per game (Fresno State); Magoon Gwath, 7-foot junior forward, 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds per game (San Diego State)
Led by coach Chris Holtmann, DePaul is coming off one of the best campaigns in its Big East history. Blocker is back as the Demons’ lead guard, with lots of athleticism coming from the transfer portal. The ability to play both Jacques and Gwath inside together will be big for their interior defense, but they’ll need another impact guard to make a true push for a postseason run.
8. Creighton Bluejays
2025-26: 16-18 (9-11)
Key players: Austin Swartz, 6-foot-4 junior guard, 10.9 points per game; Jasen Green, 6-foot-8 senior forward, 10.5 points, 6.3 rebounds per game; Wes Enis, 6-foot-2 senior guard, 16.4 points per game (South Florida); Oswin Erhunwunse, 6-foot-10 junior forward, 6.9 points, 8.3 rebounds per game (Providence)
Creighton brought back multiple rotation pieces from last season, with Swartz and Green set to take larger roles. Erhunwunse is a proven starting big man, while Enis led a South Florida squad that ultimately won the American last season. But the biggest concern comes from the sidelines: Longtime head coach Greg McDermott retired, with assistant Alan Huss taking over this year.
9. Georgetown Hoyas
2025-26: 16-18 (6-14)
Key players: Caleb Williams, 6-foot-7 junior forward, 8.8 points, 5.1 rebounds per game; Jaland Lowe, 6-foot-2 senior guard, 8.0 points per game (9 games at Kentucky); Vyctorius Miller, 6-foot-5 junior guard, 10.8 points per game (Oklahoma State); Chol Machot, 7-foot junior forward, 8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds per game (Charleston)
There’s no head coach with more pressure to succeed than Ed Cooley, who has yet to take the Hoyas to the NCAA Tournament. A roster revamp aims to turn things around, led by former Pitt/Kentucky guard and All-ACC contributor Lowe. Machot is a former CAA Defensive Player of the Year who Georgetown will need to shore up the interior. There’s a path towards the Bulldogs being competitive, but they will need a surprise impact player to step forward.
10. Seton Hall Pirates
2025-26: 21-12 (10-10)
Key players: Roddie Anderson III, 6-foot-2 senior guard, 10.9 points per game (Xavier); Del Jones, 6-foot-2 junior guard, 17.2 points per game (Radford); Simeon Wilcher, 6-foot-4 senior guard, 5.6 points per game (Texas); Rodney Brown Jr., 6-foot-6 senior guard, 14 points per game (LMU)
We’ve seen coach Shaheen Holloway find ways to make the Pirates competitive, especially on defense, but they had to replace more than 90 percent of their scoring production from last season. Anderson is at least a proven Big East player, while Brown and Simeon are both former top-100 prospects who could be breakout players. But the loss of Najai Hines inside to UConn may be too big to replace.
11. Butler Bulldogs
2025-26: 16-16 (7-13)
Key players: Drayton Jones, 6-foot-11 senior center, 6.3 points, 4.6 rebounds; Jordan Ellerbee, 6-foot-4 sophomore guard, 13.1 points per game (Florida Gulf Coast); Eduardo Klafke, 6-foot-5 junior guard, 4.6 points per game (Ole Miss); Christian Moore, 6-foot-6 senior forward, 11.2 points per game (The Citadel)
It’s a new era for the program, with former Bulldogs guard Ronald Nored taking over. But on paper, he could have the toughest climb to the postseason. There’s little proven high-major talent and even the mid-major transfers don’t have a ton of career production. If he can find a way to get Butler out of the basement, Nored would be a Big East Coach of the Year candidate.
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