Ranking Big East basketball teams by tiers: Can anyone catch UConn and St. John’s in 2025-26 season?

One notable takeaway in the Big East is how UConn, St. John’s and to a lesser extent, Creighton, are monopolizing the talent-acquisition game. UConn was the only team to land a top-40 freshman from the Class of 2025. The Huskies, Red Storm and Bluejays were the only Big East teams to land a top 50-rated transfer in the 2025 cycle.

Of course, transfer rankings are inherently flawed because fit matters so much, but it’s a slightly concerning development. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the chasm between the top and the bottom that is starting to develop in a basketball-crazed league.

With rosters starting to finalize, we can start to get a better idea of the pecking order developing in the 2025-26 Big East. Tiers provide a preferable way of contextualizing the outlook.

• Tier 1 – Title contenders: Pretty cut and dry. I think these teams have the upside to win the title. Not just make the second weekend. Not just win three in a row because of a nice draw. Six straight, do-or-die wins.
• Tier 2 – Top-25 caliber club: These teams have accrued plenty of talent and should be safely in the NCAA Tournament field today, but they have a few flaws that could keep them out of the top tier.
• Tier 3 – Bubblicious: A Big Dance appearance is in the range of potential outcomes, but the NIT, the Crown (or worse) looms if things fizzle.
• Tier 4 – The basement: These teams have a slim chance of making the Big Dance unless something drastically clicks or they make a late splash in recruiting.

Just a reminder: Things can change by November, especially with some teams still on the prowl for a major piece or two.

Before we dive in, let’s take a look back at last year’s standings.

Tier 1: National championship contenders

UConn

2024-25 record: 24-11
Postseason: Lost in second round

Returning starters indicated by * 

Top bench options: F Jaylin Stewart, G Malachi Smith, G Jayden Ross, C Eric Reibe, G Jacob Furphy

The scoop: The Death Star in Storrs is fully activated again. UConn can trot out a ludicrous shooter in Ball next to an extremely good shooter in Karaban next to a five-star freshman in Mullins, who can shoot the cover off it. Splash City, indeed. Toss in Reed, a double-double machine in the paint, and Demary, a jumbo creator who shot over 37% from downtown himself on nearly five attempts per game, and you’ve got something from a raw talent perspective. A top-10 offense is in the cards when you infuse this collection of talent into the best schematic offense you can find in the sport.

Keeping Jayden Ross and Jaylin Stewart out of the portal while adding a dynamic pick-and-roll savant like Smith from the portal should make this UConn bench a major strength while youngsters like Reibe and Furphy get up to speed. 

Dan Hurley’s squad has a chance to be filthy good.

St. John’s

2024-25 record: 31-5
Postseason: Lost in second round

Top bench options: G Dylan Darling, G Oziyah Sellers, G Sadiku Ibine Ayo, F Ruben Prey, G Lefteris Liotopoulos, G Kelvin Odih, F Imran Suljanovic 

The scoop: Rebounding and transition. St. John’s should absolutely dominate those two areas of the game. Mitchell, Hopkins and Ejiofor devour boards, and Jackson was one of the premier transition scorers as a true freshman. Pitino mixing some excellent offensive rebounders with an influx of shot-making from knockdown guys like Jackson, Sellers, Sanon and even Darling should raise the offensive floor for this group tremendously. St. John’s rated outside the top-200 in halfcourt offense last year. That won’t happen again with added shooting, the commitment to offensive rebounding and, well, Hopkins. 

The Providence transfer is the X-Factor of everything St. John’s wants to do in the halfcourt. He’s played just four games since New Year’s Day in 2024, but a healthy Hopkins provides Pitino with that halfcourt hub who can trigger advantages off the ball as a screener, on the ball as a jumbo handler, on the perimeter when he drives long closeouts or in the paint as a mismatch-hunting, bootyball threat.

Point guard play is a fair criticism, but Darling should help steady the ship if the Jackson experiment goes poorly. Defense is another slight concern. Concocting another special defense with this personnel would be a bit of Pitino magic, but it’s not going to drop off a cliff. Ejiofor is more switchable than any center in college basketball. Mitchell is a terror defensively. Plus, if you don’t guard, you don’t play for Pitino, and St. John’s has the athletes to overwhelm most Big East clubs again.

Even with six newcomers slated to stick in this rotation, it wouldn’t stun me one bit if St. John’s wins at least 16 Big East games because it is one of the haves, and there are plenty of have-nots in this league.

Tier 2: Top 25-caliber club

Creighton

2024-25 record: 25-11
Postseason: Lost in round two

Top bench options: G Austin Swartz, F Jasen Green, G Fedor Zugic, G Ty Davis, G Hudson Greer, F Isaac Traudt 

The scoop: I do not see Ryan Kalkbrenner on this roster? Surely, there has been a mistake? Times are a-changin’ in Omaha without The King of Verticality. Creighton’s defensive outlook is significantly different without the most accomplished defender the Big East has ever seen, but this offense will hum even with a host of new faces. Dix is the purest three-level scorer in this league, and Freeman has a ton in his bag with post-ups and the ability to deck it, put defenders in a spin cycle and finish. Freeman could easily lead the Big East in scoring. Graves is a silky-smooth veteran who is effective on or off the ball, Harper can help in transition and Creighton has two big-time shooters with NBA range in Swartz and McAndrew.

Greg McDermott should have no issues constructing a fire-breathing offense, but the defensive end is going to be a major work in progress. Creighton’s personnel will not overwhelm anyone at the point of attack, and while Freeman is entering a better schematic defense, he still has areas to improve upon, like not biting for pump fakes, defending without fouling and smartly dissecting offenses as Creighton’s air traffic control, back-line director.

A splendid offense paired with a mediocre defense is still a recipe for Creighton to comfortably make the NCAA Tournament for the sixth year in a row.

Tier 3: Bubblicious

Marquette

2024-25 record: 23-11
Postseason: Lost in first round

Top bench options: G Tre Norman, F Damarius Owens, F Caedin Hamilton, G Adrien Stevens, G Nigel James, F Ian Miletic, G/F Michael Phillips

The scoop: Shaka Smart’s commitment to internal development is not just lip service. Marquette didn’t add a single transfer this cycle, even after losing an All-American like Kam Jones and two more program staples in David Joplin and Stevie Mitchell. 

Ross seems poised to be the biggest benefactor. His usage rate was 17% last year. It’s going to skyrocket into the mid-20s. Lowery is in a similar boat, and with Jones back at full strength, Marquette’s point-of-attack defense should be a major strength.

Smart seems set on continuing the five-out offense. Parham and Gold have to be guarded on the perimeter, which opens up space for Ross, Lowery, Jones and the rest of Marquette’s guards to deck it and get to the rim. Keep a close watch on Stevens. The four-star freshman just looks like a Marquette guard. 6-4. Beast in the weight room. Defense-first mindset. You see the vision.

There’s high-level talent that walked out the door, and the interior defense will likely be mediocre at best with Gold at the 5. But would it really surprise anyone if Smart had this team on the right side of the bubble?

Providence

2024-25 record: 12-20
Postseason: None

Top bench options: G Corey Floyd Jr., F Ryan Mela, F Jamier Jones, F Cole Hargrove, G Rich Barron, G Jaylen Harrell

The scoop: Maybe it blows up in my face, but I think Providence is on the verge of a bounce-back season; the Friars just have way more offensive juice this year. Providence rarely got to the charity stripe last year and had one of the least efficient transition offenses in the Big East. That’s a horrible combination.

Edwards and Sellers are going to change that. Edwards is a tried and true bucket who scored 17 a night in the SEC with a barrage of treys, free throws and rim pressure. Providence has frequently been near the top of Shot Quality’s Rim & 3 rate under Kim English, so Edwards’ shot profile is exactly what that staff had to have been looking for. Sellers can be a monster transition scorer in the open floor. He earned a trip to the free throw line on nearly a third of his transition opportunities in 2023-24 at UCF when he scored 15.9 points a night in the Big 12. Toss in Powell, and Providence’s offense suddenly has three guys who can go get one for themselves. 

Oh, and Erhunmwunse is back after leading the Big East in block percentage and making a name for himself as one of the top freshmen in a veteran-dominated league. 

It’s a big year for English. He’s taking some risks with some well-traveled pieces, but you don’t have to squint to see the vision. Providence’s individual pieces make sense independently. Can they coalesce into a well-oiled machine? 

Villanova

2024-25 record: 21-15
Postseason: Lost in the third round of the College Basketball Crown

Top bench options: G Tyler Perkins, F Matthew Hodge, C Braden Pierce, G Malachi Palmer, G Chris Jeffrey

The scoop: It took a minute, but Kevin Willard’s first Villanova roster has coalesced into one that looks destined to finish smack dab in the middle of the pack in this league. Let’s start with the biggest strength: guard play. Kind of important! The well-traveled Askew is the closest thing to an initiator point guard on this club, but Villanova has a ton of different options like Lewis (instant offense), Lindsay (shooter off the catch or the bounce), Perkins (spot-up sniper) or Stanford (jumbo slasher) to sort through. All five guards are at least a threat from downtown and there’s a nice mix of differentiating skillsets. Brennan should be the man in the middle for Nova all year. He’s a smart play-finisher who mixes finesse with some bulldozer tendencies. He’s a plug-and-play Big East center, and Hodge should give Villanova a versatile forward, capable of chopping it up.

I think four-guard lineups are firmly on the table for Villanova, and I’m intrigued by what type of advantages Stanford could create as a small-ball 4, but Villanova could easily shapeshift to some traditional lineups with Hodge and Brennan manning the frontcourt.

There’s a wide array of outcomes on the table for most first-year coaches, but Villanova is in better shape than some of its Big East counterparts. Losing out on some of the big portal stars (like Rodney Rice) could be what keeps Willard’s crew out of the dance, but Villanova could stick in the at-large conversation for a while.

Tier 4: The basement

Xavier

2024-25 record: 22-12
Postseason: Lost in the second round

Top bench options: G All Wright, G Gabriel Pozzato, G Isaiah Walker, F Jovan Milicevic, F Pape N’Diaye, G Mier Panoam

The scoop: Richard Pitino’s roster frankly needs some big hits from the mid-major market, but Xavier’s positional size should give teams some issues. Borovicanin (a 6-9 shooter who can guard), Carroll (a stout 6-7 forward) and Robinson (an explosive 6-10 center) give this Xavier frontline some serious punch. Pitino could certainly insert Pozzato, a violently explosive 6-7 guard, at the 2 and rock with a lineup that features four guys who are 6-7 or taller.

That’s not nothing.

Moore is a big name to watch here. The Montana transfer has a buttery jumper and a slick handle. Xavier needs him to be a nightly double-figure scorer, and the point guard play will be another massive make-or-break development. Anderson and Wright should split the workload there, and they each do different things. Anderson is more a paint-touch machine, while Wright is a slo-mo guard who can shoot it (38% on 5.1 attempts at Valpo).

Pitino has the personnel to be a very good rebounding team paired with the on-ball pressure defense that has been a staple (the apple didn’t fall far from the tree). Keep an eye on Robinson. He didn’t play much at Virginia, but the upside is so obvious. If he’s a beast inside and Moore, Pozzato or Carroll turn into an All-Big East-type of player, Xavier will be a threat to jump into Tier 3.

Georgetown

2024-25 record: 18-16
Postseason: Lost in the second round of the College Basketball Crown.

Top bench options: G Jeremiah Williams, G DeShawn Harris-Smith, F Isaiah Abraham, G Kayvan Mulready, C Julius Halaifonua

The scoop: It’s funny how many Micah Peavy vibes (TCU version) appear when you watch Lewis. It’s even more ironic now that Lewis is replacing Peavy at Georgetown. Mack’s return is obviously nice. Love has been a professional scorer whenever he can stay healthy, but Lewis is the key. When he’s right, the 6-4 guard is a total two-way game-wrecker who can do everything but make 3s. His athleticism popped in the Big 12, and it will explode off the tape in the Big East.

I’m in on Mack-Lewis-Love as a backcourt trio, but this frontcourt is eerily unproven. The loss of Thomas Sorber to the NBA changes the ceiling (and floor) maybe as much as any player in college basketball. Iwuchukwu’s physical tools are obvious, but the 7-1 big fella has to put it together. The same thing applies to Williams, Halaifonua and Abraham. Can at least two of those four cement themselves as quality Big East rotation players?

Butler

2024-25 record: 15-20
Postseason: Lost in the second round of the College Basketball Crown.

Top bench options: F Drayton Jones, G Jamie Kaiser Jr., G Azavier Robinson, G Evan Haywood

The scoop: From a 5,000-foot view, Butler’s personnel doesn’t jump off the tape, but under the hood, there’s something here.

Thad Matta’s roster-building makes sense for the resources that Butler has. Bizjack is back for his junior season, and he’s a shrewd sniper, so Butler wisely paired him with Jackson, who just lives at the rim and is a terrific driver. Yame Butler’s combination of treys and comfort as a slippery, burrowing driver gives him appeal as a role player. Physically, Traore and Jones are equipped to sop up the minutes at the 5, and Kaiser has 3-and-D potential if he can get healthy.

The key is Ajayi. A few summers ago, Ajayi looked right at home amidst NBA talent at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine, but the Gonzaga experiment was a lost year. Can he revive his career as a post-hype sleeper, of sorts? Butler’s NCAA Tournament hopes rest on it. He’s got all the potential to be the best player on this team. 

DePaul

2024-25 record: 14-20
Postseason: Lost in the first round of the College Basketball Crown.

Top bench options: G Brandon Maclin, G Kruz McClure, F Amsal Delaic, C Khaman Maker, F Jeremy Lorenz

The scoop: You could make a strong case that DePaul kept its best three players: Benson, Gunn and Blocker. The success of transfers who stick around has been well-documented, and all three of those guys were solid in Year 1 and could be much, much better in Year 2. Chris Holtmann has then complemented that trio with way more high-major talent. Banks is the jewel of the portal haul. The former Indiana product shined at Tulane last season and is a massive upgrade athletically and skill-wise at the 4. While this club doesn’t have quite as many deadeyes as last season, DePaul is far more athletic and has accumulated way more length.

There are still some defensive questions, but the added athletic bump should reap dividends on that end. There’s also a ton on Blocker (who I still have a ton of theoretical stock in) to run this team, but this group should take a healthy step forward on both ends.

Last year’s DePaul squad had just five guys who started at a high-major. This one has nine. So you’re starting to see the talent level rise a bit. I think this group safely cracks the top 100 on kenpom.com, a feat that has only been accomplished by two DePaul squads since 2008. While a Big Dance bid is a bit too steep of a projection, DePaul’s pushover days are over.

Seton Hall

2024-25 record: 7-25
Postseason: None

Top bench options: F Josh Rivera, G Mike Williams III, G Trey Parker, F Stephon Payne III, F Jacob Dar, G Jahseem Felton, F David Tubek

The scoop: It is what it is at this point with Shaheen Holloway and Seton Hall’s limited resources. Holloway is a well-respected coach who has to do more with less. He is an unenviable spot when his best player gets poached year after year after year. That happened again with Isaiah Coleman dipping for Oklahoma State.

So, another total retool is on. I think Seton Hall emerged from portal madness a little better than where it started. Clark is a smidge undersized, but he’s a total baller who can create something out of nothing, and Seton Hall smartly paired him with plus-sized guards/wings in Staton-McCray (6-5), Simpkins (6-4) and Fisher (6-6).

Seton Hall was the worst high-major offense in college basketball last year, so taking swings on upside plays like Williams and Parker, who both showed real scoring knacks as true freshmen at LSU and NC State, respectively, is certainly understandable.

This team has more firepower, but the defensive personnel is still underwhelming. Last year was a great example of how an awesome defensive coach like Holloway can only do so much on that end. Seton Hall finished with the second-worst defense in Big East play after Holloway had built three straight top-35 defenses before that.