Orangemen Take Step Up In Rankings

Thanks to UCONN's 78-63 loss to Pittsburgh last week, Syracuse (15-0, 2-0) has taken the Huskies place at #4 in the nation in both the ESPN/USA Today and AP Top 25 polls that were recently released. The Orangemen are now the highest ranked Big East team in the country.

Big East teams receiving AP rankings are:

4. Syracuse

5. Pittsburgh

7. Villanova

8. Connecticut

13. Georgetown

14. Notre Dame

24. Cincinnati

Also receiving votes was Louisville.

In the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll the rankings vary slightly. UCONN is ranked 9th in the coaches poll, Notre Dame remained at #15 and Louisville is ranked #23 while Cincinnati is ranked 25th. In total there are an amazing eight Big East teams ranked in the Coaches Poll.

For those of you keeping score at home, the ACC just has 1 ranked squad [Duke]. For complete rankings, click here.

Syracuse (11-0) Stays at #5 in ESPN/USA Today and AP Top 25

If any basketball analysts call you up and talk to you about Syracuse's non-conference strength of schedule or how difficult their travel itinerary was, be sure to point this out to them:

Five of the top 10 teams in both the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 are from the Big East! Don't let Dick Vitale convince you that the Big 10 (11?) or the ACC is the cream of the crop. It's the Big East, and it has been for years.

No one needs to worry about the non-conference schedule for the Syracuse Orangemen. Once conference play begins, the gauntlet is on!

Duke remains #1, however there are no other ACC teams in sight. In the AP Top 25 Connecticut is the highest ranked Big East program, grabbing the #4 spot, immediately followed by Syracuse (#5) and Pittsburgh (#6). At #8 is Villanova and #10 is the Georgetown Hoyas.

In the Coaches Poll, the 4-5-6 is the same, however Georgetown is ranked #9 in the country.

Rounding out ranked Big East teams are Notre Dame (#22 in AP, #20 in ESPN/USA TODAY) and Louisville (#25 ESPN/USA TODAY, NR in AP Top 25). West Virginia is nipping at the heels of the top 25 in the Coaches Poll, coming in 28th with 32 votes.

Louisville is just outside the AP Top 25 with 124 votes, enough for 26th place. Also receiving votes in the AP Top 25 are West Virginia, Cincinnati and Drexel, Syracuse's opponent on Wednesday.

For the complete rankings, click here. Photo courtesy of syracuse.com