The Power Six Podcast: Big East Basketball Show

Conference play has tipped off in the two weeks since B-Frank and Sam last recorded, and UCONN is still undefeated atop the standings. Providence and Xavier are also 2-0 in league play. After running through the rest of the standings (0:20-1:06), Sam shares his holiday spirit after the Jays pulled off a get-right win over Butler in Omaha - just their second home game in 31 days. The guys talk about how important Ryan Kalkbrenner is to Creighton's defensive identity and how a sleeveless Baylor Scheierman needs to play to achieve the team's lofty preseason expectations. A less rosy B-Frank lays out the issues with Seton Hall's start to conference play, highlighted by poor jump-shooting and the incredible free-throw defense SHU opponents have managed to play (1:10-24:30). 

Power rankings (24:35-55:56) follow as UCONN, Providence, Xavier, and Villanova each have notable winning streaks heading into important matchups in the week after Christmas. Marquette fought valiantly in a tough Providence road environment paced by a career night from Charlie Kolek a quick drive from where he grew up, but ultimately fell in a double-OT thriller. The Golden Eagles are ahead of schedule and can score with anyone. St. John's doesn't have any resume-boosting wins to speak of and don't appear poised to pick up many throughout conference play. Creighton finally got off the schneid but has plenty of work to do before they're worthy of the praise heaped on them when they were undefeated and ranked in the top 10 in November. Butler fell fast after not showing much fight in the second half against UCONN and Creighton, but could trip up Providence at Hinkle next week. Shaheen Holloway still hasn't gotten buy-in from all his players in South Orange. Georgetown showed fight against Xavier and UCONN, but have no depth and can't get stops when they need to. DePaul is in the basement yet again. 

B-Frank & Sam briefly touch on the teams who have had the best and worst stretches since our last recording (56:00-58:35) before focusing on the top performers during that same time period (58:36-1:01:41). Bryce Hopkins is playing like a man possessed and deserves to be put on every national watchlist he's eligible for. Kadary Richmond is Seton Hall's most reliable offensive weapon by a long shot. Zach Freemantle, much to Sam's chagrin, has appeared to put whatever issues plagued him last year en route to a hyper-efficient stretch of games. Frederick King gets an honorable mention for doing his best Ryan Kalkbrenner impression in the last few games while Creighton's center dealt with and returned from an illness. 

They finish up by touching on the Big East's games to watch before the new year (1:01:52-1:03:51) as marquee matchups abound for Villanova, Xavier, UCONN, and Marquette. We also get a Christmas day matchup in Omaha as the Jays host DePaul. 

B-Frank and Sam return to talk all things Big East since last Thursday. They congratulate St. John's on picking up the conference's first league win against DePaul before Sam recounts his time at the Moody Center for Creighton's close loss to Texas. The Jays' no good, very bad week was punctuated by an embarrassing loss to Nebraska. B-Frank isn't much happier with Seton Hall after a blowout loss at KU and taking too long to get going against D-II Lincoln U. 

They move on to power rank the remaining teams in the conference. UCONN is head and shoulders above the rest, while the co-hosts' alma maters fall considerably. Butler and Villanova are getting healthy at the right time, Marquette can pour in points, and Providence has an incredibly balanced offensive attack. 

It's little surprise which teams had the best (UCONN) and worst (Creighton) weeks, so they highlight the week's top performing players  before concluding with games to watch during the last stretch before conference play starts in a week. Marquette travels to South Bend to take on Notre Dame, the ever-entertaining Crosstown Shootout pits Xavier against Cincinnati, Georgetown & Syracuse face off in an old Big East rivalry that has lost much of its muster, Creighton looks to get off the schneid against BYU & Arizona State in Vegas, and B-Frank dreads the Garden State Hardwood Classic against rutger.  

B-Frank and Sam return to power rank the Big East teams through the first few weeks of the season, with undefeated UCONN and Maui Invitational Runner-Up Creighton head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. Villanova shockingly brings up the rear. 

The discuss the best and worst starts to the season, give Marquette their flowers for shellacking Baylor as the conference's best win on the young season, and touch on some of the league's best individual performers. 

Games to look forward to feature the Big East-Big 12 Battle and some juicy in-state rivalries. 

They close the show with a discussion on Sam's time at the Maui Invitational and a Seton Hall performance review ahead of tonight's matchup in Lawrence. 

From the guys who brought Let Me B-Frank and SONT Chicago readers weekly Big East Basketball Power Rankings the past few seasons, B-Frank (Seton Hall alum) and Sam (Creighton alum) introduce the Power Six Podcast Big East Basketball Show. They begin by reminding listeners that college basketball has a Power Six thanks to the nation's only basketball-focused major collegiate sports conference. A quick aside about DePaul starts things off with a trip down memory lane. 

B-Frank & Sam then regale each other with their favorite moments from the budding Seton Hall-Creighton rivalry before reliving notable moments from last year's Pirates & Bluejays seasons. What they're most looking forward to in the non-conference slate is next up as they both stress the importance of the first Thursday in December for both team's respective seasons. After teasing it earlier in the episode Sam & B-Frank share their most notable moments from Big East Basketball Media Day including briefly touching on the most hated players in the conference. They also discuss questions they're excited to see their alma maters answer in the early portion of the season & touch on lofty expectations for both programs highlighted by a confident quote from Shaheen Holloway. 

Seton Hall has one of the most challenging non-con schedules in the country, and Creighton gets their shot at Texas in the Big East-Big 12 challenge this season. College basketball is right around the corner, and we couldn't be more excited.