The East now belongs almost exclusively to UConn and Rutgers
by Richard Kent, Contributor
Rutgers Hoops Insider contributor Richard Kent examines the landscape and powershift of big time basketball in the East.
It seems like a long time ago when traditional powers from the East were in full control of the region, and were consistently making the NCAA Tournament with deep runs to the Final Four.
In 1985, three powerhouse teams from the Big East Conference made it to the Final Four. While Georgetown and St. John's were expected to make runs to the Final Four as top seeds, it was 8-seed Villanova who outlasted Georgetown to capture the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball National Championship.
In 1996, the 4-seed Syracuse Orange made an unprecedented run to the Final Four and lost in the title game to eventual champion Kentucky Wildcats. Seven years, Syracuse returned to the championship and won the title. The UConn Huskies captured titles in 1999, 2004, 2011, and 2014. Villanova captured two national championships in 2016 and 2018.
But fast forward to today, and you'll notice UConn sits lofty at 7 in the NET Rankings and Rutgers is 21. Take another look at the NET Rankings and you'll notice traditional staples Seton Hall are ranked 58, Villanova at 88, Syracuse at 93, St. John's at 93, and Georgetown at a staggering 230. Let's also forget not to mention, Georgetown has a dreadful record of 6-19 and are the owners of the worst 29 game Big East Conference losing streak, the longest in the conference's history.
Providence has played well in spurts over the years under Ed Cooley. Pittsburgh, a team once known for finishing at the top of its league, is finally on the trajectory to having its first winning season since the 2015-16. Boston College has disappeared from any degree of national visibility after joining the ACC and a few head scratching coaching hires.
Once a proud program, St. John's will finish near the bottom of the Big East once again, and fade into irrelevancy. Fans are calling for the head of Mike Anderson after what was a promising start to the season. St. John's has only been the NCAA Tournament three times over the span of 20 years.
Georgetown is replicating another terrible season and no one is sure if the Hoyas will win another game this season. Last year, the Hoyas finished 6-25 and it's looking like they are about to match that again. Patrick Ewing will most certainly be fired after this dismal season.
Syracuse is not having the season Jim Boeheim and fans envisioned. Boeheim may only coach one more season.
Without Jay Wright patrolling the sidelines, Villanova has fallen further down the Big East standings and will endure its first losing season since in nearly 12 years under new coach Kyle Neptune.
Next year, Danny Hurley and the UConn Huskies are projected to have a top 5 recruiting class, while the Steve Pikiell and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights are projected to have the same in 2024, according to 247 Sports. Neither Syracuse, Villanova, or Seton Hall are projected to have Top 100 recruiting classes in 2023.
The East now belongs almost exclusively to UConn and Rutgers.
Two great coaching hires at UConn and Rutgers have changed the eastern dynamic.
Danny Hurley has turned around UConn's fortunes after the fallout from the Kevin Ollie era. In the last two seasons, Hurley has steadied UConn to two NCAA Tournament berths but this season Hurley may have his best team yet. By mid-December, UConn was ranked as high as number 2 in the AP Top 25 Poll.
Danny Hurley has brought in top notch talent to UConn as he was able to secure a big commit from 4-star center Donovan Clingan in the 2022 recruiting class, but Hurley's 2020 and 2021 recruiting classes are paying the most dividends, especially with Adama Sanogo and Jordan Hawkins.
Steve Pikiell, a UConn graduate who learned more about the game under Jim Calhoun, has worked miracles at Rutgers, and is on the verge taking the Scarlet Knights to their 3rd consecutive NCAA Tournament bid, and better yet possibly earning a single-digit seed as well. Rutgers is currently ranked 24 in the AP Top 25 Poll and are projected to earn a 6-seed, according to KenPom. Pikiell is also the current favorite for Big Ten Coach of the Year.
The Rutgers program turnaround is largely attributable to Pikiell and his staff, which features former Pittsburgh star Brandin Knight, former UConn great Karl Hobbs, and former George Washington standout TJ Thompson (who previously played for Hobbs) as his assistants. Together, the entire collective have scoured the country and have found "diamonds in the rough" like Caleb McConnell, Geo Baker, and Derek Simpson, who they have coached up with their blue collar, defense-first coach mentality. That was a page directly out of the legendary Jim Calhoun's coaching book.
Michigan State's Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo constantly sings praises of Pikiell any chance he gets, and he means it.
Will UConn win its 5th National Championship this year? Will Rutgers possibly see its first in the foreseeable future? Only time will tell, but Hurley and Pikiell are on the hunt and they can both certainly take each program to the big stage. Pikiell has a shelf reserved in his office for a National Championship ball, and don't be surprised if that space is occupied in the next five years. Both coaches have done a tremendous job with their respective programs, and they have risen above the traditional schools of the East.
For Rutgers fans, the many years of losing in Piscataway has come to an end but it doesn't stop there because Pikiell is ready to take Rutgers the distance. With stud recruits like Gavin Griffiths and Ace Bailey headed to Piscataway to take this program to the next level (and prized recruit Dylan Harper possibly on his way), the sky is the limit for long suffering Rutgers faithful.