College Basketball

Local college rankings: Top three not budging

There are no changes at the top in this week’s local college basketball rankings and you shouldn’t expect to see big shifts any time soon. Manhattan and Stony Brook remain the favorites in their respective conferences, while St. John’s enters Big East play playing its best ball of the season.

(Last week’s rankings in parentheses)

1. St. John’s (1)

Record: 8-3, 0-0
Up next: Saturday (2:30 p.m.) vs. Columbia at Barclays Center

The Johnnies have won two straight since their close loss to second-ranked Syracuse. Following Saturday’s game with the Lions, St. John’s begins conference play on New Year’s Eve at Xavier.

2. Manhattan (2)

Record: 9-2, 2-0
Up next: Thursday (7 p.m.) at St. Peter’s

The Jaspers have won six straight games, none more spectacularly than an overtime victory over Buffalo last Saturday, when Manhattan overcame a seven-point deficit with less than 40 seconds remaining. Center Rhamel Brown saved the day with two late swats and is tied for third in the nation in blocks, averaging 4.2 per game.

3. Stony Brook (3)

Record: 9-4, 1-0
Up next: Jan. 3 (9 p.m.) at VCU

The Seawolves have won three straight games, but next travel south for their toughest game of the season. VCU’s “Havoc” defense will be a challenge, but Jameel Warney gets a chance to show his abilities against a big-time opponent.

4. Seton Hall (6)

Record: 8-4
Up next: Friday (8 p.m.) vs. Lafayette

With Fuquan Edwin back, perhaps the Pirates can get back on track, having crushed Eastern Washington, 92-70, following an overtime loss against St. Peter’s.

5. St. Francis Brooklyn (8)

Record: 8-5, 0-0
Up next: Monday (4 p.m.) at Delaware State

The Terriers have won three straight games, including an impressive 16-point beatdown of Canisius (8-4). They are no longer a sleeper in the NEC. They look like they’re for real.

6. Fordham (5)

Record: 7-4, 0-0
Up next: Saturday (4 p.m.) vs. Harvard

It was nearly two years ago that the Rams upset 22nd-ranked Harvard in The Bronx. Can Fordham take down the one-loss Ivy power again?

7. Iona (4)

Record: 5-5, 2-0
Up next: Saturday (8 p.m.) at Northern Iowa

The Gaels have lost three straight games and have two more contests on the road before coming back home. In the past three games, Iona is allowing 92.7 points per.

8. Columbia (7)

Record: 7-5, 0-0
Up next: Saturday (2:30 p.m.) vs. St. John’s at Barclays Center

The Lions have won two straight games — hammering UMass-Lowell and Fairleigh Dickinson — but now face a tall task against the uber-athletic Red Storm. The near-upset of Michigan State early in the season shows Columbia can hang with any team.

9. Rutgers (12)

Record: 6-7, 0-0
Up next: Wednesday (8 p.m.) vs. Temple

The Scarlet Knights broke their four-game losing streak with two consecutive wins as Myles Mack’s late 3-pointer giving Rutgers a 75-72 win over Army on Sunday. On Wednesday, Rutgers begins its first and last season in the American Athletic Conference.

10. NJIT (9)

Record: 6-8
Up next: Saturday (1 p.m.) at Butler

The Highlanders have lost four straight games and play seven of their next eight games on the road. The unenviable schedule of the nation’s lone independent team is all uphill right now.

11. Wagner (11)

Record: 5-7, 0-0
Up next: Monday (3 p.m.) at Monmouth

The Seahawks have lost two straight and five out of their last six. The NEC’s preseason favorite is lucky that all that matters is three days in March.

12. LIU Brooklyn (10)

Record: 4-7, 0-0
Up next: Saturday (5 p.m.) at Sam Houston State

The Blackbirds’ two-game winning streak ended with a 36-point loss to Temple, but 2011-12 conference player of the year Julian Boyd has begun doing individual drills in practice as he tries to return from a knee injury. The season could soon turn around.

13. Army (13)

Record: 3-7, 0-0
Up next: Monday (1 p.m.) vs. Coast Guard

The Black Knights lost for the first time in three games in a heartbreaker at Rutgers, but they’re beginning to show why this season had so much potential.

14. St. Peter’s (14)

Record: 3-7, 0-2
Up next: Saturday (2 p.m.) vs. Cornell

The Peacocks finally return home from a five-game road trip, then restart conference play against Manhattan after this weekend.

15. Hofstra (15)

Record: 3-7, 0-0
Up next: Saturday (4 p.m.) vs. George Washington

Graduate swingman Zeke Upshaw remains a bright spot in a dark season, averaging 18.6 points per game.

16. Fairleigh Dickinson (16)

Record: 3-10, 0-0
Up next: Jan. 5 (4 p.m.) vs. Hofstra

Four straight road losses following back-to-back wins at Rutgers and Seton Hall aren’t all that surprising given the quality of the competition — Stony Brook, Princeton, Iowa, Columbia — but the Knights need to get some momentum back nearing conference play.

17. Fairfield (17)

Record: 2-9, 0-2
Up next: Saturday (2 p.m.) at Bucknell

The eight-game losing streak ended, but a new slide may be starting. Following a loss at Green Bay on Saturday, the Stags play three straight road games.