With George Beamon returning from a shoulder injury tonight, Manhattan brings back its best player. Until the Jaspers go down with him in the lineup, they’ll remain on top.
(Last week’s rankings in parentheses)
1. Manhattan (1)
Record: 13-4, 6-2
Up next: Friday (7 p.m.) vs. Rider
Manhattan had won eight straight games before Beamon’s injury and has lost two of the past four games without him. With Beamon back, inexplicable losses, like Thursday’s against Fairfield, won’t happen.
2. St. John’s (3)
Record: 11-8, 1-5
Up next: Saturday (4 p.m.) at Butler
Just when you think you’re seeing the best the Johnnies have to offer, they nearly blow a 17-point second-half lead against Seton Hall. They have the talent to contend in any game, but their late-game issues don’t look like they’re going away any time soon.
3. Seton Hall (2)
Record: 11-8, 2-4
Up next: Saturday (6 p.m.) vs. DePaul
It wasn’t all bad for the Pirates, who won at Georgetown before nearly pulling a miracle at St. John’s. With home games against DePaul and Butler, Seton Hall could be back at .500 in the Big East heading into tough road games against Xavier and Villanova.
4. Columbia (5)
Record: 12-6, 1-0
Up next: Saturday (Noon) at Cornell
Back-to-back games against the awful Big Red is a great way for the Lions to start Ivy League play.
5. Stony Brook (6)
Record: 13-6, 5-0
Up next: Friday (9 p.m.) vs. Vermont
This early-season game with the Catamounts is bigger than most conference battles, as the winner will take the inside track for homecourt in a potential America East championship game.
6. Iona (4)
Record: 9-8, 6-2
Up next: Friday (7 p.m.) vs. Quinnipiac
The Gaels have a chance to avenge a Jan. 6 loss against the Bobcats, but they’ll need more than the 20 combined points they got from Sean Armand and David Laury in that game.
7. St. Francis Brooklyn (7)
Record: 12-8, 3-2
Up next: Saturday (1 p.m.) at Bryant
An 86-85 loss to Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday isn’t the embarrassment it used to be, but the Terriers can’t drop games like that if they plan on getting a home game in the NEC Tournament.
8. Rutgers (8)
Record: 8-11, 2-4
Up next: Saturday (7 p.m.) vs. UConn
Having lost four of their past five games, the Scarlet Knights have seen the Big East would’ve been an easier road than the AAC this season. Next season, the Big Ten will be even more brutal.
9. Army (10)
Record: 10-8, 6-1
Up next: Saturday (4 p.m.) vs. American
Is Army a serious Patriot League contender? We’ll find out after this week, when the Black Knights take on the conference’s top two teams: American (11-7, 7-0) and Boston University (13-7, 6-1).
10. Fordham (12)
Record: 8-10, 1-4
Up next: Sunday (Noon) at UMass
A win – even over the A-10’s only winless team (George Mason) – is still a win. And the Rams will need as much confidence as they can build heading into road games at the No. 13 team in the country (UMass) and the Havoc of VCU.
11. Wagner (9)
Record: 9-9, 3-2
Up next: Saturday (4 p.m.) at Robert Morris
The Seahawks just can’t get it together, falling, 87-83, to last-place Central Connecticut State at home on Thursday. Two weeks earlier, Wagner had beaten the Blue Devils by 29 on the road.
12. Fairleigh Dickinson (13)
Record: 7-12, 3-2
Up next: Saturday (4:30 p.m.) vs. Central Connecticut State
With Thursday’s win over St. Francis Brooklyn, the Knights surpassed last year’s conference win total.
13. St. Peter’s (11)
Record: 7-11, 3-6
Up next: Sunday (2 p.m.) vs. Iona
There’s no figuring these Peacocks out. After three straight wins, St. Peter’s lost a winnable road game at Marist, and then another, at Siena.
14. Hofstra (14)
Record: 7-12, 3-1
Up next: Saturday (4 p.m.) vs. Northeastern
The second-place Pride are surging, following an impressive 17-point win over William & Mary. It may not last long, but it’s already a better season than many could have expected.
15. LIU Brooklyn (16)
Record: 6-12, 1-4
Up next: Saturday (4:30 p.m.) vs. Mount St. Mary’s
The next four games come against three teams with winning conference records – Mount St. Mary’s, Wagner and Robert Morris. The funk could get funkier.
16. NJIT (15)
Record: 8-12
Up next: Saturday (7:30 p.m.) at Penn
The Highlanders have lost eight of their past nine games against Division I teams.
17. Fairfield (17)
Record: 4-16, 1-8
Up next: Sunday (Noon) vs. Siena
The Stags get much credit for the win over Manhattan – even without Beamon – but little has changed about where their season is headed.