It seems as if each year the level of play in college basketball increases, and this year is no exception, especially when it comes to the Big East Conference.

Year after year, the Big East generally has several teams in the top-25 polls, and even more teams are just outside of the top-25 and continually receive a few votes each week.

“The Big East is going to be incredibly tough,” said head coach Kim Barnes-Arico. “You need to take it one game at a time. Every game in the conference is a tough game,” she added. “Even the teams that are pre-season rank of No. 15 or 16, you can lose that game.”

The powerhouse of the conference, UConn, is currently ranked at No. 2 in the Associated Press poll, followed closely by Rutgers, West Virginia, Louisville and Notre Dame. Not only can each of these teams play on the same level as any other team in the Big East, they can hold their own against any team in the nation.

However, Barnes-Arico knows that any team can win on any given night.

“If you don’t come out and bring your best game, you can lose on any night,” she said.
It seems as if many are expecting the perennial powerhouses to have an easy time in the Big East, but the conference is wide open for the taking. As history has shown, UConn, Rutgers, Louisville and company can easily fall down to the middle of the pack in such a powerful conference. Likewise, teams that were at the bottom in years past can easily surge right to the top.

It will be a very exciting year in Big East women’s basketball and there may be a surprise or two in the final standings.

There may not be enough room at the top for all of the teams, but that will not stop anyone from trying to get there.