Ed Croswell and the Friars played their way into the Top 25

For the first time since the 2016 season, the Providence College Friars have earned a spot in the Top 25.

Providence cracked the Associated Press Top 25 today at No. 22.

The Friars (11-1) earned 266 votes from the media panel, just above No. 23 Villanova (7-4). Wisconsin and Texas Tech round out the poll at 24 and 25 and mark two teams the Friars have already beaten.

PC has more Quad 1 wins – 4 – than any team in the country. Those four would be at Wisconsin, vs. Northwestern on a neutral court, vs. Texas Tech and at Connecticut.

The Friars are back in action Wednesday at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center against Georgetown. The Hoyas (6-5) are off to an inconsistent start with a relatively young team. Patrick Ewing’s team is coming off a home win over Syracuse and a loss to TCU. Earlier in the season they lost to Dartmouth and Saint Joseph’s.

PC was last in the AP Top 25 during the 2015-16 season. That Kris Dunn/Ben Bentil-led team began the season 14-1 and rose to as high as No. 8 in the poll. The team spent 12 consecutive weeks in the poll before falling out in late-February. PC finished 24-11 that season, 10-8 in the Big East.

PC is also in this week’s USAToday Coaches poll at No. 23.

Here is this week’s Top 25 (*I voted Providence No. 20 in my ballot)

1. Baylor
2. Duke
3. Purdue
4. Gonzaga
5. UCLA
6. Arizona
7. Kansas
8. Southern Cal
9. Iowa St
10. Alabama
11. Michigan St
12. Auburn
13. Houston
14. Ohio St
15. Seton Hall
16. Texas
17. LSU
18. Xavier
19. Tennessee
20. Kentucky
21. Colorado St
22. PROVIDENCE
23. Villanova
24. Wisconsin
25. Texas Tech

Others receiving votes: Oklahoma 65, West Virginia 57, Connecticut 55, Illinois 49, Loyola Chicago 42, Arkansas 9, Michigan 9, BYU 8, North Carolina 7, San Francisco 6, Wake Forest 5, Oklahoma State 4, Virginia Tech 4, Iowa 3, Minnesota 3, Creighton 2, Memphis 1