Tested Early And Often
BIG EAST teams hit the ground running during the opening weekend of women’s basketball play. With 15 games scheduled between Friday and Sunday, four are against teams coming off 2016 NCAA Tournament appearances and five are against squads which finished in the top 100 of the NCAA RPI last season. Villanova faces the highest preseason-ranked team of the weekend as the Wildcats are set to battle No. 10/11 Mississippi State on Friday in Orono, Maine. The Bulldogs are coming off a trip to the Sweet 16 this past March. Villanova could have a double-dip against NCAA teams, should the Wildcats face Purdue in the second round of the Maine Tip-Off Tournament. Additional intriguing opening weekend matchups include Georgetown versus -/RV George Washington (Friday) and RV/RV Creighton at RV/RV South Dakota State (Friday). Also of note, Xavier will host Tennessee State on Saturday in the second annual Lauren Hill Tipoff Classic which will stream on the BIG EAST Digital Network (BEDN) at 1 p.m.
League Lineup
BIG EAST teams will face at least 13 different leagues this weekend with guaranteed matchups against foes from the ACC and Atlantic-10 and potentially the Big Ten. The BIG EAST combined for a 73-47 (.608) record against non-conference opponents last year, its top winning percentage since posting a .612 mark in 2013-14. The BIG EAST was the nation’s sixth-ranked conference in 2015-16, per the NCAA RPI, posting .500-or-better marks against 22 of the 29 leagues faced, including the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, American and A-10.
National Preseason Polls
BIG EAST teams were prominent in both national preseason polls, led by No. 21/21 DePaul. The Blue Demons came in at No. 21 in the Associated Press and the
USA Today Coaches’ Poll. Creighton, BIG EAST preseason co-favorite with DePaul, received votes in both polls while reigning BIG EAST Tournament champion St. John’s earned votes in the coaches’ poll. The Blue Demons open at home this weekend in the Maggie Dixon Classic as Gardner-Webb, UAB and Appalachian State travel to Chicago. The Bluejays tipoff at RV/RV South Dakota State, while the Red Storm visit William & Mary on Sunday.
BIG EAST Preseason Roundup
No. 21/21 DePaul and Creighton tied atop the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches’ Poll in October, the first time two teams split the top spot since 2002. Marquette followed in third, while Villanova (fourth) and Georgetown (fifth) rounded out the top five. The Blue Demons’ Jessica January was tabbed BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year and the Wildcats’ Kelly Jekot was voted Preseason Freshman of the Year. Four players were unanimous picks to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team – Georgetown’s Dorothy Adomako and Dionna White, reigning BIG EAST Freshman of the Year Allazia Blockton out of Marquette, and 2014 BIG EAST Player of the Year Marissa Janning from Creighton.
Weekly Schedule
Friday
Savannah State at Seton Hall, 11 a.m.
East Tennessee State at Butler, 7 p.m.
-/RV George Washington at Georgetown, 7 p.m.
Colgate at Providence, 7 p.m.
Villanova vs. 10/11 Mississippi State, 7 p.m.^
Longwood at Marquette, 8 p.m.
RV/RV Creighton at RV/RV South Dakota State, 8 p.m.
Appalachian State at 21/21 DePaul, 9 p.m.
Saturday
Tennessee State at Xavier, 1 p.m.*
Villanova vs. Purdue/Maine, 5 or 7 p.m.^
Gardner-Webb/UAB at 21/21 DePaul, 9 p.m.
Sunday
Bradley at Butler, 1 p.m.
-/RV St. John’s at William & Mary, 2 p.m.
RV/RV Creighton at Wichita State, 3 p.m.
Georgetown at Virginia Tech, 4 p.m.
*Laure Hill Tipoff Classic – BEDN
^Orono, Maine
All times Eastern