Gavitt Tipoff Games Start Monday
2016 GAVITT TIPOFF GAMES
The Gavitt Tipoff Games is an annual series between the BIG EAST and Big Ten Conferences and named in honor of Dave Gavitt, founder of the BIG EAST and basketball visionary. The series continues this season and will span eight total years with games being played at home sites. The Gavitt Tipoff Games will annually be played in the first full week of the basketball season.
Dave Gavitt believed that the college basketball season needed a high profile event to start the year. He had a profound and lasting influence on the sport of basketball on the collegiate, professional and Olympic levels. Gavitt was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
First and foremost, Dave Gavitt was a coach and he always believed in the role of a coach as a teacher and mentor for young people. He began his coaching career at Dartmouth, his alma mater, and then led Providence to eight straight postseason bids in 10 years and guided the Friars to the 1973 Final Four. Gavitt was chosen to coach the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, which did not have the opportunity to participate because of a U.S. boycott of the Games.
Game Preview
Monday, November 14
#4/3 Villanova at #15/15 Purdue
7 p.m. ET, BTN
Mackey Arena (14,804)
The Teams: Purdue has made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, and is ranked No. 15 in both the Associated Press (AP) and USA TODAY Sports Coaches polls. The Boilermakers posted a 26-9 record (12-6 Big Ten) last season, and advanced to the championship game of the 2016 Big Ten Tournament. Villanova won the 2016 national championship and earned the outright BIG EAST Championship after compiling a 35-5 record, including a 16-2 conference ledger. The Wildcats, under the tutelage of 15-year head coach Jay Wright, are ranked No. 4 in the AP poll and No. 3 in the coaches’ ballot.
The Players: The Boilermakers return three starters, including preseason All-Big Ten selection Caleb Swanigan, a member of the 2016 Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Vincent Edwards, an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and media last season, also returns, along with Isaac Haas, who averaged 9.8 points per game and shot 59.4 percent from the field. The Wildcats return three starters from last year’s squad. Josh Hart, the 2016-17 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year, averaged 15.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game and was named to the NCAA All-Final Four Team. Kris Jenkins, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer of the national championship game against North Carolina, averaged 13.6 points and made a league-leading 100 3-point baskets. Jalen Brunson averaged 9.6 points and was named to the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team.
The History: Villanova leads the all-time series, 2-0. In the last meeting, the Wildcats posted an 89-81 overtime win in the 2K Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 16, 2012.
Game Previews
Tuesday, November 15
#25/21 Maryland at Georgetown
6:30 p.m. ET, FS1
Verizon Center (20,600)
The Teams: Georgetown, guided by head coach John Thompson III, posted a 15-18 (7-11 BIG EAST) record last season, advancing to the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament. Maryland made its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance last season, advancing to the Sweet 16. The Terrapins are ranked No. 25 in the preseason AP poll, and No. 21 in the coaches’ ballot.
The Players: Last season, Georgetown returners L.J. Peak averaged 12.3 points and Isaac Copeland added 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Peak shot 40.9 percent from 3-point range, which ranked third in the BIG EAST. Maryland, under the leadership of sixth-year head coach Mark Turgeon, returns eight letterwinners from last year’s team, including preseason All-Big Ten point guard Melo Trimble. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection by both the media and coaches in 2015-16.
The History: Georgetown and Maryland will be meeting for the second straight season in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. The Terrapins posted a 75-71 win at the XFINITY Center in College Park, Md., last season. Maryland leads the series 37-27. The two teams met every year between 1947 and 1976.
No. 9/10 Wisconsin at No. 22/23 Creighton
8:30 p.m. ET, FS1
CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390)
The Teams: Creighton, guided by head coach Greg McDermott, posted a 20-15 (9-9 BIG EAST) mark in 2015-16, advancing to the quarterfinals round of the NIT. Wisconsin advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season, and completed the campaign with a 22-13 record, including a 12-6 record in Big Ten play. The Badgers, who enter their first full season under head coach Greg Gard, return 99 percent of their scoring and rebounding from the 2015-16 season. Both teams are ranked among the top 25 in the Associated Press (AP) and USA TODAY Sports coaches’ polls.
The Players: Creighton’s Maurice Watson Jr., earned All-BIG EAST Second Team honors after averaging 14.1 points and a league-leading 6.5 assists per contest last season. He is joined by junior Marcus Foster, a transfer who was a double-figure scorer in two seasons at Kansas State. The Badgers are led by preseason All-Big Ten selections Ethan Happ, Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig. Happ was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season, while Koenig claimed third-team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media. Hayes, the 2016-17 Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year, was a first-team All-Big Ten selection last season.
The History: The all-time series is tied, 1-1. The last meeting between the Bluejays and Badgers was on Nov. 23, 2012 in Las Vegas, an 84-74 Creighton win.
Game Previews
Wednesday, November 16
Northwestern at Butler
7 p.m. ET, FS1
Hinkle Fieldhouse (9,100)
The Teams: Butler, mentored by head coach Chris Holtmann, was 22-11 (10-8 BIG EAST) last season, and advanced to its second straight NCAA Tournament. Head coach Chris Collins’ Northwestern Wildcats set a school record with 20 wins (20-12; 8-10 Big Ten) and earned the No. 9 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
The Players: The Bulldogs’ Kelan Martin averaged 15.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game last season and earned second-team All-BIG EAST honors. Andrew Chrabascz averaged 10.7 points and 4.2 rebounds, while Tyler Wideman contributed 7.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in his first season as a starter. The Wildcats are led by point guard Bryant McIntosh, who earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors last season after ranking second in the Big Ten with 6.7 assists per game. Northwestern also returns the starting services of Aaron Falzon (8.4 ppg) and fifth-year senior Sanjay Lumpkin, who started all 32 contests last season.
The History: The Bulldogs and Wildcats will be meeting for the 27
th time in the all-time series, with Northwestern holding the 16-10 advantage. Butler has won five straight in the series, including a 65-56 win at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Dec. 6, 2014.
Game Previews
Thursday, November 17
Providence at Ohio State
7 p.m. ET, BTN
Value City Arena (19,049)
The Teams: Ohio State posted a 21-14 record (11-7 Big Ten) last season, and advanced to the second round of the NIT. Providence was 24-11 overall, 10-8 in BIG EAST play, and made its third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Players: Ohio State returns all five starters, including 2016 honorable mention All-Big Ten selections Keita Bates-Diop, Marc Loving and Jae-Sean Tate. The Friars’ Rodney Bullock tallied an 11.4 scoring mark and 6.8 rebounding average last season. Guards Jalen Lindsey (7.9) and Kyron Cartwright (5.9), along with forward Ryan Fazekas (5.1), all have starting experience.
The History: The Buckeyes and Friars have met just once, with Ohio State posting an 84-83 overtime win in the NCAA West Regional in Salt Lake City on March 15, 1990.
Rutgers at DePaul
8:30 p.m. ET, FS1
Allstate Arena (18,500)
The Teams: DePaul mentor Dave Leitao is in his second stint as the Blue Demons’ head coach. Rutgers enters its first season under the tutelage of head coach Steve Pikiell, who guided Stony Brook to six postseason appearances in the past seven years. Rutgers, which joined the Big Ten prior to the 2014-15 season, is a former member of the BIG EAST.
The Players: DePaul’s Billy Garrett Jr., a former BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, averaged 12.6 points and 3.5 assists per game last season. Eli Cain made the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team after averaging 10.3 points, and shot 42.5 percent from the field, which ranked second on the league. Rutgers returns two of its top three scorers from the 2015-16 campaign, including sophomore Corey Sanders, who led all Big Ten freshmen in scoring (15.9 ppg), steals (1.8 spg) and assists (4.3 apg) last season.
The History: Rutgers leads the all-time series against DePaul, 6-4. The Scarlet Knights posted a 76-57 win over the Blue Demons on March 12, 2013 in the BIG EAST Tournament.
Seton Hall at Iowa
9 p.m. ET, BTN
Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,400)
The Teams: Iowa posted a 22-11 record last season, including a 12-6 mark in conference play, advancing to its third consecutive NCAA Tournament last season. Seton Hall won the 2016 BIG EAST Tournament Championship, securing its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2006.
The Players: Fran McCaffery’s Iowa Hawkeyes are led by Peter Jok, a preseason All-Big Ten selection that also claimed second-team All-Big Ten honors last season. Seton Hall, under the leadership of 2016 BIG EAST Co-Coach of the Year Kevin Willard, returns four junior starters. Khadeen Carrington averaged 14.1 points. In the frontcourt, Angel Delgado averaged 9.9 points and his 9.3 rebound mark ranked second in the BIG EAST. Desi Rodriguez compiled a 12.4 scoring mark and Ismael Sanogo averaged 5.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
The History: The Hawkeyes and Hall will be meeting for just the second time in the all-time series. Iowa posted an 85-63 win over Seton Hall in Iowa City on Dec. 29, 1982.
Game Preview
Friday, November 18
St. John’s at Minnesota
9 p.m. ET, BTN
Williams Arena (14,625)
The Teams: Minnesota head coach Richard Pitino returns eight letterwinners, including his top two scorers, from last year’s squad. St. John’s enters its second season under head coach Chris Mullin, and is set to make its second straight appearance in the Gavitt Tipoff Games after defeating Rutgers in the inaugural event.
The Players: Minnesota is led by Nate Mason, who averaged a team-best 13.8 points and 4.5 assists per game last season. Jordan Murphy, a member of the 2016 Big Ten All-Freshman Team, scored 11.6 points per contest and pulled down 8.0 rebounds per outing in 2015-16. Last year, the Red Storm were led by a quartet of freshmen that enter their second season in the program. Forward Kassoum Yakwe led the BIG EAST in blocks with a 2.5 average. He also averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds. Classmate Yankuba Sima was second in blocks at 2.4 and averaged 7.3 points and 5.7 boards. Guard Federico Mussini compiled a 10.7 scoring mark and led the league in free throw shooting, making 86.2 percent. Guard Malik Ellison averaged 7.3 points.
The History: This will be the second meeting between the two teams, with the last coming two years earlier. The Red Storm defeated the visiting Gophers, 70-61, in the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden in New York.