BIG EAST Notes - 11.22.16
Feast Of Games
BIG EAST teams combine for 23 games this holiday week, with a number of teams competing in challenging non-conference tournaments. Guaranteed tourney games of note include No. 18/17 DePaul against RV/RV Western Kentucky at the Gulf Coast Showcase (Estero, Fla.), Creighton versus RV/RV Missouri at the Junkanoo Jam (Freeport, Bahamas), St. John’s against No. 23/21 Arizona State at the South Point Shootout (Las Vegas, Nev.), Georgetown versus Penn State and Villanova versus VCU, both at the San Juan Shootout (Daytona Beach, Fla.). Potential matchups include the Blue Demons against No. 5/6 Baylor, the Bluejays against -/RV Georgia Tech and Seton Hall against San Diego State at the Pirates’ own SHU Thanksgiving Classic. RV/RV Marquette at No. 22/15 Oregon State on Tuesday night is a headliner of non-tournament play this week.
Hot Start
Four BIG EAST teams enter the week with spotless records, including 3-0 squads No. 18/17 DePaul, RV/RV Marquette and Providence. The Blue Demons open the season 3-0 for the second consecutive year, while the Golden Eagles are winners of their first three for the first time since 2013-14. Under the guidance of new head coach Jim Crowley, the Friars are off to their best start since 2009-10, when they opened the campaign as winners of their first four. Crowley earned career win No. 300 with PC’s third win of the season on Saturday against Binghamton. Xavier opened the year 2-0 for the second time in three years and eyes its first 3-0 start since 2010-11 when it hosts North Florida on Tuesday night. Through Sunday, 66 teams in Division I are undefeated.
In The Polls
A shakeup in the top 25 saw undefeated DePaul rise two spots to No. 18 in the Associated Press Poll and three slots in the
USA Today Coaches Poll to No. 17. Coming off an impressive win over then-No. 18/16 Arizona State on Saturday, Marquette received votes in the AP Poll and Coaches’ Poll for the first time since Week 5 of the 2013-14 season.
This Week In The BIG EAST
Tuesday
North Florida at Xavier, 7 p.m.
Providence at Hartford, 7 p.m.
Georgetown at FIU, 7 p.m.
UCF at Butler, 7 p.m.
RV/RV Marquette at 22/15 Oregon State, 9 p.m.
Thursday
Georgetown vs. Wright State, 11 a.m. ^
Villanova vs. Troy, 5:45 p.m. ^
Friday
Georgetown vs. Penn State, 1:15 p.m. ^
18/17 DePaul vs. RV/RV Western Kentucky, 1:30 p.m. #
Creighton vs. RV/RV Missouri, 3:15 p.m.$
St. John’s vs. Virginia, 6:30 p.m.*
RV/RV Marquette vs. Santa Clara, 7 p.m.%
Villanova vs. VCU, 8 p.m. ^
Saturday
Providence at UNC-Wilmington, 2 p.m.!
CCSU at Seton Hall, 2:30 p.m.
St. John’s vs. 23/21 Arizona State, 4 p.m.*
RV/RV Marquette vs. Pacific, 6:30 p.m.%
Creighton vs. TBD, TBD$
18/17 DePaul vs. TBD, TBD #
Sunday
Providence vs. Miami Ohio, Noon!
Arkansas Pine Bluff at Xavier, 2 p.m.
TBD at Seton Hall, 2:30 p.m.
18/17 DePaul vs. TBD, TBD #
^Daytona Beach, Fla.
%Stockton, Calif.
*Las Vegas, Nev.
!Wilmington, N.C.
$Freeport, Bahamas
# Estero, Fla.
All times Eastern