BIG EAST Notes - 11.29.16
Movin’ On Up
No. 15/14 DePaul ascended in the national polls for a third consecutive week for the highest ranking in both the Associated Press and
USA Today Coaches’ Polls by any BIG EAST team since conference realignment. The Blue Demons went 2-1 last week, earning a notable win over then-No. 11/18 Syracuse by a 24-point margin. No. 11 is the highest ranked team a BIG EAST squad has beaten during the regular season since league reconfiguration. Marquette continued to receive votes in both national polls and enjoyed an increase in total votes in both polls following a 2-1 week which included a win at then-No. 22/15 Oregon State, its second-straight top-25 victory.
Thanksgiving Week Recap
BIG EAST teams posted a 15-8 (.652) mark during a busy Thanksgiving week of play, which included flawless records by Georgetown (3-0), Providence (3-0) and Xavier (2-0). The Hoyas topped FIU, Wright State and Penn State by an average of 11 points to improve to 4-2 on the year, while the Friars and Musketeers remained perfect in 2016-17 following their undefeated weeks. PC, which has won its last five games by double-digit margins for the first time since 1990-91, is 6-0 to start the year for the first time since 2006-07. Xavier last began a season 4-0 in 2010-11, when the Musketeers finished 29-3 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round. In addition to the aforementioned victories, DePaul’s win over Syracuse and Marquette’s topping of Oregon State, other wins of note last week include the Blue Demons over RV/RV Western Kentucky, St. John’s against Virginia, Creighton over Dayton and Seton Hall outlasting Central Connecticut in overtime.
The Week Ahead
Following a 23-game Thanksgiving week schedule, BIG EAST teams have a much lighter slate in terms of volume this week, but not in terms of strength of competition. Of note, No. 15/14 DePaul visits reigning national champion No. 2/2 Connecticut on Thursday (7 p.m. on ESPN3/SNY), Seton Hall travels to Princeton on Wednesday (6 p.m. on ESPN3) before hosting Wake Forest on Sunday (2 p.m.), while Butler welcomes RV/RV South Florida on Friday (7 p.m.). All 10 teams are off Monday and Tuesday before six return to the court on Wednesday, including Creighton at home versus Kansas and Villanova home against La Salle.
This Week In The BIG EAST
Wednesday
Georgetown at Towson, Noon
Butler at TCU, 1 p.m.
Seton Hall at Princeton, 6 p.m.^
La Salle at Villanova, 7 p.m.
Albany at St. John’s, 7 p.m.^
Kansas at Creighton, 8 p.m.
Thursday
15/14 DePaul at 2/2 Connecticut, 7 p.m.^
Delaware State at Xavier, 7 p.m.
Friday
RV/RV South Florida at Butler, 7 p.m.
Western Illinois at RV/RV Marquette, 8 p.m.
Saturday
Providence vs. Bryant, 1 p.m. (at Brown)
Lafayette at St. John’s, 2 p.m.^
Villanova at Saint Joseph’s, 4 p.m.
Sunday
Ball State at Butler, 1 p.m.
Georgetown at Delaware, 2 p.m.
Wake Forest at Seton Hall, 2 p.m.
Providence vs. Brown/Rhode Island (at Brown)
All times Eastern
^ESPN3