WBB Notes - 1.25.17
On The National Scene
Four BIG EAST teams enter the second half of league play with winning streaks of three-or-more, including winners of their last five in -/RV Creighton and Villanova. The Bluejays came from behind to top Seton Hall on Sunday to clinch a share of first place with No. 21/19 DePaul as both post 8-1 BIG EAST records. Creighton has won 10 of its last 11 dating back to Dec. 18, and jumped 12 spots this week to No. 26 in the NCAA RPI for its best position of the year. The Wildcats have won seven of their last eight, including a non-conference victory over Penn last week, to catapult up 20 spots in the RPI to No. 66. The Blue Demons, winners of 10 of their last 11, continue to lead the BIG EAST both in the polls and RPI (No. 20), while RV/RV Marquette received votes in both national polls this week for the first time since Dec. 6. The Golden Eagles shot up six slots to No. 31 in the RPI following their win at DePaul on Saturday. Georgetown remained in the top 50 of the RPI for an eighth consecutive week, coming in at No. 43, while St. John’s rounded out the league’s top-100 teams at No. 81.
Gedaka Earns National Honor
Villanova rookie Mary Gedaka, who was tabbed BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on Monday, was named National Freshman of the Week on Tuesday by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). Gedaka is the BIG EAST’s first National Freshman of the Week honoree of the season after averaging 14.7 points in a 3-0 week, including 19.5 in a pair of conference wins.
Tune-In Television
Friday night on FS1 at 8 p.m. (ET) is worth a watch as a first-place battle in the BIG EAST is brewing. No. 21/19 DePaul travels to -/RV Creighton as the two squads are tied atop the standings at 8-1. The Blue Demons earned the edge in Game 1 of the season series, 79-65 in Chicago on Jan. 4. Brooke Schulte led DePaul with 30 points that night, while freshman Jaylyn Agnew led the Bluejays with 21. Both teams have won 10 of their last 11 games, with Creighton’s lone slipup coming against DePaul and the Blue Demon’s only blemish coming against Marquette this past Saturday. LaChina Robinson and Lisa Byington will have the call in Omaha on Friday.
BEDN At The World’s Most Famous Arena
The BIG EAST Digital Network will cover eight games this weekend including Sunday’s St. John’s-Xavier tilt at Madison Square Garden. The Red Storm and Musketeers tip off at 3 p.m. (ET) at the World’s Most Famous Arena as part of a double-header with the men’s teams, which follows at 6 p.m. Other notable BEDN matchups this week include Villanova at Georgetown (Saturday, 1 p.m.) and RV/RV Marquette at -/RV Creighton (Sunday, 2 p.m.).
Weekend Schedule
Friday
Xavier at Seton Hall, 7 p.m.*#
Butler at St. John’s, 7 p.m.*#
RV/RV Marquette at Providence 7 p.m.*#
21/19 DePaul at -/RV Creighton, 8 p.m.*^
Saturday
Villanova at Georgetown, 1 p.m.*#
Sunday
21/19 DePaul at Providence 1 p.m.*#
Butler at Seton Hall, 2 p.m.*#
RV/RV Marquette at -/RV Creighton, 2 p.m.*#
Xavier at St. John’s (at MSG), 3 p.m.*#
All times Eastern
*BIG EAST contest
#BEDN
^FS1