Opening Weekend
Eight of 10 BIG EAST teams will begin the 2017-18 campaign this weekend, including six season openers slated for Friday. Creighton will be the first to hit the hardwood in the conference, tipping off against local rival Wichita State at 12:30 p.m. ET. Seton Hall against Saint Peter’s follows at 1 p.m., while Providence (Columbia, 3:30 p.m.), St. John’s (St. Francis NY, 4:30 p.m.) and No. 25/20 DePaul (Northern Colorado, 8 p.m.) also tip off on their home courts Friday. Villanova will have the lone road contest Friday, beginning the season at Hartford at 5:30 p.m. Openers continue on Saturday when Xavier welcomes New Hampshire in the Third Annual Lauren Hill Tipoff Classic in a tilt streaming on the BIG EAST Digital Network at 5 p.m. Butler will host Austin Peay at 7 p.m. to close out Saturday’s slate. Seton Hall rounds out the weekend Sunday with a 2 p.m. game at Wake Forest. No. 17/19 Marquette and Georgetown will wait until next week to begin their seasons, with the Golden Eagles tipping off Monday against New Mexico and the Hoyas opening on Tuesday against Howard.
National Preseason Polls
For the first time since 2012-13, the BIG EAST has multiple teams in both national preseason polls. Reigning BIG EAST Tournament champions and conference preseason favorites Marquette comes in at No. 17 in the Associated Press Top 25, while landing at No. 19 in the
USA Today Coaches’ Poll. The rankings mark a number of notables for the Golden Eagles, including: first timed ranked in the preseason; highest AP ranking overall since Jan. 29, 2007, when MU was No. 16; highest Coaches’ Poll ranking since Feb. 26, 2007, when MU was also No. 19; and first time Marquette is listed in both polls overall since March 7, 2011, when the Golden Eagles were No. 25/23. Reigning regular-season co-champions and BIG EAST Tourney runner-up DePaul begins the season in both national polls for the second consecutive year and third time in four years, coming in at No. 25 in the AP and No. 20 in the Coaches’ Polls. The Blue Demons spent 17 of a possible 19 weeks in the AP Top 25 last year, while ranking in the Coaches’ Poll all 20 weeks, including No. 18 in the final installment. Additionally, Villanova received votes in the Coaches’ Poll.
BIG EAST Preseason Recap
Marquette was the big winner in the BIG EAST preseason coaches’ poll as the Golden Eagles were unanimously selected to win the league in 2017-18. Additionally, MU junior guard Allazia Blockton was the uncontested pick as BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year. Blockton was one of three Marquette players recognized in the preseason as Erika Davenport and Natisha Hiedeman earned spots on the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team. DePaul newcomer Dee Bekelja was voted BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year, while the Blue Demons, selected second in the poll, saw Tanita Allen and Amarah Coleman garner all-league recognition. Villanova, picked third in the poll, saw Adrianna Hahn unanimously selected to the preseason team, while No. 4 Creighton, which shared the regular-season crown with DePaul last year, had Audrey Faber honored. Georgetown rounded out the top five and had Dionna White unanimously selected to the All-BIG EAST Team, while No. 6 Seton Hall was led by JaQuan Jackson, No. 7 St. John’s with Akina Wellere, No. 8 Butler by unanimous pick Tori Schickel and No. 9 Providence with Jovana Nogic. Xavier rounded out the poll at No. 10.
Weekly Schedule
Friday
Wichita State at Creighton, 12:30 p.m.
Saint Peter’s at Seton Hall, 1 p.m.
Columbia at Providence, 3:30 p.m.
St. Francis NY at St. John’s, 4:30 p.m.
Villanova at Hartford, 5:30 p.m.
Northern Colorado at DePaul, 8 p.m.
Saturday
New Hampshire at Xavier, 5 p.m.
Austin Peay at Butler, 7 p.m.
Sunday
Seton Hall at Wake Forest, 2 p.m.
All times Eastern