BIG EAST Notes - 12.20.17
Non-conference Conclusion
With the exception of a Villanova-Penn tilt on Jan. 17, regular season non-conference play concludes this week, with six of those contests being midday tipoffs. Included in the matinee games is a 3 p.m. ET matchup today between RV/NR Marquette and No. 2/2 Notre Dame. RV/RV DePaul took the Fighting Irish down to the wire on Sunday in South Bend. No. 20/18 Villanova will look to remain one of eight unbeaten teams in Division I when it visits La Salle at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, while four midday games on Thursday include Fairfield at Seton Hall (11 a.m.), Buffalo at St. John’s (11 a.m.), Boston College at Providence (Noon) and Butler at Indiana State (2 p.m.). Xavier also wraps up non-league action with an early tip as the Musketeers host Florida A&M Friday at 2 p.m. Creighton will look to add another notable win to its record after knocking off RV/RV South Dakota State on Sunday when the Bluejays host No. 13/13 Florida State on Thursday at 7 p.m. Other non-conference finales include DePaul versus IUPUI (Wednesday, 8 p.m.) and Georgetown at VCU (Thursday, 6 p.m.).
Status Check
As non-conference play winds down, BIG EAST teams currently stand at 65-35 (.650) overall, anchored by a 34-11 (.756) record on their home courts. Conference teams have combined for .500 or better records against such leagues as the ACC (5-3), AAC (4-3), A-10 (3-2), Big Ten (5-5), Big 12 (2-1), Colonial (4-1), Missouri Valley (6-0) and West Coast (1-0). The BIG EAST combined for a .642 winning percentage in regular season non-conference play last year, its highest mark since 2012-13. BIG EAST teams will need to win seven of the final 11 non-league tilts to surpass that high winning percentage this season.
In The Polls
Despite having a bye week for final exams, Villanova moved up one spot in the
USA Today Coaches’ Poll on Tuesday to No. 18, while maintaining its spot at No. 20 in the Associated Press Top 25. Following a gutsy showing at No. 2/2 Notre Dame on Sunday, DePaul received votes in both polls, while Marquette, which flew by Milwaukee on Sunday, continued to receive votes in the AP Poll. Two top-25 opponents are on the schedule this week, including the Golden Eagles at the second-ranked Fighting Irish on Wednesday at 3 p.m., and Creighton hosting No. 13/13 Florida State on Thursday at 7 p.m.
First To 20
St. John’s Maya Singleton became the first player to reach the 20-rebound mark in the BIG EAST this season when the senior forward matched a 41-year-old Red Storm record with 24 caroms against Kansas on Monday night. The 24 boards are third-most by any Division I player this season, while the total bumped her season average from 11.0 per game to 12.3, seventh-best in D1.
Weekly Schedule/Results
Monday
16/16 Missouri 74, Xavier 48 (West Palm Beach, Fla.)
Butler 64, Loyola Chicago 52
St. John’s 65, Kansas 53 (OT)
Wednesday
20/18 Villanova at LaSalle, 1 p.m.
RV/NR Marquette at 2/2 Notre Dame, 3 p.m.
IUPUI at RV/RV DePaul, 8 p.m.
Thursday
Fairfield at Seton Hall, 11 a.m.
Buffalo at St. John’s, 11 a.m.
Boston College at Providence, Noon
Butler at Indiana State, 2 p.m.
Georgetown at VCU, 6 p.m.
13/13 Florida State at Creighton, 7 p.m.
Friday
Florida A&M at Xavier, 2 p.m.
All times Eastern