BIG EAST Notes - 2.1.17
On The National Scene
Riding back-to-back road wins, No. 17/17 DePaul earned its highest national rankings since Dec. 13 this week, while also jumping four spots in the NCAA RPI to No. 16. Following a notable win over Marquette on Sunday, Creighton received votes in both the AP and
USA Today Coaches’ Poll for the first time since the preseason. DePaul and Creighton (No. 28) were two of four BIG EAST teams in the top 50 of the RPI, along with No. 40 Marquette and No. 42 Georgetown, while No. 66 Villanova and No. 84 St. John’s joined them in the top 100. The majority of BIG EAST teams have been in the top 100 of the RPI for four consecutive weeks and seven of nine weeks overall this season.
Milestones In The Midwest
Two BIG EAST players are on the brink of adding their names to the growing list of active 1,000-point scorers as DePaul’s Brooke Schulte enters Friday’s tilt against St. John’s with 994 career points, and Marquette’s Allazia Blockton enters the weekend against the Red Storm and Seton Hall with 953 career points. Schulte has scored in double figures in every game since Dec. 18 for a streak of 13 games, while Blockton will need to average 23.5 over the next two to reach that notable threshold. The Marquette sophomore has a league-high 11 20-point games so far this season. She would become the youngest player in Marquette program history to reach 1,000 career points. Seven league players have reached the 1,000-career point mark already, including a pair at Georgetown in Faith Woodard (1,126 points) and Dorothy Adomako (1,069). Providence’s Sarah Beal, Xavier’s Raeshaun Gaffney and St. John’s Jade Walker have all eclipsed 1,000 career points this season, while Creighton’s Marissa Janning and DePaul’s Jessica January entered the year having already reached the milestone.
Tune-In Television
Two BIG EAST games are slated for television this week, starting at 12:30 p.m. (ET) on Friday. Marquette welcomes Seton Hall to the Al McGuire Center for a tilt airing on FOX Sports Regional Networks, including FOX Sports Midwest, YES, MASN 2 and FOX Sports Southwest. In their first meeting this season, the Golden Eagles scored an 83-77 win at Seton Hall on Jan. 10, thanks to a combined 12 three-pointers from Natisha Hiedeman and McKayla Yentz. A national broadcast follows at 7 p.m. on Friday, when Villanova hosts RV/RV Creighton. Trailing by two at halftime, the Bluejays used a 21-9 third-quarter difference to top the Wildcats 60-46 in Game 1 of the season series on Jan. 10. The remaining seven games on the BIG EAST schedule will stream on BEDN, including St. John’s at 17/17 DePaul Friday at 8 p.m., Xavier at Butler on Saturday (1 p.m.) and Creighton at Georgetown on Sunday (1 p.m.).
Weekend Schedule
Friday
Providence at Georgetown, Noon*#
Seton Hall at Marquette, 12:30 p.m.*%
RV/RV Creighton at Villanova, 7 p.m.*^
St. John’s at 17/17 DePaul, 8 p.m.*#
Saturday
Xavier at Butler, 1 p.m.*#
Sunday
Providence at Villanova, 1 p.m.*#
RV/RV Creighton at Georgetown, 1 p.m.*#
St. John’s at Marquette, 2 p.m.*#
Seton Hall at 17/17 DePaul, 3 p.m.*#
All times Eastern
*BIG EAST contest
#BEDN
%FSN
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