#BIGEASTwbb Minute: Six Seeds, Regular-Season Crown To Be Decided Sunday
No. 19/18 DePaul, RV/25 Creighton in the running for title; top two, bottom four seeds still up for grabs.
BIG EAST Notes - 2.25
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!
The BIG EAST women’s basketball regular season will come to a dramatic conclusion on Sunday as only four seeds for the 2017 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Jeep have been solidified and no regular-season champion has been crowned through 85 total league games. All four seeds for the postseason tournament, set for March 4-7 on Marquette’s campus in downtown Milwaukee, were set following Friday’s four conference tilts. The host Golden Eagles clinched the No. 3 seed following a win over Georgetown, which was tabbed the No. 6 seed, meaning the two will meet again next Sunday in the tourney’s quarterfinals. RV/RV Marquette’s No. 3 seed matches their highest in tournament history, earning that spot in 2007 as well. Villanova, which suffered a setback to No. 19/8 DePaul on Friday, clinched the No. 4 seed and will face fifth-seeded St. John’s in the quarters. The reigning BIG EAST Tournament champion Red Storm did not play last night and conclude on Sunday against Seton Hall. Only the Blue Demons and RV/25 Creighton can win the regular-season title, with the Bluejays needing a win and a DePaul loss to lock up the No. 1 seed; all other outcomes would result in the Blue Demons grasping the No. 1 seed and Creighton being No. 2.
Tangling For A Title
The BIG EAST head coaches knew what they were doing when they casted their preseason ballots this fall as the league mentors chose Creighton and DePaul as preseason co-favorites with five first-place votes apiece. We head into Sunday’s regular-season finale with the pair having matching 14-2 first-place records for a three-game lead over the next highest team. Should they have matching results on Sunday, the squads would share the BIG EAST regular-season title. No. 19/18 DePaul has won at least a share of the BIG EAST regular-season crown every year since realignment (2013-14), while the trophy would be the first for the Bluejays, who are nationally ranked for the first time since 1992. Creighton is guaranteed to be a top-two seed for the first time in BIG EAST history, with its highest seed previously being No. 3 from the 2014 postseason. The Blue Demons were the No. 1 seed in 2014 and 2016, and the No. 2 seed in 2015. DePaul hosts Georgetown at 1 p.m., in a game airing on FS1, while Creighton travels to Butler at 1 p.m., in a game streaming on the BIG EAST Digital Network.
High-Low
Six of the BIG EAST Tournament’s 10 seeds remain up for grabs – below are the various finishes and scenarios for each team.
Butler: No. 9 seed with a win accompanied by a Xavier loss; No. 10 seed with a loss or Xavier win
Creighton: No. 1 seed with a win accompanied by a DePaul loss; No. 2 seed with all other outcomes
DePaul: No. 1 seed with a win or with a matching result with Creighton; No. 2 with a loss accompanied by a Creighton win
Georgetown: is the No. 6 seed; will face No. 3 Marquette in the Quarterfinals (2:30 p.m. CT on FS2)
Marquette: is the No. 3 seed; will face No. 6 Georgetown in the Quarterfinals (2:30 p.m. CT on FS2)
Providence: No. 7 seed with a win; No. 8 seed with a loss accompanied by Seton Hall loss; No.9 seed with loss and Seton Hall win
St. John’s: is No. 5 seed; will face No. 4 Villanova in the Quarterfinals (8:30 p.m. CT on FS2)
Seton Hall: No. 7 seed with a win and Xavier win; No. 8 seed if Providence wins, regardless of own outcome; No. 9 seed with a loss and Xavier win
Villanova: is No. 4 seed; will face No. 5 St. John’s in the Quarterfinals (8:30 p.m. CT on FS2)
Xavier: No. 7 seed with win accompanied by Seton Hall loss; No. 8 with win accompanied by Seton Hall win; No. 9 with a loss and Butler loss; No. 10 with loss and Butler win
BIG EAST Tournament Presented by Jeep
Schedule as of Feb. 24 – all times local CT
First Round – March 4 – BIG EAST Digital Network
No. 10 seed vs. No. 7 seed, 4 p.m.
No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed, 6:30 p.m.
Quarterfinals – March 5 – FS2
No. 2 seed vs. 10/7 winner, Noon
No. 3 Marquette vs. No. 6 Georgetown, 2:30 p.m.
No. 1 seed vs. 9/8 winner, 6 p.m.
No. 4 Villanova vs. No. 5 St. John’s, 8:30 p.m.
Semifinals – March 6 – FS1
Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 3 p.m.
Game 5 winner, vs. Game 6 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Final – March 7 – FS1
Semifinal winners, 8 p.m.
Weekend Schedule
Friday
RV/RV Marquette 80, Georgetown 70*#
19/18 DePaul 77, Villanova 50*#
RV/25 Creighton 67, Xavier 57*%
Providence 64, Butler 58*#
Sunday
Providence at Xavier, 11:30 a.m.*#
RV/25 Creighton at Butler, 1 p.m.*#
Georgetown at 19/18 DePaul, 1 p.m.*^
Seton Hall at St. John’s, 2 p.m.*#
Villanova at RV/RV Marquette, 3 p.m.*#
All times Eastern
*BIG EAST contest
#BEDN
^FS1
&FS2