MBB Minute -- Butler, DePaul Pick Up Monday Wins; Gavitt Tipoff Games Start Tuesday
Butler and DePaul improved to 2-0 on Monday with homecourt victories and their top players making customary contributions. The Gavitt Tipoff Games start Tuesday with a pair of contests on FS1.
Overall, BIG EAST teams enter Tuesday with an 18-1 record.
Butler’s Kamar Baldwin put together another all-around performance in an 84-63 victory over Detroit Mercy. Playing only 23 minutes, the junior guard finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Joey Brunk had his second straight strong game off the bench with 13 points and five rebounds.
DePaul got a combined 46 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists from Max Strus and Eli Cain in a 91-63 triumph over Morgan State. Strus finished with 25 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Cain had 21 points, eight boards and six assists.
The fourth annual Gavitt Tipoff Games begin Tuesday night with Xavier hosting Wisconsin at 6:30 ET and Georgetown traveling to Illinois at 8:30 ET.
Xavier and Wisconsin also met in the last year’s Gavitt Games with the Musketeers winning 80-70 in Madison. Xavier has won 10 of its last 12 games against seven different Big Ten teams. The Musketeers have won 41 straight home games against non-league foes in the Cintas Center including a pair of victories this season.
Georgetown takes its 2-0 record on the road with senior center Jessie Govan leading the way. He is averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks. Freshman point guard James Akinjo is averaging 10.5 points, 7.0 assists and is 10-of-10 from the free throw line.
In addition to the two Gavitt Games, Providence hosts Holy Cross at 7 p.m. on FS2. The Friars (1-1) want to bounce back from Friday’s 83-80 loss to Wichita State in the Veteran’s Classic. Freshman A.J. Reeves is averaging 24.0 points per game and Alpha Diallo is averaging 21.5 points and 10.5 rebounds.