NEW YORK – The final weekend leading up to BIG EAST action features matches against a pair of top-10 teams for Creighton and Marquette. The No. 10 Bluejays take on No. 8 Illinois in the Illini Classic on Saturday evening, while the No. 21 Golden Eagles host in-state rival No. 6 Wisconsin on Friday night in front of what should be a sold-out crowd at Al McGuire Center.
On Saturday, Creighton (6-3) will try to exact revenge on Northern Iowa, which is receiving votes, after the Panthers defeated the Bluejays during the first weekend of play. Creighton will also face Lipscomb on Friday. Marquette (7-2) will match up with Tulsa and Illinois State on Saturday to close out the second portion of the Marquette Invitational.
This Weekend’s Top 25 Matches:
No. 6 Wisconsin at No. 21 MARQUETTE (Sept. 14 at 8 p.m.)
No. 10 CREIGHTON at No. 8 Illinois (Sept. 15 at 8 p.m.)
Around the rest of the league, Butler will host its second tournament this season, Bulldog Brawl, by welcoming Cleveland State on Friday and Santa Clara and Kent State on Saturday.
DePaul will compete in the Chicago Cup, hosted by Loyola-Chicago, featuring all schools in the Windy City. The Blue Demons face the host Ramblers on Friday along with Northwestern and Illinois-Chicago on Saturday.
After a weekend off, Georgetown will host Morgan State and Memphis on Friday in the Dig the District Invitational, followed by Alabama A&M and Hampton on Saturday.
Providence was scheduled to play in the UNC-Wilmington Tournament, but it has since been cancelled with the impending hurricane heading toward North Carolina.
St. John’s will travel to Storrs, Conn., to compete in the Dog Pound Challenge, hosted by Connecticut. First, the Red Storm will meet Rutgers and Holy Cross on Friday before taking on the Huskies on Saturday afternoon.
Seton Hall will head to the Hofstra Invitational in Hempstead, N.Y., taking on Dartmouth on Friday, then Columbia and the host Pride both on Saturday.
Villanova will travel to New Orleans, La., to play in the Sugar Bowl Tournament, hosted by Tulane. The Wildcats will face Clemson and host Green Wave on Friday, followed by Little Rock on Saturday.
Xavier will host the Queen City Classic, its first and only tournament of the season this weekend. The Musketeers will battle Indiana and Eastern Kentucky on Friday, while a trip to city rival Cincinnati awaits Xavier on Saturday.
BIG EAST matches begin on Wednesday when St. John’s visits Georgetown at 5 p.m. and Seton Hall heads to Villanova for a 7 p.m. start.
For live stats and any live video, visit the BIG EAST volleyball schedule page.
#BIGEASTvb Weekend Schedule
Friday, Sept. 14
Rutgers vs. ST. JOHN’S at 10 a.m. (Storrs, Conn.)
Clemson vs. VILLANOVA at 10 a.m. (New Orleans, La.)
Indiana at XAVIER at 12:30 p.m.
Dartmouth vs. SETON HALL at 2 p.m. (Hempstead, N.Y.)
Morgan State at GEORGETOWN at 2 p.m.
Holy Cross vs. ST. JOHN’S at 4 p.m. (Storrs, Conn.)
Memphis at GEORGETOWN at 7 p.m.
Cleveland State at BUTLER at 7 p.m.
Eastern Kentucky at XAVIER at 7 p.m.
VILLANOVA at Tulane at 7 p.m.
Lipscomb vs. No. 10 CREIGHTON at 8 p.m. (Champaign, Ill.)
DEPAUL at Loyola-Chicago at 8 p.m.
No. 6 Wisconsin at No. 21 MARQUETTE at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 15
Santa Clara at BUTLER at 10 a.m.
Northern Iowa vs. No. 10 CREIGHTON at 11 a.m. (Champaign, Ill.)
Northwestern vs. DEPAUL at 11 a.m.
Alabama A&M at GEORGETOWN at 11 a.m.
Little Rock vs. VILLANOVA at 11 a.m. (New Orleans, La.)
ST. JOHN’S at Connecticut at 1 p.m.
Tulsa at No. 21 MARQUETTE at 2 p.m.
Columbia vs. SETON HALL at 3 p.m. (Hempstead, N.Y.)
XAVIER at Cincinnati at 4:30 p.m.
SETON HALL at Hofstra at 6 p.m.
Illinois-Chicago vs. DEPAUL at 6 p.m.
Hampton at GEORGETOWN at 7 p.m.
Kent State at BUTLER at 7 p.m.
Illinois State at No. 21 MARQUETTE at 8 p.m.
No. 10 CREIGHTON at No. 8 Illinois at 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 19
ST. JOHN’S at GEORGETOWN at 5 p.m.
SETON HALL at VILLANOVA at 7 p.m.
All times are Eastern.
BIG EAST teams in CAPS.