WBB Notes - 1.2.19
Meaningful Matchup
For just the second time since conference realignment, a BIG EAST women’s basketball game will feature two Associated Press Top-25 teams as No. 24/24 DePaul visits No. 20/16 Marquette Friday at 8 p.m. ET. The game will air live on FS1. The last time two top-25 teams met in conference play was Jan. 5, 2016, when 24
th-ranked DePaul won at 25
th-ranked Seton Hall, 86-74. In total, Friday’s battle between the BIG EAST’s preseason co-favorites will be the 193
rd top-25 matchup between BIG EAST teams.
Full Slate Of Games
The Marquette-DePaul game on FS1 is one of three BIG EAST games slated for national television this weekend as St. John’s faces Butler on Sunday on FS2 (1 p.m.), while Creighton hosts Georgetown Sunday at 2 p.m. on CBS Sports Network. The Bulldogs are off to their first ever 2-0 start in BIG EAST play, while the Red Storm will look to bounce back after falling at Seton Hall on Sunday. The Bluejays and Hoyas both sport 1-1 league marks. The remaining six BIG EAST games on the docket this weekend will stream live on the BIG EAST Digital Network, including the Pirates at Xavier (Sunday, 2 p.m.) and Villanova at Providence (Sunday, 1 p.m.).
White Adds National Recognition
BIG EAST Player of the Week Dionna White added another accolade to her shelf with USBWA National Player of the Week honors on Wednesday. For the week ending on Dec. 30, White led the Hoyas in a come-from-behind win over Xavier on Saturday, totaling 24 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Georgetown found itself in a 16-point deficit before White reeled off 16 second-half points, including 14 in the third quarter when GU took its first lead of the game.
Why We’re Watching …
24/24 DePaul at 20/16 Marquette (Friday, 8 p.m., FS1): The list could go a mile long on why this game will be fun to watch – 2018 and 2017 BIG EAST Championship rematches, 2018-19 preseason co-favorites, two of the nation’s top-scoring teams in a scoring frenzy, and so on. Since the 2013-14 season, this series has seen three scores of over 100 and 13 of 90-plus. The average score in the last 13 meetings has been 91.4-82.9 in favor of the Blue Demons, who took 2-of-3 from the Golden Eagles last year, including the 2018 BIG EAST title game. MU has won the last three at the Al McGuire Center, however, including the 2017 championship tilt.
Seton Hall at Butler (Friday, 7 p.m., BEDN): The winner of this game will remain in first place as both enter the contest unbeaten in BIG EAST play. The Hall had just one game on the opening weekend, defeating rival St. John’s thanks to a balanced attack with four players in double figures. The Bulldogs are 2-0 in BIG EAST play for the first time ever, and will look to continue on that historic start. Both teams have both inside and outside threats, as the battle on the block between BU’s Tori Schickel and SHU’s Shadeen Samuels is an All-BIG EAST caliber one, while Whitney Jennings and Inja Butina can also dazzle on the perimeter.
Georgetown at Providence (Friday, 7 p.m., BEDN): The Friars return home after a difficult road swing against a pair of ranked opponents to open BIG EAST play. One of the silver linings of the Midwest trip was the emergence of rookie forward Mary Baskerville. Baskerville has averaged 14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds over her last three outings. To no surprise, Dionna White has had the hot hand for the Hoyas. She’s scored in double figures in 11 straight games, while her rebounding average (8.5) ranks fourth in the BIG EAST despite her 5-5 frame.
St. John’s at Xavier (Friday, 7 p.m., BEDN): A’riana Gray is having a breakout sophomore season for the Musketeers as the lone player in the BIG EAST to be averaging a double-double (13.2 points, 10.0 rebounds). After going 9-2 in non-league action, XU dropped a pair of single-digit decisions to open BIG EAST play on the road last weekend. The Red Storm played just one contest on opening weekend and fell at rival Seton Hall despite 19 points from leading scorer Qadashah Hoppie. Kayla Charles is sure to challenge Gray down low after grabbing 15 boards in South Orange on Sunday and already posting a 20-rebound performance earlier this year.
Villanova at Creighton (Friday, 8 p.m., BEDN): This matchup has become one of the most competitive over the last five years as eight of their 11 meetings have been decided by single digits, including last year’s regular-season finale when Villanova won by seven to halt the Bluejays’ six-game winning streak in the series. Adrianna Hahn has had the hot hand for the Wildcats lately, averaging 15.3 points over the last three games. Audrey Faber is the steady standout for Creighton as she leads the BIG EAST in scoring at 17.1 per game, having scored in double figures every game this year. This game will be decided beyond the arc as both rank in the top 10 among all Division I teams in 3-pointers made per game.
Upcoming Schedule
Friday - Jan. 4
Seton Hall at Butler, 7 p.m.#*
Georgetown at Providence, 7 p.m.#*
St. John’s at Xavier, 7 p.m.#*
Villanova at Creighton, 8 p.m.#*
24/24 DePaul at 20/16 Marquette, 8 p.m.^*
Sunday - Jan. 6
St. John’s at Butler, 1 p.m.+*
Villanova at Providence, 1 p.m.#*
Seton Hall at Xavier, 2 p.m.#*
Georgetown at Creighton, 2 p.m.%*
^FS1 #BEDN +FS2 %CBS Sports Network
*BIG EAST contest
All times Eastern