WBB notes - 12.4.19
Television Debut
The first of 17 nationally televised BIG EAST regular-season contests is on deck on Thursday night as Seton Hall (5-3) hosts No. 4/4 Connecticut (6-0). The game will air live on FS1 at 6:30 p.m. ET, with Lisa Byington and Kim Adams on the call. The Hall has been without Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year Shadeen Samuels since the first quarter of their setback to Princeton on Nov. 15, going 2-3 in her absence. The Pirates were 3-0 with Samuels in the lineup with the senior averaging a double-double of 12.0 points, 11.3 rebounds in victories over Sacred Heart, Fairfield and VCU. Her status for Thursday is uncertain. The Huskies are 6-0 on the year, winning by an average of 23.5 points per game. Announced this past summer, UConn will return to the BIG EAST lineup beginning with the 2020-2021 season. UConn women’s basketball has two BIG EAST opponents on their regular-season schedule, including the Pirates and No. 16/15 DePaul, which will also air on FS1 on Dec. 16.
In The Polls
Following a 2-0 week, DePaul remained at No. 16 in the Associated Press Top 25 for a second consecutive week, while improving two spots in the
USA Today Coaches Poll to No. 15. Off to its best start since 2000-01, Creighton received votes in both national polls for the first time this season. A win tonight at RV/24 South Dakota will give the Bluejays their best start since 1986-87. Following a 2-0 trip to California, Marquette continued to receive votes in the coaches poll. Four BIG EAST opponents on the schedule this week are either ranked or receiving votes, beginning with Creighton against the Coyotes on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET (
watch), followed by Seton Hall against No. 4/4 Connecticut at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday (FS1). Xavier hosts RV/- Colorado on Friday (7 p.m. |
watch), while the Blue Demons visit -/RV Green Bay on Saturday (2 p.m. | ESPN3).
Up Next
Ahead of the nightcap featuring RV/RV Creighton at RV/24 South Dakota, Villanova returns to the court riding a three-game winning streak. The Wildcats visit nearby foe Drexel at 5 p.m., led by the freshman-senior duo of Maddy Siegrist and Mary Gedaka. Siegrist is the BIG EAST’s No. 2 scorer behind Creighton’s Jaylyn Agnew, with the rookie putting up 19.2 points per game. Gedaka is one of the most accurate shooters in the nation and is averaging 16.3 points per game. VU is 3-3 on the year and last played on Nov. 24, scoring a five-point win at Georgia.
Last Night In #BIGEASTwbb
Yale 82, Providence 79
Providence returned to New Haven, Conn. to resume play against Yale at Payne Whitney Gymnasium. The game, originally scheduled for Nov. 5, was suspended at halftime due to a clock/scoreboard malfunction. Despite a nine-point lead entering the third quarter, the Friars (5-1) suffered their first loss of the season, 82-79. Mary Baskerville finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots in just 16 minutes of action overall. PC led 52-35 with 7:22 left in the third before Yale erupted on a 19-2 run to tie the game in the final two minutes of the frame. The high-scoring fourth quarter saw the Bulldogs edge Providence 25-20 over the final 10 minutes, despite some quality looks for the Friars in the final moments.
Full Recap
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday
Villanova at Drexel, 5 p.m.
Creighton at RV/24 South Dakota, 8 p.m.
Thursday
4/4 UConn at Seton Hall, 6:30 p.m.^
Friday
Georgetown at Columbia, 11 a.m.
St. John’s at Yale, 7 p.m.
RV/- Colorado at Xavier, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Providence at Bryant, noon
Saint Joseph’s at Villanova, 1 p.m.
16/15 DePaul at -/RV Green Bay, 2 p.m.
Sunday
Seton Hall at Iona, 1 p.m.
Northern Iowa at Creighton, 2 p.m.
Akron at Butler, 2 p.m.
Eastern Kentucky at Xavier, 2 p.m.
Georgetown at Fordham, 2 p.m.
-/RV Marquette at Milwaukee, 5 p.m.
Providence vs. URI or Brown, 12 or 2 p.m.
All times Eastern
^FS1