WBB Notes - 1.11 update
Sunday Showdowns
Four more BIG EAST women’s basketball games are on deck for Sunday, including a must-see showdown on FS1. Voted No. 1 and 2 in the BIG EAST Coaches Preseason Poll, No. 15/17 DePaul hosts St. John’s at 1 p.m. ET in a game airing on FS1. The remaining three games of the day will stream on the BIG EAST Digital Network presented by SoFi, including Xavier at Villanova, also at 1 p.m.
Why We’re Watching …
St. John’s at 15/17 DePaul, 1 p.m. (FS1): Though defense has long been a calling card for the Red Storm, St. John’s played in a high-scoring thriller on Friday at Marquette, posting its most points in BIG EAST play (85) in six years. If St. John’s goes that way again on Sunday, they could play right into the Blue Demons’ hands as “DePaul Ball” is all about getting up and down. The preseason favorite Blue Demons and lone remaining undefeated team in conference play also scored 85 on Friday, just shy of their season average. At 86.8 points per game, DePaul ranks third nationally in scoring. Sunday’s tilt also features the league’s No. 4 and 5 scorers in DePaul’s Chante Stonewall (18.3) and St. John’s Qadashah Hoppie (17.1). The Blue Demons have won 11 straight regular-season meetings, with the last four at McGrath-Phillips Arena decided by single digits. McGrath-Phillips has been good to the Red Storm, however, winning the 2016 BIG EAST Championship on that court.
Xavier at Villanova, 1 p.m. (Twitter | YouTube | Caffeine): Xavier picked up its first BIG EAST win under new head coach Melanie Moore on Friday night at Georgetown and will look to make it two in a row for the first time since 2015-16. The Musketeers, who have never claimed a road weekend sweep in BIG EAST play, were impressive on Friday as Aaliyah Dunham scored a career-high 20 points and XU shot a season-high .509 from the field, including a .650 clip from deep. Dunham and BIG EAST leading rebounder A’riana Gray will have their hands full with Villanova’s talented duo of Mary Gedaka and Maddy Siegrist. Siegrist is the league’s top scorer at 19.9 points per game and earned her BIG EAST-leading sixth double-double of the year with 11 points, 11 boards in Friday’s setback to Butler.
Butler at Georgetown, 2 p.m. (Twitter | YouTube | Caffeine): Butler and Georgetown have traded wins the last two seasons, with the road team coming away with victories the last four meetings. The Bulldogs are coming off a notable win at Villanova on Friday, led by Kristen Spolyar’s game-high 15 points and Shae Brey’s game-high 13 rebounds. Spolyar ranks third in the BIG EAST in scoring at 18.4 points per game. The Hoyas will aim to end their three-game skid, which has come despite shooting over 40 percent the last two outings, including a .435 clip on Friday versus Xavier. Nikola Kovacikova had a team-high 14 points against the Musketeers, her fifth double-digit scoring game of the year.
Seton Hall at Marquette, 3 p.m. (Twitter | YouTube | Caffeine): The Golden Eagles have had the Pirates’ number recently, winning the last seven regular-season meetings and never losing (10-0) to The Hall at the Al McGuire Center. Selena Lott will look to extend those streaks as the junior is coming off a career-high 34 points in Friday’s track meet of a win over St. John’s. Seton Hall went toe-to-toe with No. 15/17 DePaul until a late spurt by the Blue Demons closed out the contest. The Pirates have a number of weapons as five players are averaging in double figures, including Barbara Johnson who finished with 17 points and 10 boards against DePaul. It will be a notable battle down low as the Pirates have won the rebounding battle in seven consecutive games, while Marquette has won it in all 15 games this year. They are the top two rebounding offenses in the BIG EAST at 38.6 per game for SHU and 38.4 per game for MU.
Saturday Wrap-Up: -/RV Creighton 72, Providence 63
Creighton used an 11-0 run beginning at the 6:16 mark in the fourth quarter to erase a once 11-point deficit and rally to defeat Providence in Omaha on Saturday afternoon. Jaylyn Agnew scored nine of her game-high 18 points over the final 10 minutes – one of three Bluejays in double figures. Kaela Webb and Earlette Scott tied for the PC-high with 14 points apiece. The Friars led by double-digits at the half thanks to a 6-of-11 clip from deep, but went just 1-for-4 over the final 20 minutes as Creighton crept back in. The Bluejays scored 20 points off 12 Providence miscues, while the PC bench outscored Creighton’s reserves, 32-14.
Full Recap
Up Next
Sunday
St. John’s at 15/17 DePaul, 1 p.m.*#
Xavier at Villanova, 1 p.m.*^
Butler at Georgetown, 2 p.m.*^
Seton Hall at Marquette, 3 p.m.*^
All times Eastern
*BIG EAST contest
^BEDN
#FS1