Tons of TV
Three of the nine BIG EAST women’s basketball games on the docket this weekend will air on national television, beginning Friday when Georgetown hosts Xavier. Tipoff at McDonough Arena is at 6:30 p.m. ET and the game will air on FS2. Action continues at noon on Saturday when -/RV Creighton hosts Providence in a game airing on CBS Sports Network. It all leads up to Sunday’s showdown between the top two teams in the BIG EAST preseason poll when No. 15/17 DePaul hosts St. John’s at 1 p.m. in a game airing on FS1. All six other league tilts, including Butler at Villanova on Friday at 11:30 a.m., and Seton Hall at Marquette Sunday at 3 p.m., will stream on the BIG EAST Digital Network presented by SoFi.
In The Polls
Winners of four straight, DePaul remained in both national polls for a 10
th consecutive week this season, rising one spot in the latest Associated Press Top 25 to No. 15. The No. 15 ranking is the Blue Demons’ highest in the AP Poll since matching that mark Nov. 19, 2018. In the
USA Today Coaches Poll, DePaul remained at No. 17 for a second consecutive week, while Creighton received votes for the fifth time in the last six weeks. In the latest NCAA RPI, DePaul remained in the top 10 for a third consecutive week, coming in at No. 10, followed by No. 16 Creighton and No. 36 Marquette. Winners of four of its last five, Villanova posted its highest RPI of the season at No. 53, while St. John’s (67) and Seton Hall (75) were also in the top 75.
Why We’re Watching …
Butler at Villanova -
Friday, 11:30 a.m. (
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Caffeine): The Wildcats have been a pleasant surprise in the early goings of conference play, winning four of their last five games to land in the four-team logjam in second place in the standings. It’s a two-player highlight reel in the BIG EAST’s leading scorer Maddy Siegrist (20.6) and No. 5 scorer Mary Gedaka (17.5), but players like Raven James and Bridget Herlihy have come up big in key moments. The Bulldogs earned their first conference win of the season over Xavier on Saturday, with Kristen Spolyar once again showing up in a big way. Spolyar ranks third in the league in scoring at 18.6 points per game, scoring in double figures in 13-of-14 games this year.
Xavier at Georgetown –
Friday, 6:30 p.m. (
FS2): The Hoyas have a seven-game winning streak in the series with the Musketeers, with both games last year decided by single digits. Narrow decisions have become a theme with these two squads this year as both have had eight games decided by 10 points or less. If this one is down to the wire on Friday night, look to Xavier’s A’riana Gray to lead the Musketeers and Taylor Barnes to head the Hoyas. In BIG EAST play so far, Gray ranks No. 2 in scoring (23.3) and No. 4 in rebounding (8.0), while Barnes is eighth in scoring (17.3) and a threat from deep, making nearly two triples per game.
Seton Hall at 15/17 DePaul -
Friday, 8 p.m. (
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Caffeine): The No. 15/17 Blue Demons have been a juggernaut, going 45-9 at home and 94-17 (.847) in all league games since 2013-14. Since conference realignment, only two teams have beaten DePaul more than once on its home court and only one has done so three times – Seton Hall. The Pirates stunned the Blue Demons last year in Chicago, 84-73, before DePaul returned the favor in South Orange, 94-85. Two of the most decorated players this preseason will be on display, with reigning BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player Chante Stonewall of DePaul and 2019-20 BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Shadeen Samuels of Seton Hall both landing on watch lists for the Naismith Trophy, Ann Meyers Drysdale Award and Cheryl Miller Award. The Blue Demons are the lone unbeaten team remaining in BIG EAST play at 3-0, while the Pirates are on their heels in a four-way tie for second place at 3-1.
St. John’s at Marquette –
Friday, 8 p.m. (
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Caffeine): Picked second in the BIG EAST preseason poll, the Red Storm have won three of their first four BIG EAST games for the first time since 2016-17. They are one of just two BIG EAST teams to have four starters averaging double figures in points, led by Qadashah Hoppie’s 16.8 clip. St. John’s backcourt will be challenged by Selena Lott and Marquette, with Lott averaging a BIG EAST-best 5.8 assists per game while also listing in the top 10 in scoring at 14.4 per contest. The Golden Eagles have won the rebounding battle in every game this season, including all three league contests for a +10.7 margin.
Providence at -/RV Creighton -
Saturday, Noon (
CBS Sports Network): Road teams stole victories in this series last year, with the Friars winning at D.J. Sokol for the first time in six tries. Providence enters Saturday’s tilt in search of its first BIG EAST win on the year, despite taking all four previous opponents (DePaul, Marquette, Villanova, Georgetown) down to the wire. Mary Baskerville has led the charge for PC, ranking 12
th in conference play with 16.3 points per game to go along with the third-best rebounding clip of 8.3 boards per game. -/RV Creighton was dealt its first BIG EAST loss of the season by nationally ranked DePaul as the Bluejays find themselves in the second-place logjam. Jaylyn Agnew is making her Player of the Year argument early, leading the conference in scoring over four league contests at 24.8 points per contest while ranking in the top 10 for rebounding, blocked shots, assists and three-pointers made.
Up Next
Friday
Butler at Villanova, 11:30 a.m.*^
Xavier at Georgetown, 6:30 p.m.*!
Seton Hall at DePaul, 8 p.m.*^
St. John’s at Marquette, 8 p.m.*^
Saturday
Providence at Creighton, Noon*+
Sunday
St. John’s at 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
!FS2
+CBSSN