Eight BIG EAST teams are in action on the delayed opening day of the 2020-21 college basketball season. FS1 will telecast six of the games throughout the afternoon and into the night.
Xavier is the first BIG EAST team to hit the floor when the Musketeers host Oakland in the Xavier Invitational at noon ET on FS1. Xavier has won 30 straight season openers. The Musketeers start the season with three games in three days and 12 games in 29 days.
At 2 p.m., Providence hosts Fairfield at Alumni Hall, the Friars’ on-campus arena. PC has played only one full game at Alumni Hall since March 1, 1972. The Friars won their last six contests of the season last year before the pandemic hit. Before coming to Providence, head coach Ed Cooley coached the Stags for five seasons (2006-11).
Georgetown also opens its season on campus with a meeting against UMBC at McDonough Arena at 4 p.m. Last year, the Hoyas beat the Retrievers 81-55 at Capital One Arena. Guard Jahvon Blair scored a team-high 15 points.
The afternoon tripleheader on FS1 continues at 6 p.m. with Butler playing at home against Western Michigan. The two teams have not met since 1950. Last year, the Bulldogs finished the season ranked 21st by USA Today and 23rd by Associated Press. Butler is led by forward Bryce Nze, a Preseason All-BIG EAST Second Team selection.
Over on FS2 at 7 p.m., St. John’s will host Saint Peter’s at Carnesecca Arena in the Lapchick Tournament, which is being brought back after a 25-year hiatus. The Johnnies finished strong last season under first-year coach Mike Anderson, and compiled a 17-15 mark.
At 8 p.m. on FS1, Connecticut, back in the BIG EAST after a seven-year absence, hosts Central Connecticut State at Gampel Pavilion. The Huskies finished 19-12 last year under coach Dan Hurley. Some additional BIG EAST flavor is provided by CCSU head coach Donyell Marshall, the 1994 BIG EAST Player of the Year while at UConn.
Villanova will battle Boston College on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. in the first round of the Empire Classic which will be played at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The Wildcats, ranked third in both of the national polls, will be starting their season away from home for the first time since 2006-07. Villanova finished 24-7 last season and will be aiming for the school’s 1,800th victory. Villanova owns a 1799-941 all-time record.
Marquette plays in the last season opener, hosting Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Fiserv Forum at 10 p.m. The Golden Eagles have won 27 of their last 29 season openers and start this campaign with five home games. Marquette will feature a more balanced scoring attack since the departure of Markus Howard, the nation’s leading scorer (27.8 ppg). Dawson Garcia, the BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year, is expected to make his debut.