The dog days of BIG EAST play are here. Six teams have played nine or more conference games. The rest of the league has played at least five contests. While there is a level of imbalance to this point, there are also some conclusions that can be made. For starters, the top team in the preseason poll, Villanova, has once again lived up to its top spot with a 5-0 record in BIG EAST play. Creighton has also lived up to expectations for the most part, but it’s actually a supporting cast that has risen up to charge the Bluejays to their 11-4 overall record, and 7-3 conference play mark. After those two, the question in the preseason of who would be in the third slot has been answered by Seton Hall, for now. The Pirates are at least two up in the win column on every other team in the conference, but their most challenging stretch of the season awaits. Here are five thoughts around the world of BIG EAST hoops.
The Huskies Look to Respond
Having lost back-to-back games, UConn has their most critical week of the season to date with three matchups on tap in the next six days. Dan Hurley’s team fought in Omaha, but the James Bouknight-less Huskies didn’t have enough offense in a 74-66 loss to No. 17 Creighton on Saturday.
UConn turns to Butler on Tuesday and Villanova on Thursday, both of which will be in Storrs, before a road game against a suddenly sizzling St. John’s team on Sunday.
In what will be their fifth game without Bouknight, the Huskies need to find a scoring burst, something that senior wing Tyler Polley had delivered on the four straight wins before this recent cold spell. In Saturday’s loss to the Jays, Polley was scoreless in 17 minutes of action. Yet, in the first meeting with the Bulldogs on Jan. 9, UConn rolled behind Polley’s game-high 19 points in a commanding 72-60 victory at Hinkle Fieldhouse. At 7-3 overall and holding a NET of 44, Tuesday presents a critical game for the Huskies, especially when considering that the Wildcats and Red Storm are on deck. There’s no question that UConn’s physicality and defensive capabilities have been embedded in this team’s identity, but the recent issues come down to being able to find that consistent go-to scorer. Junior point guard RJ Cole is the man who has to spark this offense, and he’s averaged 16.0 ppg and 5.0 apg over the last two games. If he can get Tyrese Martin or Polley going from beyond the arc, that’s the type of factor that could lead the Huskies to piecing together a quality week.
A Pivotal Showdown in Providence
In FOX Sports bracketologist Mike DeCourcy’s latest projection on Monday, Marquette and Providence were both in the “First Four Out” category. If you’re not into bracket projections quite yet, then consider this: the Friars and Golden Eagles are both 4-5 in a jam-packed middle of the league standings. Fittingly enough, the two teams come to a crossroads in Friartown on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network).
Ed Cooley’s team is showing signs of better play. The Friars notched a huge quadrant one road win at Creighton last week before dropping their matchup at Villanova on Saturday. While David Duke struggled from the field last week, it was senior Nate Watson who charged the Friars offense, including a career-high 29 points in the road win over the Bluejays.
A revelation for the Friars? True freshman point guard Alyn Breed. In 10 games before last week, Breed compiled 18 points and 11 rebounds combined. In Providence’s two tough road tests last week, Breed rose up at a time the Friars really needed a boost from a guard. He scored 15 points with six boards and three assists at Creighton, then followed it up with 18 points and 11 boards at Villanova. With Jared Bynum having missed the last four games due to a groin injury, the importance of Breed providing something can’t be overstated.
On the flip side, Marquette has been perhaps the most curious team in league play thus far. After back-to-back wins over Providence and St. John’s, the Golden Eagles fell at home to DePaul on Saturday night in Milwaukee. Marquette will need to get top BIG EAST freshman Dawson Garcia going again, as he had just three points on 1-for-4 from the field in the loss this past weekend. In the first meeting with the Friars, Garcia put up 20 points and six rebounds. When MU plays through him, good things happen. And more than anything for this Golden Eagles team, they have to play a complete 40 minutes. At times, they’ve looked like a top-six team in the conference. At other moments within games, they simply have not. The Friars’ NET is 69 and the Golden Eagles’ NET is 79. Wednesday night at Alumni Hall is one you’d really like to have.
Back in the New York Groove
“We’re getting better. We’re just getting better.”
Those were the words of Mike Anderson on Saturday, as his St. John’s team won their third game in the last four with a 96-78 win over Utah Valley.
The Red Storm are starting to show signs of the “40 minutes of hell” identity of Anderson’s teams. On the year as a whole, it’s been surprising to see the Johnnies at the bottom of the league’s scoring defense, having allowed 77.9 points per game. Yet, in the last four games, the Red Storm have decreased that average by eight points and the one loss was a two-point game against Marquette.
St. John’s chaos-creating defense has been surging as well, as the Red Storm rank third in the country with 10.2 steals per game.
For the offense, it’s been underclassmen who have taken it upon themselves to lead for this team. Sophomore Julian Champagnie leads the BIG EAST with 19.9 points per game. Freshman Posh Alexander has racked up multiple Rookie of the Week honors and in the last three games, he’s averaging 15.6 points and 5.3 assists per game.
Up next for the Red Storm? They visit DePaul on Wednesday before going for a season sweep of UConn on Sunday. With a 3-6 record in the BIG EAST, the Johnnies are playing catchup, but are showing signs that they could be the best of the bunched up bottom four in the league, and perhaps a potential spoiler to the top teams going forward.
A Remarkable Week for Jermaine Samuels
Before Monday of last week, Villanova head coach Jay Wright didn’t even know if he would have senior Jermaine Samuels for the Wildcats’ game against Seton Hall on Tuesday. Samuels did not get cleared from myocarditis until a day before the Wildcats’ first game in 27 days following a 27-day COVID-19 pause.
What Samuels proceeded to do in wins over Seton Hall and Providence was nothing short of remarkable from the 6-7 forward. In the narrow 76-74 win over Seton Hall on Tuesday, Samuels willed the Wildcats’ offense in several key moments, totaling 20 points, nine rebounds, no turnovers and hit three three-pointers. In the second half, he shot 5-for-7 with 11 points. He followed that performance up with 10 points, 10 boards and four assists in Saturday’s 71-56 victory over Providence.
“I’m just, I’m truly amazed at Jermaine Samuels,” said Villanova’s Jay Wright. “He literally practiced one day, had COVID, couldn’t practice until yesterday. To come out and be able to play like that is incredible.”
“I don’t know how he did that,” said Collin Gillespie.
Perhaps it came easier for Samuels, because athletically, he stands out time and again. In the 2019 Pan American Games training camp, Samuels was one of the BIG EAST representatives that went to Lima, Peru, and won bronze. Every day of practice, the Villanova star was one of the first ones in the gym, and one of the last ones out. It sounds cliche, but it was telling to see just how much work he put in. You never know when that could prove to be especially valuable, nor alone in these pandemic times. A hat tip to Samuels for a stellar week.
Huge Week for The Hall
Seton Hall is 6-3 in the BIG EAST, owning a 3-5 quadrant one record and a NET of 54. The Pirates are battle-tested and have shown nearly one go-around through league play that they are an NCAA Tournament caliber team.
The one question hanging over South Orange: Can Seton Hall beat one of the top two teams in the conference to boost that resume? The Pirates’ opportunities come this week, with Creighton visiting Wednesday and Villanova coming to Newark on Saturday.
Entering Wednesday, there is no question that the Pirates have January 6 on their mind, when SHU suffered an 89-53 loss at the hands of Creighton. The Bluejays have defeated Seton Hall in their last three meetings.
Wednesday should be a significantly better game, as Seton Hall will be coming off an eight-day layoff and Creighton appears to have cooled down a bit offensively.
The key for the Pirates? Finding an answer for Damien Jefferson. The senior forward went 8-of-12 from the field with a game-high 19 points in the Bluejays’ win earlier this month. Jefferson’s level of control and versatility this season has been that of an All-BIG EAST First Team candidate.
Additionally, Creighton dictated tempo and style in that first meeting this season, as the Pirates shot 3-of-18 from deep and were unable to impose their size on Greg McDermott’s squad.
This is the type of week for The Hall that, if they can get a win, it really solidifies their case for a big dance invite.
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