Updated Bracket
WBB Notes - WBBT Quarterfinals
UNCASVILLE, Conn. – The 2021 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Jeep tipped off at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday as No. 8 seed St. John’s defeated No. 9 seed Xavier 65-57, No. 7 seed Providence edged No. 10 seed Butler 63-61, and sixth-seeded Creighton knocked out 11^th-seeded Georgetown 56-42. The Red Storm advance to face top-seeded UConn in the first quarterfinal game on Saturday, set for a noon ET tip on FS1. No. 5 seed Villanova against No. 4 seed DePaul follows at 3 p.m. on FS2. The evening session tips off at 6 p.m. on FS2 as No. 2 Marquette begins postseason play against the Friars, before the Bluejays and third-seeded Seton Hall conclude the night at 9 p.m. on FS2. Saturday’s Quarterfinal winners advance to Sunday’s Semifinal round, set for 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. on FS1.
 
Game 4: No. 8 St. John’s vs. No. 1 UConn, Noon, FS1
2020-21 Regular-Season Series: UConn 94-62 (2/3), UConn 77-32 (2/20)
BIG EAST Tournament History: UConn, 5-1 (most recent – 2012 Semifinals – UConn, 74-43)
The Red Storm warded off Xavier’s late run to advance in the BIG EAST Tournament for the third straight year. With the win, St. John’s earned a date with top-seeded UConn (21-1). The Huskies won both regular-season meetings with the Red Storm this season, with their first tilt highlighting one of the most impressive showdowns of the season as UConn’s Paige Bueckers scored 32 and St. John’s Leilani Correa dropped 33 on Feb. 3 in Storrs. The longtime foes have met six times in BIG EAST Tournament play, with the Huskies winning the last five meetings, including their latest one in the 2012 Semifinals when UConn scored a 74-43 victory. The recently crowned BIG EAST Player and Freshman of the Year Bueckers ranks second in the BIG EAST, averaging 19.8 points per game, while Correa lists fifth with an 18.1 clip.
 
In Friday’s First Round game, Correa scored a game-high 20 points while Kadaja Bailey filled the stat sheet with seven points, eight assists and seven steals. A’riana Gray led Xavier (5-10) with 18 points, while Aaliyah Dunham matched Bailey’s game high with seven steals. Trailing 36-20 at the half, the Musketeers opened the third on a 14-1 run to get within three, 37-34, midway through the frame. Unique Drake and Emma Nolan drained triples for St. John’s (8-14) early in the fourth to bump its lead back up to double figures. Dunham got the Musketeers back within five with 53 second remaining, but free-throws by Drake and Correa clinched the game for St. John’s.
Full Recap | Box Score| Quotes | XU Press | SJU Press | Highlights
 
Game 5: No. 5 Villanova vs. No. 4 DePaul, 3 p.m., FS2
2020-21 Regular-Season Series: DePaul, 94-82 (1/4)
BIG EAST Tournament History: DePaul, 58-55 – 2015 Semifinals
The Blue Demons and Wildcats tipoff their BIG EAST Tourney play at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, each coming off setbacks in their respective regular-season finales. DePaul (14-7) scored a 94-82 win over Villanova (14-5) when they met in Chicago on Jan. 4 of this season, despite a game-high 31 points from the Wildcats’ Maddy Siegrist. Five Blue Demons finished in double figures that afternoon, including a team-best 22 points for Sonya Morris, who did not play in Monday’s loss to Butler. DePaul has won three straight BIG EAST Tournament titles and five of the last seven, while the Wildcats eye their first trip to the BIG EAST Tournament Semifinals since 2015. The two have met in the BIG EAST Tournament just once before, with the Blue Demons scoring a 58-55 semifinal win in 2015. Siegrist is just third player in BIG EAST history to claim both the scoring (23.1) and rebounding (10.1) title in the same season - following Louisville’s Angel McCoughtry (2008-09, 2007-08, 2006-07) and Georgetown’s Rebekkah Brunson (2003-04).
 
Game 6: No. 7 Providence vs. No. 2 Marquette, 6 p.m., FS2
2020-21 Regular-Season Series: Marquette 89-40 (12/4); Marquette 73-52 (2/13)
BIG EAST Tournament History: Marquette, 78-75 – 2015 First Round
The Friars used a big second half to come back and defeat Butler in Friday’s First Round, earning a showdown with the second-seeded Golden Eagles on Saturday. Marquette is the No. 2 seed for the second straight year and has advanced to the BIG EAST Tournament title game in four consecutive seasons, including 2017’s title run.  The Friars eye their first Semifinal bid since 1994 but scored a BIG EAST Tournament win for the third straight year – marking the first time since 1993-95 that Providence advanced in three straight postseasons. Jordan King (18, 14), Selena Lott (18, 14) and Lauren Van Kleunen (17, 11) scored in double figures in both meetings against Providence this season, while Kyra Spiwak led the Friars in both contests, averaging 12.5 points against Marquette.
 
On Friday, Providence outscored Butler 38-29 over the final 20 minutes after trailing by nine at the start of the third quarter. Neither team led by more than a basket over the final 8:33 of the contest, with Butler holding a 61-58 advantage with 2:35 left. PC’s Mary Baskerville scored the game’s final five points to lead the Friars to the win, with Baskerville finishing with 10 points. PC’s Alyssa Geary scored a game-high 19 points, while Butler’s Okako Adika notched a double-double with a team-high 17 points and game-high 10 rebounds.
Full Recap | Box Score| Quotes | BU Press | PC Press | Highlights
 
Game 7: No. 6 Creighton vs. No. 3 Seton Hall, 9 p.m., FS2
2020-21 Regular-Season Series: Creighton 77-76 OT (2/13)
BIG EAST Tournament History: Creighton, 77-56 – 2016 Semifinals
Creighton won another nail-biter with Georgetown, scoring a 56-42 First Round win to advance in the BIG EAST Tournament for the fifth time in the last six seasons. With the win, the Bluejays will face a Seton Hall squad which has won five straight and has its highest BIG EAST Tournament seed since 2016. The two teams met just once during the regular season, with Creighton earning a 77-76 overtime win in South Orange. Morgan Maly scored a team-high 20 points to lead the Bluejays that afternoon, while Desiree Elmore posted an impressive performance for the Pirates with game highs of 25 points and 17 boards. The two teams have met just once in postseason play, with Creighton scoring a 77-56 win in the 2016 Semifinals.
 
Leading by two at the start of the fourth quarter on Friday, Creighton (8-10) outscored Georgetown 19-7 in the fourth quarter to pull away late in what was a tight contest throughout. Temi Carda scored 26 points, including an 11-of-12 clip from the free-throw line, while Emma Ronsiek was one point shy of the double-double with nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Shanniah Wright led Georgetown (2-15) with 11 points off 5-of-9 shooting. The Bluejays went 23-of-26 at the free-throw line compared to Goergetown’s 5-of-8 mark.  
Full Recap | Box Score | Quotes | GU Press | CU Press | Highlights
 
For more information on the BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament, click HERE, or follow @BIGEASTwbb on Twitter.
 
2021 BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Tournament presented by Jeep
Mohegan Sun Arena – Uncasville, Conn.
March 5 – First Round
Game 1: 8 seed St. John’s 65, 9 seed Xavier 57 (BEDN on FloSports)
Game 2: 7 seed Providence 63, 10 seed Butler 61 (BEDN on FloSports)
Game 3: 6 seed Creighton 56, 11 seed Georgetown 42 (BEDN on FloSports)
March 6 – Quarterfinals
Game 4: 8 seed St. John’s vs. 1 seed UConn, Noon (FS1)
Game 5: 5 seed Villanova vs. 4 seed DePaul, 3 p.m. (FS2)
Game 6:  7 seed Providence vs. 2 seed Marquette, 6 p.m. (FS2)
Game 7: 6 seed Creighton vs. 3 seed Seton Hall, 9 p.m. (FS2)
March 7 – Semifinals
Game 8: Game 4 winner vs. Game 5 winner, 3 p.m. (FS1)
Game 9: Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner, 6 p.m. (FS1)
March 8 - Final
Game 10: Game 8 winner vs Game 9 winner, 8 p.m. (FS1)
All times Eastern