WBB Notes - 12.22.21
DePaul-Notre Dame On FS1
RV/RV DePaul will look to knock off its second ranked opponent in the last two weeks when it hosts No. 20/17 Notre Dame on Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live from Wintrust Arena on FS1. The Blue Demons have been on fire, winning a BIG EAST-best seven straight games. During that stretch, DePaul (11-2, 3-0 BIG EAST) has reached the 100-point mark five times, including its last three, to jump to No. 1 in Division I in scoring offense, averaging 92.2 points per game. The Blue Demons are also tops in assists (281) and assists per game (21.6). Freshman Aneesah Morrow has fortified a lineup which is full of veteran leadership. Morrow, the reigning BIG EAST Player and Freshman of the Week, is among the top rebounders in the nation, averaging a double-double of 18.7 points and 12.2 boards per game. She had 18 points, 17 rebounds in DePaul’s win at No. 14 Kentucky on Dec. 9.
 
3-0 On Tuesday
BIG EAST teams combined for a 3-0 mark in midday action on Tuesday, including an 81-72 win for Creighton at -/RV Arkansas. Seton Hall and Villanova also closed out non-conference play with victories, with the Pirates topping Wagner, 70-62, and the Wildcats defeating Big 5 foe La Salle on the road, 66-56. Morgan Maly sparked the Bluejays with a career-best 20 points, leading a Creighton bench which totaled 45 points. The Hall saw two players notch double-doubles as Sidney Cooks tallied 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Andra Espinoza-Hunter went for 20 points and 11 boards. VU’s Maddy Siegrist continued to shine since returning from injury, dropping a game-high 24 points. She’s averaged 29.3 points per game over her last three outings.
Full Recaps: Creighton | Seton Hall | Villanova
 
Just Getting Warmed Up
After finishing just below the .500 mark (31-32) in the month of November, BIG EAST teams have caught fire in December. Over 31 non-conference games since the calendar month changed, BIG EAST squads have combined for a 23-8 mark (.742), which includes a 3-0 record against teams from the Pac-12 and 2-0 record against squads from the SEC.
 
Up Next
In addition to the nationally televised DePaul-Notre Dame tilt, two other BIG EAST squads will play one final game on Wednesday before breaking for the holidays. Butler hosts Evansville at 1 p.m. ET and Marquette welcomes Cincinnati at 2 p.m., with both games streaming on FloSports. The first games scheduled for after the holiday break are on Dec. 29, when Xavier hosts Butler at 2 p.m. (BEDN on FloSports), and the Golden Eagles at No. 11/11 UConn at 7 p.m. (SNY).
 
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday
Evansville at Butler, 1 p.m. Stats FloSports
Cincinnati at Marquette, 2 p.m. Stats FloSports
20/17 Notre Dame at RV/RV DePaul, 8:30 p.m. FS1 Stats
All Times Eastern