MBB Minute – Georgetown finally broke through and won a BIG EAST game, defeating DePaul 81-76 Tuesday at Capital One Arena.
 
Georgetown (6-15, 1-9 BIG EAST) used a 12-5 run to take a 69-63 lead with 3:25 to play and made enough free throws down the stretch, which repelled a final push by DePaul (9-12, 3-7 BE).
 
The Hoyas’ Primo Spears scored a team-high 21 points and dealt a game-high six assists. He played all 40 minutes and leads the BIG EAST in minutes played, averaging 37.3 per game. Brandon Murray and Akok Akok each added 12 points. Akok was a force defensively, blocking four shots. DePaul’s Umoja Gibson scored a game-high 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor and 3-of-4 from 3-point range.
 
The three-game Wednesday schedule has all four ranked teams in action. No. 13 Xavier meets No. 19 Connecticut at Gampel Pavilion at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Xavier’s Souley Boum is tied for fourth in the BIG EAST in scoring (16.6). In the first meeting between the two teams, Xavier won 83-73 on Dec. 31 at Cintas Center, the first defeat for the Huskies after a 14-0 start. The Huskies have won 17 straight at Gampel.
 
No. 23 Providence hosts Butler at 8:30 p.m. on FS1. The Friars beat the Bulldogs 72-52 on Dec. 29. PC’s Bryce Hopkins, who leads the team in scoring (16.6) and rebounding (9.3), has posted double-doubles in his last three games. Butler is committing only 12.8 fouls per game, which leads the nation. In all 11 Bulldog victories, they have scored 70 or more points.
 
St. John’s plays at Creighton on CBSSN at 9 p.m. The Johnnies’ Joel Soriano continues to lead the nation in double-doubles. He has 17 in 20 games. Creighton has won the last four meetings in the series. Since Jan. 16, when the Bluejays were 6-6, they have won five of their last seven games. Ryan Kalkbrenner ranks third in the nation field goal percentage, making 72.9 percent.