MBB Minute – In Wednesday’s BIG EAST action, Creighton and Villanova began their respective tournaments with wins while Marquette finished as the runner-up in the Maui Invitational.
 
Creighton, ranked eighth this week by AP, pulled away from Loyola Chicago in the second half in an 88-65 victory at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo. Ryan Kalkbrenner led all scorers with 29 points. Baylor Scheierman scored 21 of his 24 points in the first half and grabbed 12 rebounds.
 
Villanova leaned on veterans Eric Dixon and Justin Moore to beat Texas Tech 85-69 in the opening round of the Battle 4 Atlantis. Dixon and Moore scored 19 and 18 points, respectively. Both players had six rebounds. The win was the Wildcats’ seventh straight in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Villanova won the event in 2013 and 2017.
 
After beating No. 1 Kansas on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Maui Invitational, Marquette lost 78-75 to No. 2 Purdue in the title game. The Golden Eagles (4-1) were down 15 points before making a late surge and having a chance to tie the game in the game’s final possession. Tyler Kolek led MU with 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
 
Villanova and Creighton join Butler and Seton Hall in action on Thanksgiving Day. Villanova meets No. 14 North Carolina in the Battle 4 Atlantis at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Bluejays will meet unbeaten Colorado State in the title game of the Hall of Fame Classic at 4 p.m. on CBSSN.
 
Butler will meet No. 19 Florida Atlantic in the first round of the ESPN Events International tourney in Orlando at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2. Seton Hall plays No. 23 USC in the first round of the Rady’s Children International in San Diego at 5:30 p.m. on FS1.