MBB Minute – In the lone game on Thursday’s BIG EAST schedule, seventh-ranked Marquette defeated stubborn St. Thomas (Minn.) 84-79.
 
Marquette (9-2) established a 45-33 halftime lead against its Summit League opponent before St. Thomas made eight 3-pointers in the second half to keep the game close. Oso Ighodaro led five MU players in double figures with 21 points. He grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Tyler Kolek finished with 12 points and 10 assists.
 
A two-game Friday schedule features No. 5 Connecticut battling No. 10 Gonzaga in Seattle at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Huskies (9-1) lead the BIG EAST in several statistical categories, including scoring offense (87.4), scoring defense (63.2), scoring margin (24.2) and rebound margin (13.8).
 
Also on Friday, Butler looks to extend its five-game winning streak when it hosts Saginaw Valley State at 7 p.m. on FS1. The Bulldogs (8-2) are averaging 83.6 points per game and have scored 80 or more points seven times after reaching the 80-point plateau only six times last season.
 
Saturday’s schedule shows six games. FOX will broadcast a primetime matchup between No. 8 Creighton and Alabama at 8 p.m. ET. FS1 will televise four contests: Sacred Heart at Providence at 1:30 p.m., Fordham versus St. John’s at MSG at 3:30 p.m., Northwestern at DePaul at 5:30 p.m. and Winthrop at Xavier at 7:30 p.m. Georgetown at Notre Dame at 2:15 p.m. will be carried on CW.
 
When Notre Dame was a BIG EAST member, the Hoyas and the Fighting Irish played the longest regular-season game in league history. Notre Dame won 116-111 in four overtimes in Washington, DC.