MBB Minute – Just two days into conference play, expecting the unexpected has been the norm. On Wednesday, ranked teams Connecticut and Creighton lost while St. John’s delivered an impressive defensive effort in a homecourt win.
 
All three ranked BIG EAST teams have lost their league openers.
 
Seton Hall posted its largest margin of victory ever against an AP top-five team with a 75-60 victory over No. 5 UConn at Prudential Center. Kadary Richmond keyed the Pirate victory with a game-high 23 points, six rebounds and school record-tying eight steals. The Hall (8-4, 1-0 BIG EAST) took the lead for good late in the first half. The Pirates shot 51.8 percent from the floor and held the Huskies (10-2, 0-1) to 37.9 percent. Tristen Newton led UConn with 16 points and six boards.
 
Villanova got 32 points from Eric Dixon, including a corner 3-pointer with 28 seconds left in overtime to lift the Wildcats (8-4, 1-0) past No. 12 Creighton 68-66 at CHI Health Center. Dixon also had six rebounds. The Wildcats committed only eight turnovers while the Bluejays (9-3, 0-1) had 16. Trey Alexander and Baylor Scheierman each scored 16 points. Alexander grabbed 15 rebounds while Scheierman had 11.
 
St. John’s led from start to finish in its 81-66 victory over Xavier at Carnesecca Arena. The Johnnies (8-3, 1-0) limited the Musketeers (6-6, 0-1) to 34.9 percent shooting from the field and helped force 18 turnovers. Joel Soriano recorded his seventh double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds. He ranks third in the BIG EAST in scoring (18.0) and first in rebounding (10.8). Xavier’s Desmond Claude had his first career double-double with 21 points and 12 boards.
 
The BIG EAST schedule is dark on Thursday. The Friday slate has only one game, Georgetown at No. 6 Marquette at 7 p.m. ET on FS1. Both teams lost their league openers on the road on Tuesday. The Hoyas (7-5, 0-1) fell 74-64 at Butler while the Golden Eagles (9-3, 0-1) dropped a 72-57 decision at Providence.