Road Teams Go 3-0 in BIG EAST Play; UConn, Butler, St. John's earn wins on Saturday - Big East Conference Skip To Main Content

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Road Teams Go 3-0 in BIG EAST Play; UConn, Butler, St. John's earn wins on Saturday


MBB Minute: All three visiting teams were victorious on Saturday in the BIG EAST, as UConn held off Georgetown, Butler beat Seton Hall, and St. John's got past Villanova.

Saturday, Jan. 17

Butler 77, Seton Hall 66 - Box Score 
Finley Bizjack's 25 points led Butler to a win at No. 25/RV Seton Hall, snapping the Bulldogs' four-game losing streak.  SHU led early on, after an 11-1 run gave it a 16-9 lead.  Butler responded with a 25-8 run to close the first half, taking a 34-24 lead into the break.  The Bulldogs would hold a double-digit lead much of the second half, leading by as many as 17.  The Pirates would get within six - 63-57 - with 4:02 to play.  Stink Robinson scored 14 points to go with four assists and Michael Ajayi added 13 points and eight boards for Butler.  AJ Staton-McCray finished with 17 points and Mike Williams III and Najai Hines (16 rebounds) each had 11 for Seton Hall.

Of Note:
  • Butler committed eight turnovers in the game - its second-lowest total of the season; Seton Hall entered the game ranked 30th nationally in turnovers forced (15.2)
  • SHU's Najai Hines grabbed 16 rebounds - was the sixth-most by a freshman this season and the most by a Pirate freshman since Angel Delgado had 19 vs. Marquette on Jan. 22, 2015


UConn 64, Georgetown 62 - Box Score 
Tarris Reed Jr. registered a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards in a win at Georgetown.  The No. 3/4 Huskies connected on a season-low 36.2% (21-58) from the floor but took care of the ball, committing a season-low six turnovers.  UConn raced out to a 13-4 lead less than five minutes into the game and held a 23-13 edge midway through the opening period.  But Georgetown would settle in and outscore the Huskies 15-9 to chip away and trail 32-28 at the break.  A 10-2 Hoya run to start the second half gave them a four-point lead (38-34) with 15:09 to play.  After two ties and two lead changes, a pair of Braylon Mullins free throws put UConn up for good.    UConn led by seven - 62-55 - with under a minute to play; Georgetown would finish on a 7-2 push. Three other UConn players finished in double-digits - Silas Demary Jr. (12), Mullins (11), and Solo Ball (10).  Vince Iwuchukwu had a double double, tallying 12 points and 14 boards, and KJ Lewis added 12 points for Georgetown.

Of Note
  • UConn extended its winning streak to 14 games - the program's eighth streak of at least 14 wins.  The last such win streak came in 2023-24.
  • Georgetown’s Vince Iwuchukwu's double-double was the first of the season and second in his career; the 14 rebounds are a career-high


St. John's 86, Villanova 79 - Box Score 
Bryce Hopkins' 20 points led four RV/RV St. John's players in double figures in a win at RV/RV Villanova.  It was SJU's fourth straight win.  After a first half that saw seven lead changes and six ties, the Johnnies would lead by one at the break (36-35).  The Red Storm started the second half on a 20-4 run, breaking the game open.  The Wildcats' strong play and outside shooting got them within five twice,  A layup by Nova's Tyler Perkins made it 80-75 with under a minute to play, but St. John's would seal the win with four free throws down the stretch.  Ian Jackson had 18 points, Zuby Ejiofor finished with 17 points and seven boards, and Dillon Mitchell added 10 for the Red Storm.  Perkins led Villanova with 23 points while Devin Askew scored 21 points off the bench.

Of Note
  • Over its last four games - all in BIG EAST play - St. John's is averaging 88.0 points per game, connecting on 50.8% from the floor and nearly 40% from the perimeter.
  • Yesterday's loss for Villanova was only the second this season when the Wildcats connected on 10 or more 3-pointers


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Looking Ahead: There are no BIG EAST games scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 18.  On Monday, Providence will travel to Marquette for a 6 p.m. ET tipoff on FS1.  The game is part of the BIG EAST's annual celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  - Click Here for Full Schedule.

Monday, Jan. 19

FS1
Providence at Marquette - 6 p.m. ET
Jeff Levering (pxp); LaPhonso Ellis (analyst)

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This Week in the BIG EAST Podcast:  Zuby Ejiofor from St. John's, DePaul head coach Chris Holtmann, and Rob Dauster from the Field of 68 are the guests on the third episode of This Week in the BIG EAST.  Now in its 12th season, This Week In The BIG EAST (#TWITBE) is distributed by Westwood One radio and is available wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.