DePaul Starts Season 3-0 for the First Time Since 2016-17
DePaul opened the season with a perfect 3-0 record for the first time in a decade, averaging 90.7 points per game while winning each contest by at least 25 points. The Blue Demons opened with a 90-65 victory over Evansville, followed by an 87-62 win over Purdue Fort Wayne and a 95-63 triumph over Stonehill to close out the week. DePaul showcased its offensive balance throughout the opening stretch, with five players scoring in double figures against both Purdue Fort Wayne and Stonehill.
New Faces Make Immediate Impact in Season Openers
UConn freshman Jovana Popovic and Xavier fourth-year guard Lucile Jerome made immediate impacts for their respective BIG EAST programs. Popovic averaged 18.0 points per game in UConn's 2-1 opening week, highlighted by a 25-point performance against No. 5 Michigan and a 19-point debut in the Huskies' 100-35 season-opening win over Cornell. Jerome was equally impressive for Xavier, averaging 25.0 points per game in the Musketeers' 2-0 start, making her Xavier debut with a game-high 28 points and eight rebounds against Purdue Fort Wayne before adding 22 points in a road win at Northwestern.
St. John’s Sets Program Record in Historic Win over Wagner
St. John’s made history on Saturday afternoon, rolling to a 102-33 victory over Wagner at Carnesecca Arena to establish a new program record for the largest margin of victory. The Red Storm’s 69-point triumph surpassed the previous mark of 65, set against Dominican in 1979, and marked the program’s first 100-point performance since Dec. 28, 1994. All 13 Red Storm players found the scoring column, with five reaching double figures, led by Brooke Moore’s 14 points. The victory also gave the Johnnies two of the three largest margins of victory in program history in their first two games of the season.
BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Weekly Awards Announced (11.9.26)
UConn junior forward Sarah Strong was named the BIG EAST Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after averaging 23.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in UConn’s 2-1 week. She scored a career-high 39 points in UConn's 91-79 win over No. 10 Iowa on Sunday. Strong poured in 26 points in the first half alone, including 20 in the second quarter, as she became the eighth player in program history to score at least 39 points in a game. Her teammate, freshman guard Jovana Popovic, earned BIG EAST Rookie of the Week honors. Popovic averaged 18.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists in the opening week for the Huskies. The freshman was highly efficient across all three shooting categories, shooting 61.1% from the field, 60.0% from 3-point range and 80.0% from the free-throw line.
This Week’s BIG EAST WBB Schedule
Monday, Nov. 9
Akron at Xavier, 6:30 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Creighton at North Dakota State, 7 p.m. Stats | Midco Sports Plus
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Presbyterian at Marquette, Noon Stats | ESPN+
Villanova at rv Princeton, 7 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Quinnipiac at St. John’s, 2 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Georgetown at George Washington, 6 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Northern Illinois at DePaul, 7 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Creighton at South Dakota, 7 p.m. Stats | Midco Sports Plus
Bryant at Providence, 7 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Thursday, Nov. 12
#4 UConn at #17 Ohio State, 6:30 p.m. Stats | FS1
Merrimack at Villanova, 7 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
rv Fairfield at Seton Hall, 7 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
North Dakota State at Butler, 7 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Friday, Nov. 13
Marquette at Missouri State, 7:30 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Saturday, Nov. 14
Providence at Boston College, Noon Stats | ACCNx
DePaul at #13 Notre Dame, 1 p.m. Stats | NBC
Rhode Island at St. John’s, 2 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Sunday, Nov. 15
NC State at Seton Hall, 1 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Howard at Georgetown, 2 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Villanova at rv Fairfield, 2 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Butler at UT Martin, 3 p.m. ESPN+
Creighton at Northern Iowa, 3 p.m. Stats | ESPN+
Butler at UT Martin, 3 p.m. ESPN+
#4 UConn at #17 Louisville, 5:30 p.m. Stats | ESPN