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Big East

Big East: Coming Down Home Stretch

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PROVIDENCE – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – In Saturday’s battle between ranked teams, No 12 Creighton celebrated its Senior Day while knocking off a short-handed No. 5 Marquette squad that was missing two key performers. Villanova used a strong second half to grab a key road win at Providence. Butler and Xavier picked up a road victories.

Baylor Scheierman led Crieghton (22-8, 13-6 BIG EAST) with game highs of 26 points and 16 rebounds, including three 3-pointers in a span of 1:53 down the stretch to seal an 89-75 victory. Marquette (22-7, 13-5) was missing Tyler Kolek due to an oblique injury and Oso Ighodaro due to illness. Kam Jones scored a team-high 23 points and David Joplin added 21.

Villanova and Providence went into their game with 9-8 league records. The Wildcats used a strong second half buoyed by some accurate 3-point shooting to post a 71-60 victory at the AMP and move into fifth place. Villanova (17-12, 10-8) shot 13-of-23 from 3-point range and outscored the Friars 37-23 in the second half. Justin Moore led a balanced offense with 15 points. Providence (18-11, 9-9) got 16 points and nine rebounds from Josh Oduro.

Butler ended a five-game losing streak with an 82-63 victory at DePaul. The Bulldogs (17-13, 8-11) were trailing 19-15 before taking control with a 17-0 run. DJ Davis netted a game-high 24 points. Pierre Brooks II scored all of his 16 points in the first half. Jaden Henley led the Blue Demons (3-26, 0-18) with 15 points.

Xavier got back to 9-9 in the league with a come-from-behind 98-93 win at Georgetown. The Musketeers (15-14, 9-9) were down 49-37 at halftime, but scored 61 points in the second half to nail down the win. Desmond Claude poured in 36 points. Rowan Brumbaugh led the Hoyas (9-20, 2-16) with 24 points.

In today’s lone contest, Connecticut can clinch the BIG EAST regular-season crown outright with a victory over Seton Hall at Gampel Pavilion at noon ET on CBS. The Huskies (25-3, 15-2), who opened their league season with a 75-60 loss to the Pirates (18-10, 11-6) on Dec. 20, are seeking their first outright crown since 1999.

No. 1 UConn Dominates No. 4 Marquette

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HARTFORD – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – In a top-five showdown game Saturday that Connecticut coach Dan Hurley said went “about as well as it could go for us,” the No. 1-ranked Huskies handled No. 4 Marquette. No. 17 Creighton used a superlative second half en route to a comfortable win at Butler. Providence gained a double-digit edge in the second half and maintained it in a victory over DePaul.

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At XL Center, with the game tied 18-18 midway through the first half, UConn streaked to the break with a 16-point lead and kept rolling to an 81-53 win over the Golden Eagles (19-6, 10-4). The Huskies (24-2, 14-1) owned all of the statistical advantages. They out-rebounded Marquette 45-27 and had 24 assists on 29 field goals made. Donovan Clingan produced game highs of 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting and 10 rebounds. Tristen Newton contributed 15 points, eight boards and eight assists. Marquette’s Kam Jones scored a team-high 15 points.

After trailing by one point at halftime, No. 17 Creighton outscored Butler 45-22 after the intermission and won 79-57 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Baylor Scheierman led the Bluejays (19-7, 10-5) with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Ryan Kalkbrenner threw in 21 points and grabbed six boards. Trey Alexander added 15 points. Jalen Thomas matched his season high with 18 points for the Bulldogs (16-10, 7-8), who were playing their fourth ranked opponent in the last five games.

Providence leaned on its dynamic duo of Devin Carter and Josh Oduro to beat DePaul 81-70 at the AMP. Carter scored 31 points, which included 7-of-10 shooting from 3-point range, and pulled down 13 rebounds for his seventh double-double. Oduro added 27 points and six rebounds for the Friars (17-9, 8-7). DePaul (3-22, 0-14) stayed in the game behind 14 points each from Elijah Fisher and Jaden Henley.

Big East: Seton Hall, Xavier Cruise

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NEWARK – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Seton Hall and Xavier gained homecourt victories in rivalry games on Tuesday. The Pirates took control late in the first and went on to post an 80-65 win. Xavier overcame Butler’s second-half rally to register an 85-71 victory.

At Prudential Center, Seton Hall and St. John’s were tied 24-24 with 4:33 left in the first half. The Pirates (13-5, 6-1 BIG EAST) scored the game’s next 28 points – 14 in the first half and the first 14 in the second half. Five Pirates reached double figures. Al-Amir Dawes scored a game-high 21 points. Dylan Addae-Wusu added 16 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. St. John’s (12-6, 4-3) competed without coach Rick Pitino, who missed the game due to illness. Daniss Jenkins led the Red Storm with 17 points.

At Cintas Center, after Butler had erased a 19-point deficit with the help of a 20-3 run, Xavier used a late spurt of its own to pick up an 85-71 victory. The Musketeers (9-8, 3-3) were led by Desmond Claude, who netted a career-high 26 points.  Dayvion McKnight added 20 points. Butler (11-7, 2-5) got 22 points from Pierre Brooks and a season-high 21 from Posh Alexander.

Like Tuesday, Wednesday’s two-game schedule is a doubleheader on FS1. Connecticut, newly-anointed No. 1 in this week’s AP poll, hosts No. 18 Creighton at Gampel Pavilion at 7 p.m. ET. The Bluejays (13-4, 4-2) have won six of the seven meetings since the Huskies (13-4, 4-2) rejoined the BIG EAST with UConn’s only win coming in last year’s contest 69-60 at Gampel.

Providence visits DePaul at 9 p.m. Both teams are aiming to end four-game losing streaks. Devin Carter has been on a hot scoring run and leads the Friars (11-6, 2-4). In BIG EAST games, he ranks first in scoring with a 21.7 average. DePaul’s top scorer in league play is forward Da’Sean Nelson, who sports a 16.2 scoring mark.

Big East: Bryce Hopkins Hurt

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PROVIDENCE – (Report from Official News Release) – Only 16 games into the 110-game BIG EAST league schedule and just one team remains unbeaten after two drama-filled contests on Wednesday. Seton Hall won at Providence 61-57 and Villanova edged Xavier 66-65.

Seton Hall got scoring support from Dre Davis, who notched a team-high 17 points. Kadary Richmond contributed 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists. The Pirates (9-5, 2-1 BIG EAST) shot slightly better than Providence (11-3, 2-1) from beyond the arc. The Hall was 7-of-16 and PC was 4-of-17. Josh Oduro netted a game-high 23 points for PC. Bryce Hopkins suffered a leg injury five minutes into the second half and did not return. The Friar defense was also strong, holding the Pirates to 36.2 shooting from the floor. Both of Seton Hall’s league wins have come against ranked opponents (UConn).

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Villanova had a 10-point lead midway through the second half, then held off a Xavier comeback bid. The Wildcats (10-4, 3-0) got 26 points from Hakim Hart (14) and Brendan Hausen (12) off the bench. Eric Dixon helped with 13 points and nine rebounds. The Musketeers (7-7, 1-2) were led by Quincy Olivari’s 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Xavier was 10-of-10 from the line, but only 5-of-18 from 3-point range.

The next BIG EAST action is Friday when fourth-ranked UConn visits Butler at 6:30 p.m. ET on FS1. The Huskies (12-2, 2-1) lead the league in scoring offense (83.1), scoring margin (+19.5) and are the only BIG EAST team shooting better than 50 percent from the field (50.2). The Bulldogs (10-4, 1-2) are third nationally (12.9) in fewest fouls committed and 20th in free throw shooting (77.2).

Big East: St. John’s Tops Butler

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STORRS – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – St. John’s and Creighton used some strong second-half play to secure wins on Tuesday, while Connecticut began its path to victory midway through the first half of its game.

No. 4 UConn put together a 16-2 run in the first half to take control in its 85-56 triumph over DePaul. The Huskies (12-2, 2-1 BIG EAST) led 38-19 at halftime. Four players finished in double figures led by Cam Spencer, who had 20 points. Alex Karaban added 17 points and a team-high seven rebounds. The Blue Demons (3-10, 0-2) were led by Da’Sean Nelson’s 19 points.

St. John’s (10-4, 2-1) pulled away from Butler in the final eight minutes and took an 86-70 decision at Carnesecca Arena. Daniss Jenkins led five SJU players in double figures with 17 points. He also had seven assists and five rebounds. Freshman Brady Dunlap, who had not played in the previous four games, netted 13 points off the bench. For Butler (10-4, 1-2), DJ Davis scored a game-high 25 points.

Creighton (10-4, 1-2) scored on 14 of its first 17 possessions in the second half en route to a 77-60 win atGeorgetown (7-7, 0-3). Baylor Scheierman posted his fourth double-double this season with 18 points and 12 boards. Trey Alexander dropped in a game-high 25 points. Rowan Brumbaugh led GU with 19 points and dished five assists.

FS1 has Wednesday’s two-game schedule covered. At 6:30 p.m. ET, No. 23 Providence hosts Seton Hall. The Friars (11-2, 2-0) are 46-3 in their last 49 home games. The Pirates (8-5, 1-1) have won three of their last four with wins over UConn, Missouri and Monmouth.

At 8:30 p.m., Xavier visits Villanova. The Musketeers (7-6, 1-1) are led by Quincy Olivari, who has averaged 25.0 points over his last five games.   For the third time in the last six seasons, the Wildcats (9-4, 2-0) have started 2-0 in league play with both wins coming on the road. Both teams have not played since Dec. 23.

Big East: Welcome to 2024

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STORRS – BIG EAST play in 2024 begins with three games on Tuesday evening. Eleven conference games were played in December. There are 99 to go.

No. 4 Connecticut hosts DePaul at Gampel Pavilion at 6:30 p.m. on FS1. The Huskies (11-2, 1-1) have won 22 of their last 23 games on campus. Guard Tristen Newton is averaging 16.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists. The Blue Demons (3-9, 0-1) are coming off a 70-58 victory over Chicago State. DePaul is third in the BIG EAST in 3-point shooting, making 35.0 percent.

Creighton travels to Georgetown for a 7 p.m. ET tip on CBSSN. The Bluejays (9-4, 0-2 BIG EAST) are looking for their first conference win after a five-point loss at Marquette on Saturday. The Hoyas (7-6, 0-2) are also in search of their first league victory. Georgetown has been idle since Dec. 22 when it also lost at Marquette. Guard Jayden Epps leads the Hoyas in scoring (17.1) and assists (4.1). The Bluejays have taken 11 of the last 14 games in the series.

The action on FS1 continues at 8:30 p.m. when St. John’s hosts Butler at Carnesecca Arena. The Red Storm (9-4, 1-1) have won seven of their last nine games and are 4-0 at Carnesecca, winning each game by at least 15 points. The Bulldogs (10-2, 1-0) are led by Pierre Brooks II, who is fifth in the BIG EAST in scoring with a 16.8 average. Butler is second nationally in fewest fouls committed, averaging only 12.3 per game.

Big Day, Big East

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HARTFORD – Saturday’s BIG EAST action began with a thrilling overtime affair and ended with a hotly contested battle between two original league members before a raucous sellout crowd.

In the first game of the day, Providence guard Ticket Gaines hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left in regulation before the Friars (11-2, 2-0 BIG EAST) prevailed 85-75 in OT over Butler. PC’s Devon Carter scored 10 of his game-high 24 points in the extra period. The Friars got double-doubles from Josh O’Duro (18 pts., 12 rebs.) and Bryce Hopkins (14 pts., 13 rebs.). DJ Davis led Butler (10-3, 1-1) with 22 points. Pierce Brooks had 20. The Bulldogs committed only five turnovers.

Xavier used a 14-0 run in the second half to pull away from Seton Hall in a 74-54 victory. The Musketeers (7-6, 1-1) got a game-high 29 points and seven rebounds from

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 Ousmane (16 pts., 10 rebs.) and Dayvion McKnight (15 pts., 10 rebs.) contributed double-doubles. Dre Davis led the Pirates (8-5, 1-1) with 18 points. Kadary Richmond had 13 points and eight boards.

Villanova made it a 2-0 road trip with an 84-48 victory at DePaul. The Wildcats (9-4, 2-0) shot 55.1 percent from the field and built a 46-28 lead by halftime. Hakim Hart came off the bench to post a game-high 20 points. Eric Dixon added 12 points. The Blue Demons (2-9, 0-1) got 11 points each from Chico Carter Jr., Da’Sean Nelson and Jaden Henley.

Fifth-ranked Connecticut and St. John’s engaged in an intense BIG EAST battle at a sold-out XL Center. The Huskies (11-2, 1-1) managed to score eight of the game’s final 10 points and win 69-65. Samson Johnson scored a career-high 16 points. Tristen Newton made all-around contributions with 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists. St. John’s Joel Soriano had his eighth double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Daniss Jenkins added 13 points and four assists.

The BIG EAST holiday break is a little longer than usual this year. Games do not resume until Dec. 30.

UConn 10-1 After Win at Gonzaga

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SEATTLE – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Fifth-ranked Connecticut travelled to Seattle to face 10th-ranked Gonzaga and impressed all with a 76-63 victory late Friday night. Earlier in the evening, Butler won its sixth straight by cruising past Saginaw Valley State 96-70.

UConn (10-1) got out of the gate quickly and held the lead throughout the contest. The Huskies shot 55.8 percent from the floor for the game and held Gonzaga to 30 percent shooting in the second half. Donovan Clingan led the way with 21 points and eight rebounds. Cam Spencer added 15 points. The win was UConn’s second over a top-10 team this season.

Butler opened its game with a 17-2 run and enjoyed a comfortable lead throughout the contest. Freshman Finley Bizjack took advantage of added playing time and scored a team-high 17 points. He is the 10thBulldog to score in double figures this season. Leading scorer Pierre Brooks II (16.8) scored 15 points in 20 minutes of playing time.

Butler starts BIG EAST competition Tuesday at home against Georgetown while UConn opens at Seton Hall on Wednesday.

Big East: Georgetown, The Hall Win

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WASHINGTON DC – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Seton Hall and Georgetown gained home court victories on Tuesday against non-league foes. Creighton is the only BIG EAST team in action on Wednesday.

Seton Hall used a 17-0 run in the first half to grab a double-digit lead against Monmouth, then held off rally attempts in the second half and recorded a 70-61 victory. Freshman Isaiah Coleman came off the bench to score a team-high 17 points. Jaden Bediako added 11 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.

Georgetown was without guard Jayden Epps, the BIG EAST’s second leading scorer (19.1), due to illness, but the Hoyas (6-4) clamped down defensively on Coppin State in a 71-54 win. GU held the visitors to only 14 points in the first half. Dontrez Styles scored a game-high 19 points and Rowan Brumbaugh added 14 points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists.

Creighton travels to Henderson, Nev., to play UNLV in the Jack Jones Classic. The Bluejays (8-1), ranked eighth in the AP poll this week, have held opponents to 63.4 points per game and have allowed only 39 3-point baskets in their nine games. CBS Sports Network will televise the game at 9 p.m. ET.

Thursday’s schedule also shows just one game. No. 7 Marquette hosts St. Thomas (Minn.) at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.

Big East: ‘Nova Beats UNC, 83-81

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NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS – Behind a monster performance by Eric Dixon, Villanova defeated No. 14 North Carolina 83-81 in overtime in the second round of the Battle 4 Atlantis on Thanksgiving Day. Butler, Creighton and Seton Hall lost their Turkey Day battles.

Dixon poured in a career-high 34 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to pace the Wildcats (5-1). Justin Moore added 16 points – all after halftime – and put Villanova ahead to stay 76-74 with a 3-point play with 2:08 left in OT. Dixon has 53 points in the first two games of the tournament.

Butler got off to a slow start against No. 19 Florida Atlantic in the first round of the ESPN Events International, but made it a battle until the end, dropping a 91-86 decision. The Bulldogs (3-2) cut a double-digit deficit to one on a 4-point play by Posh Alexander, which made the score 78-77 with 4:40 remaining. Jahmyl Telfort led five Bulldogs in double figures with 19 points.

The usually efficient Creighton offense struggled against undefeated Colorado State in a 69-48 loss in the title game of the Hall of Fame Classic. The Bluejays (5-1) shot 22.9 percent from the field in the first half and trailed 27-19 at the break. Baylor Scheierman scored a team high 13 points.

Seton Hall slashed a 20-point deficit to three, but could not complete the comeback in a 71-63 loss against No. 23 USC in the Rady’s Children’s Invitational. The Pirates (4-1) were led by Kadary Richmond, who finished with 18 points and six rebounds.

On a six-game Black Friday slate, Villanova plays for its third Battle 4 Atlantis title when it meets Memphis at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Butler takes on Penn State at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+. Seton Hall meets Iowa at 6 p.m. on FOX.

Three BIG EAST teams return to non-tournament play. Xavier hosts Bryant at noon followed by Manhattan at UConn at 2 p.m. FS1 will telecast both games. At 7 p.m., Lehigh plays at Providence on FS2.