Nothing but conference games, as far as the eye can see, for both men’s and women’s basketball
We are officially over the wall into conference play for the Big East now. 10 women’s basketball games this week, all league games. 10 men’s basketball games this week, all league games. That makes them all consequential one way or another as wind our way towards March, but as always, some games have a tiny bit more juice than others. Let’s get to the ones with the extra juice, shall we?
Tuesday, December 31: RV St. John’s Red Storm at Creighton Bluejays (3pm Central, Peacock) — Okay, St. John’s. You want to prove you’re a Big Boy team this year? You thumped DePaul and had to rally from down big and win on a buzzer beater to get past Providence. Show us something. Go to Creighton and kick the Bluejays while they’re down. Same goes for Creighton, to be honest. Want to prove you’ve got signs of life without Pop Isaacs? Beat an NCAA tournament caliber STJ team in your barn.
Wednesday, January 1: #7 Connecticut Huskies at Marquette Golden Eagles (1pm Central, SNY/Fox Sports app) — No, I am not here to tell you about how much of a shot that Cara Consuegra’s squad has to beat the top 10 ranked Huskies at the McGuire Center, although this is a game between two of the five teams that are still unbeaten in Big East play right now. This is here because it is a personal highlight for me: I’m going to be at the game and I will get to see Paige Bueckers play in person for the first time.
Wednesday, January 1: Seton Hall Pirates at Villanova Wildcats (7:30pm Central, FS1) — This is two more of the still unbeaten women’s basketball teams, with the 2-0 Pirates going to the 1-0 Wildcats for a national TV audience on FS1. Both teams could use the win over the other as validation and/or proof of concept about where their season is going.
Friday, January 3: Xavier Musketeers at Georgetown Hoyas (7pm Central, CBS Sports Network) — Friends, I am here to tell you that Georgetown men’s basketball is 2-0 in Big East play for the first time since 2015-16. Now, it hasn’t been a picnic, as they followed up punting Creighton into the Potomac by barely escaping from The Rock with a one point win since Seton Hall went on a 10-0 run to close the game. But 2-0 is 2-0 and they’re hosting an Xavier team that has lost five of their last seven heading into the week and a Tuesday home game with Seton Hall. If Georgetown wants to be a team in the top half of the league this season, they win this game.
Saturday, January 4: DePaul Blue Demons at Villanova Wildcats (11am Central, FS1) — DePaul has lost every game against a high major/top 100 team that they’ve played coming into the week. They host UConn on New Year’s Day, and we’re going to write that one off as a tell-tale sign for their season. Let’s be honest: A win there would be a wild upset. But a win here, going to Finneran Pavilion, a place that Big East teams have historically struggled, tangling with a Villanova team that clearly has flaws that can be exploited by a smart, coherent basketball team…. well, that’s a spot where Chris Holtmann’s team can actually show that they’ve got signs of life this year.
Here’s the full men’s basketball schedule for the week, with all times Central as always.
Here’s the full women’s basketball schedule for the week, with all times Central, as always.