I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, full of food, spending time with your family and most importantly, watching Big East basketball. Feast Week did not disappoint, with Marquette proving they are one of the best teams in the country and Creighton getting blown out in a shocking loss to Colorado State.
In one of college basketball’s best weeks, this edition of Big East Baller Update will highlight the most impressive performances and games from last Monday to this past Sunday.
Player of the Week: Eric Dixon, F, Villanova (21.3 PPG, 8 RPG, 52.5 FG%, 41.6 3PT% in 3 games)
Eric Dixon has looked like Villanova’s best player to begin the season, averaging 14 points and 7.6 rebounds per game on 47.8% shooting from the floor. On their run to winning the Battle 4 Atlantis, the senior forward shined in all three games. In the team’s semifinal game against No. 14 North Carolina, Dixon put up a 34-point, 10-rebound double-double on good volume in his percentages. He proved he can be a threat anywhere on offense, from the paint to the 3-point line.
Freshman of the Week: Isaiah Coleman, G, Seton Hall (5 PPG, 3 RPG, 1.5 APG, 2.5 SPG in 2 games)
Coleman earned back-to-back weeks of the award due to his impact coming off the bench. Despite the Pirates going 0-2 at the Rady Children’s Invitational against No. 23 USC and Iowa, he was a force on the defensive end, putting up at least two steals in both games. His best performance came in the consolation game against Iowa, where he recorded eight points, five rebounds, two assists and an impressive three steals.
Top Games
No. 4 Marquette dominant in an upset win over No. 1 Kansas, 73-59
If you didn’t think Marquette was a Final Four caliber team before the Maui Invitational, your mind changed once you saw how unstoppable the Golden Eagles were against Kansas, the preseason No. 1 team in the country. Even though they have Tyler Kolek, the reigning Big East Player of the Year, Oso Ighodaro may be the team’s most valuable player. He had 21 points on 9-15 shooting, all from inside the arc, in addition to nine rebounds and two blocks. Kansas couldn’t find a consistent offense, especially from long-range. The Jayhawks shot 35.3% from downtown. Outside Kevin McCullar Jr., their guards did not produce as well as expected.
Villanova stuns No. 14 North Carolina in OT, 83-81
It was the first time Villanova and North Carolina faced each other since the iconic 2016 National Championship game. The Tar Heels sought revenge, but it would not be easy, as Villanova had never lost a game in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Dixon earned Big East Player of the Week honor after putting up an impressive 34-point double-double, but it wasn’t just him that helped the Wildcats advance to the championship game. Star guard Justin Moore, who missed most of last season due to injury, had 16 points on 5-11 shooting. For the Tar Heels, they only got production from their starters. Stanford transfer Harrison Ingram had 20 points on 4-5 3-point shooting but fouled out and could not play in overtime. Despite Armando Bacot grabbing 18 rebounds, he couldn’t find offensive production as he went 4-10 from the field.
No. 2 Purdue wins Maui Invitational over No. 4 Marquette, 78-75
Marquette seemed unstoppable in its shocking win over Kansas, but Matt Painter and the Boilermakers had a better approach as the two teams battled for the AP No. 1 ranking. Kolek was the star of this game with 22 points, seven rebounds, and six assists on 8-14 shootings. Ighodaro went into foul trouble early, exposing the Golden Eagles’ lack of depth up front. Despite that, the 6 foot 11 inches senior finished with 16 points, going 8-10 from the floor. Purdue took advantage of Marquette’s lack of size on the bench as reigning Wooden Award center Zach Edey had 28 points and 15 rebounds, leading his team to victory. Edey missed a free throw with seven seconds remaining, but Marquette guard Kam Jones couldn’t tie the game after a long-range shot did not fall.
Best Games this Week (This does not include UConn-Kansas, a top-5 matchup. Keep an eye out for the preview later this week!)
No. 6 Houston at Xavier (Friday, 6:30 p.m., FS1)
The Cougars, led by guard LJ Cryer, averaging 17 points per game, will head to the Cintas Center in Cincinnati to take on the Musketeers. Desmond Claude leads Xavier in points with 15.5 per game on just below 50% shooting. The home-court advantage should help head coach Sean Miller’s team, but it will take more than that to take down a top-10 opponent.
No. 3 Marquette at Wisconsin (Saturday, 12:30 p.m., FOX)
The two best teams in Wisconsin will face off in the Kohl Center on Saturday afternoon. For Wisconsin, it will be a familiar guard leading the Badgers. AJ Storr, who averages 13.3 points per game, was on St. John’s roster last season. Wisconsin has won three of the last four meetings, including back-to-back meetings. This rivalry usually lives up to the hype, as three of the previous five meetings came down to either overtime or one possession.
No. 15 Creighton at Nebraska (Sunday, 4 p.m., FS1)
Nebraska shocked the Bluejays in Omaha last season by 10 points. It was the Cornhuskers’ first win over Creighton since 2018 and the first win in Omaha since the 2004 NIT. The Bluejays have a blemish on their record with a shocking loss to Colorado State. On the other hand, Nebraska is undefeated. The Cornhuskers aren’t known as a strong basketball team, but they can prove things are finally turning around if they can get back-to-back wins over their in-state rival. They will need to rely on forward Rienk Mast, who currently averages a double-double.