The Big East race has become clear: St. John’s is the favorite to be crowned the regular season champions for the first time since 1992. The Johnnies have only won the title outright once, during the 1984-85 season behind All-Big East efforts from Walter Berry and Bill Wennington.
If that happens, Rick Pitino could accomplish something he has never done in his career: win the Big East Coach of the Year award. Despite successful tenures at Providence and Louisville, the Hall of Famer has never been the best coach in the league in any given season. It would also be the third time he has led a team to a Big East regular season title, with Louisville winning in 2009 and 2013.
In other news, Creighton fell out of the AP Top 25 after going 0-2 in a crucial week, hosting UConn and visiting St. John’s at Madison Square Garden.
This week’s edition of Big East Baller Update will feature the highs and lows of a crazy week in basketball’s premier conference.
Weekly Awards
Player of the Week: Zach Freemantle, F, Xavier (21 ppg, 9 rpg, 53.8 FG%, 57.1 3P%, 90.9 FT% in two games)
Freemantle helped Xavier have a successful week as they climbed up the Big East standings. In a 91-82 victory at Providence on Wednesday, Freemantle had the most complete game with 23 points and nine rebounds, which complemented Dante Maddox Jr.’s 26-point outing. Following that performance in Rhode Island’s capital city, the Musketeers returned home and blew DePaul out of Cincinnati, Ohio thanks to a 19-point, nine-rebound effort from their star forward. He was efficient from the field, shooting 61.5% on effective field goals and 68.1% on true shooting. According to CBB Analytics, he averaged 31 points per 40 minutes.
Freshman of the Week: Liam McNeeley, F, UConn (24.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 2 apg, 47.2 FG%, 46.2 3P%, 90 FT%)
McNeeley had the best outing of his career, scoring 38 points and grabbing 10 rebounds to set a program record for most points by a freshman in a league game. He carried the Huskies to a massive road win over No. 24 Creighton. McNeeley was not as impactful at Seton Hall. He scored 11 points and brought down nine boards in a heartbreaking overtime loss at Seton Hall. Had UConn won on Saturday, you could argue that he could have won both weekly honors.
Best games of the past week (excluding UConn at Seton Hall)
No. 9 St. John’s falls at Villanova on Perkins game-winner, 73-71
In front of a sold-out Finneran Pavilion on Villanova University’s campus, St. John’s looked to extend its 10-game win streak in Big East play. After trailing by 11 points in the second half, Simeon Wilcher hit his third 3-pointer to put the Red Storm up 71-70 with 27.3 seconds remaining. Tyler Perkins knocked down his fourth 3-pointer from the right wing with just over nine seconds to go. St. John’s had four players score 10 points or more, including Aaron Scott dropping 22 points and Kadary Richmond’s double-double of 17 points and 10 assists. That was not enough, however, for big nights out of Wooga Poplar (22 points) and Eric Dixon (17 points).
No. 9 St. John’s goes up two games in Big East standings, defeats No. 24 Creighton 79-73
St. John’s bounced back with a huge win at the World’s Most Famous Arena, defeating Creighton to hand them back-to-back losses this past week. RJ Luis Jr. proved why he is in the race for Big East Player of the Year, scoring 23 points and recording 14 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season. The Johnnies nearly had three players with double-doubles, as Richmond finished with 19 points and 10 boards and Zuby Ejiofor had 18 points and nine rebounds. Ryan Kalkbrenner suffered an injury in the second half but returned with 3:47 remaining.
Best games of the week (excluding both UConn games)
Butler at Xavier (8 p.m., Peacock)
Butler and Xavier are both trending in the right direction. Two of the Big East’s best players in the last week will go head-to-head at the Cintas Center on Tuesday night. Freemantle was already highlighted, but Pierre Brooks II had the best outing scoring-wise of any player in the conference. The senior forward scored a career-high 30 points as they beat Georgetown 97-86. Butler comes into the game riding on a three-game winning streak and can get their overall record back to .500 with a road win.
No. 16 Marquette at Villanova (Friday, 7 p.m., FS1)
Two elite scorers go head-to-head on Friday night as Dixon and the Wildcats host Kam Jones (19.2 ppg) and Marquette. The Golden Eagles won the first matchup in Milwaukee, 87-74 but have lost three of their last four games. They will have a hopeful tune-up game against Seton Hall late Tuesday night to prepare for a feisty Villanova squad.