No. 2 UConn is on its best winning streak (15) since the 1994-95 season. Yet the Huskies still only remain one game ahead of St. John’s, now ranked 25th in this week’s AP Poll.
Weekly Awards
Player of Week: Finley Bizjack, guard, Butler (26 ppg, 3 rpg, 3 apg, 1 spg, 54.2 FG%, 46.7 3P%, 90.5 FT% in two games)
While stats favor Xavier forward Tre Carroll, the Musketeers dropped a home game to St. John’s. Butler, on the other hand, is riding into this week with a three-game winning streak. Bizjack was second in the Big East in scoring post-UConn’s winter break (Carroll averaged 30 points in two games). In the last three games, the third-year guard out of Trophy Club, Texas, has scored at least 24 points in each contest. That includes a 28-point game on Friday against Marquette, with the Bulldogs coming out on top 87-76. Every game since Dec. 22 has seen Bizjack score 10 points or more.
Freshman of Winter Break: Azavier Robinson, guard, Butler (10.5 ppg, 4.5 apg, 2 rpg, 3.5 spg, 50 FG%, 50 3P%, 66.7 FT% in two games)
Butler sweeps both awards this week, but Marquette’s Nigel James Jr. would have easily been the pick had last Monday’s game been included. Robinson is not getting enough love for the week he had. His defensive presence makes him seem like a seasoned player, not a freshman. He notched at least three steals in both games in the past week and serves as an underrated point guard in the Big East, with at least four assists in the last three games. His minutes have gone up significantly since the beginning of the calendar year, and he has hit the double-figure scoring clip twice in the last three games. Do not overlook this guy — he is legit.
Best game during winter break
Creighton sweeps Xavier on Swartz game-winner, 94-93
On Dec. 17, Creighton blew out Xavier in Cincinnati, 98-57. At a place as difficult as the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb., you would think the same result would happen. Not exactly. Iowa transfer guard Josh Dix led the way with 19 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field, but it was Miami (Fla.) transfer Austin Swartz who was the hero on Wednesday night. Swartz, who finished the game with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, missed the game-tying free throw, got his own rebound and hit a bank shot to put Creighton in front with one second left. Carroll had 29 points for Xavier, while Filip Borovicanin flirted with a triple-double with 16 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. In the end, Creighton separated itself from being a team in the middle of the pack in the Big East.
Best games this week (outside of No. 2 UConn at Creighton)
Creighton at Marquette (9:30 p.m., TNT/truTV/HBO Max)
Marquette may be in the middle of a down year after being one of the top Big East teams in the 2020s, but the talent potential on that team cannot be denied. Nigel James Jr. is a lock for Big East Freshman of the Year, while Chase Ross serves as one of the premier veterans in the conference. For Creighton, this is yet another chance for the Bluejays to create more separation ahead of a massive home game against UConn.
Butler at No. 25 St. John’s (Wednesday, 7 p.m., Peacock/NBC Sports Network)
According to Bracket Matrix, Butler is on the outside of the bubble looking in for the NCAA Tournament, appearing in just one bracketology out of the 82 tracked by the site. On Wednesday night, the Bulldogs have a huge opportunity to improve their tournament resumé with a trip to the Big Apple to take on St. John’s. Bizjack and Robinson have to be excellent against the Red Storm if Butler is to make some noise in late January.
DePaul at Xavier (Saturday, 1 p.m., FS1)
Barring a miracle, both DePaul and Xavier are expected to miss the NCAA Tournament this season. However, with both Chris Holtmann and Richard Pitino looking to build on the momentum established for their respective programs, Saturday afternoon could be a pivotal moment in terms of the direction of both programs.