Lots of different teams with lots to play for this week around the league.
Well, I have to say that it definitely seems like things have stabilized in terms of the schedule and COVID stoppages. Is this because teams just aren’t testing if you don’t have symptoms? Is this because the omicron variant has already ripped through everyone that it’s going to rip through? Is there some mystery third reason I can’t think of at the moment?
Maybe all three! But the point is that we can feel pretty comfortable that all 11 games scheduled for this week are going to get played as expected.
Let’s get into the highlights of the week ahead!
Tuesday, January 11: #23 Providence Friars at Creighton Bluejays (8pm Central, FS1) — The Friars dropped in Monday’s AP poll because they got positively shelled by Marquette last Tuesday. This is their first road game since then with a home win over St. John’s in the middle, and they’ll be facing a Jays squad with something to prove. Greg McDermott’s squad followed up their double-overtime win over Marquette by getting wrecked by 34 by Villanova up in Philly. They’re definitely going to want to get back on the horse with a home win, particularly over a ranked opponent.
Wednesday, January 12: #14 Villanova Wildcats at #17 Xavier Musketeers (5:30pm Central, FS1) — If I have to explain to you why the only game between two top 25 teams in the league this week is on the list of highlights, you’re probably bad at being a college basketball fan.
Wednesday, January 12: RV DePaul Blue Demons at Marquette Golden Eagles (7pm Central, FloHoops) — At 2-2 in Big East play with two straight losses, the Golden Eagles really don’t want to take on a third one. Both their spot in the conference standings and their NCAA tournament hopes would benefit from a win here. the fact that DePaul is in first place in the conference at 4-0 (ahead of UConn at 2-0) is almost secondary to the issue at hand. The Blue Demons, of course, would like nothing more but than to hand their I-94 rival that aforementioned third straight loss.
Saturday, January 15: #20 Seton Hall Pirates at Marquette Golden Eagles (11am Central, FS1) — Both of these teams have to get past DePaul this week with MU hosting them on Tuesday and Seton Hall visiting them on Thursday. But after that, presuming they both win, this shapes up to be a big one for both sides. Seton Hall could definitely benefit from a road win over a team on a hot streak, because who couldn’t? Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles could be trying to run a win streak to four straight to move above .500 in the Big East and knock off a ranked team for the second straight week. Or maybe one team or the other will be trying to shake off a loss to DePaul!
Saturday, January 15: RV Connecticut Huskies at #23 Providence Friars (1pm Central, FS1) — It’s a game between a team trying to get back into the AP top 25 and a team trying to hold on to their top 25 spot. The storyline writes itself, and that’s before I point out that PC won in Hartford back on December 18th, 57-53.
Sunday, January 16: Villanova Wildcats at Marquette Golden Eagles (1pm Central, CBS Sports Network) — Look, let’s be honest about it: It’s a rare opportunity to watch Megan Duffy’s squad on national television or at all given the FloSports streaming deal. Marquette might really need a win here after the DePaul game on Wednesday, too.
Sunday, January 16: Georgetown Hoyas at St. John’s Red Storm (3:30pm Central, Fox) — Look, I don’t think this is a highlight for the week, and you don’t think this is a highlight for the week. BUT Fox is putting this game on DIRECTLY after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Philadelphia Eagles playoff game on Sunday, and this game was picked intentionally to be programmed directly paired with the playoff game, so it’s obviously a big highlight for someone.
Here’s the whole men’s basketball schedule for the week!