Player of the Week
Devin Carter (Providence)
Despite Providence’s three-game losing streak, Devin Carter has been playing some of his best basketball of the year as of late. Carter has reached 20+ points in four out of his last five games, including a 31-point performance against St John’s on Wednesday. Carter also added 13 rebounds and four steals in that game and shot 57.9 percent from the field. Against Creighton on Saturday, the junior guard added 25 points and 10 rebounds on 50 percent from the field. Carter’s ability to score at a high rate while being a monster on the boards to give his team extra possessions makes him integral for a Providence team, particularly in the rebounding category. The Miami, Florida, native is averaging 17.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists on the year thus far.
Who’s Hot
Seton Hall Pirates
Seton Hall has been proving its a team to watch as a darkhorse in the Big East this season, starting 4-1 in conference play and picking up three wins against ranked opponents. The Pirates are arguably the hottest team in the conference, winning six out of their last seven games — including victories over No. 5 UConn, No. 23 Providence and No. 7 Marquette. The impressive resume building wins will be sure to bode well for Seton Hall come March if it is unable to win the Big East. Sitting at 11-5 on the year, the Pirates are atop the conference standings, although there is plenty of basketball still to be played. Led by Kadary Richmond, who is averaging 15.9 points per game, Seton Hall will be riding a three-game win streak into its matchup against Butler in a tough road environment on Saturday.
Al-Amir Dawes (Seton Hall)
Al-Amir Dawes has been a spark for Seton Hall during its winning streak, scoring well above his 13.6 point average on the year. Amir Dawes scored 23 points in the victory over Marquette on Saturday, followed by a 25-point outing against Georgetown. In those two games, Amir Dawes averaged 65 percent shooting from the field. If the senior guard can continue to play at or close to this level, there’s no telling how far the Pirates can go in the Big East this year. The Newark, New Jersey, native looks like he’s beginning to find his footing in his second year with Seton Hall after transferring from Clemson.
Who’s Not
Marquette Golden Eagles
Its been a shaky start for Marqeutte to begin conference play and the new year. After being ranked inside the top five early in the season, the Golden Eagles have dropped back to No. 11, with it seeming they will fall further in the polls after dropping back-to-back games this week. Marquette has lost three out of its last five games, and sits at sixth in the Big East after a 2-3 start to conference play. After falling to Seton Hall on Saturday and Butler on Wednesday, the Golden Eagles will look to avoid a three-game losing streak against Villanova on Monday after having the holiday weekend off.
Chico Carter Jr. (Depaul)
Its been a rough year for Depaul, sitting at 3-12 overall and still searching for its first conference win. For Chico Carter Jr., its been a rough week. On Saturday against Georgetown, Carter Jr. shot just 30 percent from the field on 3-for-10 shooting. Before that game, Carter Jr. went 1-for-9 from the field, scoring just three points on 11.1 percent shooting. The shooting slump continued for the senior guard on Tuesday against Creighton, scoring four points on 2-of-10 shooting and a 20 percent mark from the field. Carter Jr. will need to get out of this slump and get his shooting form back on track if he wants to help the Blue Demons try and turn their season around before its too late.
Top 5 Highest Field Goal Percentages
UConn Huskies
As one of the top teams in the Big East, its no surprise UConn is atop the best shooting teams in the conference. With a mark of 50.7 percent from the field as a team, the Huskies average 29.9 made field goals per game.
Creighton Bluejays
Creighton is not far behind UConn, averaging 49.8 percent shooting from the field. The Bluejays average 29.4 made shots per game, averaging 80.8 points.
Butler Bulldogs
Although its been an up and down season for Butler, it currently sits at third in the conference in shooting, with a mark of 46.7 percent. The Bulldogs make 29.4 shots from the field per game this year.
St John’s Red Storm
St John’s has been shooting the ball and playing well under coach Rick Patino this year. The Red Storm average a 45.1 percentage from the field and put 29.4 shots in the back of the net per game.
Marquette Golden Eagles
Marqeutte sits at fifth in the Big East in shooting, averaging a 45.2 percentage this year. The Golden Eagles average 27.8 made field goals per game and will look to raise these numbers a bit amid their losing streak.