Player of the Week
James Bouknight (UConn)
Forty Points. That’s what Bouknight scored in UConn’s first Big East battle of the year against Creighton. The 6-foot-6, 190-pound sophomore is averaging 24 points per game, the best in the Big East. His 40-point performance carried the Huskies the entire game, especially since the team shot 35% from the field. UConn wins this game easily if they make their free throws at the end of the game. Creighton, ranked ninth in the nation, struggled to guard Bouknight the entire game. Having the ability to score all around the court with ease will allow Bouknight to become a lottery pick in the 2021 NBA draft.
Who’s Hot
Villanova
Ever since the Wildcats lost to Virginia Tech, they have been able to string together five straight wins. They dominated their last two games, overcoming Butler by 19 points and winning the Holy War by 20 points. Villanova continues to score from inside and out with 10 players averaging double figures. Cole Swider has been a great scoring threat to come off the bench for the Wildcats. It is also notable to mention that Villanova is currently without Bryan Antoine and Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree who are both dealing with injuries.
Providence
Not matter how outmatched Ed Cooley’s team is they never lack enthusiasm and fight. After getting blown out by Alabama they have been able to win three straight games. Their last game on the road against Seton Hall was their most impressive win all season. They shot 50% from the three and played great down the stretch. Offensively they are led by the efforts of star guard David Duke and center Nate Watson who are both averaging 19 points per game.
Who’s Not
Butler
The Bulldogs have seen the worst consequences from COVID-19 this season with three games already being postponed. They now have lost three straight games, most recently to Southern Illinois. Aaron Thompson, Butler’s best player, suffered an injury at practice and hasn’t played in the past two games. This is still not an excuse for Butler’s performance. Jair Bolden is the only other player on Butler averaging more than 10 points per game alongside Thompson. They’ll need someone else to step it up or else they will be in for a rude awakening with conference play starting.
Marquette
By far the most inconsistent team in the Big East, Marquette has won against two top 10 teams, but also has lost to several unranked teams. They now have lost two straight to Seton Hall and Xavier. Marquette will be a contender for the Big East championship this season, they just need more from their bench. Justin Lewis has proved to be the only player providing valuable minutes off Marquette’s bench. Their starting roster must be prepared to play the majority of the game for them to win this season.
Top Five Guards (Other than James Bouknight)
#5 Paul Scruggs (Xavier)
Without the efforts of Scruggs, Xavier would not be off to an 8-0 start. In the Musketeers last game against Marquette, he was able to score 29 points. Scruggs averages 7 assists and 16.4 points per game. He is a great leader for Xavier providing offensively and defensively. Scruggs can be inconsistent at times, but recently has caught fire scoring 20+ points in his last three games.
#4 DJ Carton (Marquette)
Get to know his name. Carton was the player of the week last week and he is proving to be one of the best guards in the Big East. Marquette has lost two straight, but Carton played well in both of those loses. He’s averaging 16 points per game in the past four games. He’ll have to step it up for Marquette every game this season if he wants to help his team reach the conference championship.
#3 Marcus Zegarowski (Creighton)
Zegarowski returns for his third season with the Blue Jays. He leads the team in assists averaging 5.4 assists per game and he is second in scoring. He did struggle in his last game against UConn, shooting 1-8 from the three as well as turning the ball over five times. Overall, he’s great at initiating Creighton’s offense and keeps his teammates involved. If he can cut down on turnovers and improve his defense, he will help Creighton make a run in March Madness.
#2 Collin Gillespie (Villanova)
Jay Wright has created a culture for talented guards at Villanova. Recently it has been Ryan Arcidiacono and Jalen Brunson. It’s now Gillespie’s turn to lead Villanova to another national championship. Although he is smaller than Brunson and Arcidiacono, he still plays with the same physicality. Gillespie is shooting 42% from three this season but is only shooting 42.4% from the field. He needs to work on hitting his shots from midrange as well as finishing around the rim.
#1 David Duke (Providence)
If James Bouknight doesn’t drop 40 points, Duke would have been the player of the week. Duke is coming off a double-double performance in a big win over Marquette. He had 18 points and 10 rebounds. That’s right, 10 rebounds. Standing at 6’5, Duke is an athletic guard who has a solid midrange jumper. He can easily be a first-round draft pick with his elite skillset.