![]() ![]() It's also a rematch of the Big East Tournament semifinals. On the other side, the Huskies enter a crucial season after another disappointing March, and this early-season conference matchup at the XL Center could serve as a launching pad for the campaign. Now, it's Kyle Neptune on the sideline leading the Cats, who could very well be a top-15 team in the country again. When the Wildcats and Huskies met last year in Hartford, UConn overcame a Dan Hurley ejection and four-point deficit with 21 seconds left to shock Jay Wright and Villanova. This will be a very anticipated matchup off the holiday break. Upset-minded DePaul enters year two under Tony Stubblefield. It provides one of many national spotlight opportunities for the Bluejays, who are the consensus front-runner in the Big East heading into the season and could very well be a top-10 team in the country. © 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc.This game will follow the Christmas Day showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins from Hard Rock Stadium at 1 p.m. The Wildcats answered, as they always do - and as they have since the moment the new Big East was formed nine years ago. Wright used two timeouts in the span of 2:41. ![]() He had a huge three off the dribble out of that timeout going to his left hand, and that’s an All-American play.”Ĭreighton held a four-point edge with 5:25 left, on the strength of an 18-6 run powered by Kalkbrenner. “We wanted to try to make him make shots off the dribble. “At the end we got Gillespied,” Creighton coach Greg McDermott said. The Bluejays have reached the title game four times, but have yet to win it all. ![]() Kalkbrenner led Creighton (22-11) with 19 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Gillespie finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Moore added 16 points and six rebounds. And now Villanova (26-7) could wind up with a two-seed in the NCAA Tournament’s East Region, and a chance to play at home at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on the second weekend.ģ Collin Gillespie, who scored eight of the 10 final Wildcats’ points, drives to the basket during Villanova’s 54-48 win over Creighton in the Big East Tournament final. Gillespie and Moore executed, and delivered. Young Creighton, which started two freshmen and a sophomore, missed 11 of its last 12 shots. “That’s why you win championships, when you’ve got two guards like this,” Wright said.ĭown the stretch, all that experience and championship muscle memory shone through. Gillespie’s back-to-back 3-pointers, both over the outstretched arms of Creighton’s 7-foot-1 center, Ryan Kalkbrenner, closed an 11-2 run, turning a four-point deficit into a five-point lead with 2:04 remaining.Ĭreighton got within two with 37.5 seconds left after two Trey Alexander free throws, but Justin Moore scored inside, and the Wildcats held the Bluejays without a field goal for the final 3:49. “Playing this game is awesome, but doing it here, with these fans, and at this storied arena, it’s just off the charts.”ģ Villanova players celebrate after their victory over Creighton in the Big East Tournament final. “There’s nothing like this,” Wright said. Collin Gillespie - the Big East Player of the Year, this tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, the accomplished fifth-year senior who has improved so much in his five years at Villanova - led the way in the 54-48 triumph at the Garden, scoring eight of the Wildcats’ final 10 points in the final 2:44. John’s, Connecticut and on Saturday night, Creighton. Second-seeded Villanova found a way each night, edging St. The road this time was challenging, with three tight games and doubts along the way. On the four occasions that didn’t happen, they won the regular season crown. Saturday night, for the fifth time since the league was realigned, the Wildcats and their fans celebrated a Big East Tournament title. Jay Wright’s team still owns the conference. The conference hierarchy is still Villanova … followed by everyone else. Nothing has changed in nine years - despite the addition of Connecticut, despite the loaded state of the Big East this year. Xavier cruises into Big East Tournament final Marquette wins its first Big East Tournament title ![]()
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