DePaul Set to Open BIG EAST Tournament Friday vs. Providence

Friday, March 6

Uncasville, Conn.

12:30 P.M. CT

DePaul University

Providence

DePaul Set to Open BIG EAST Tournament Friday vs. Providence

3/5/2026 2:52:00 PM | WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Watch (Peacock)Live Stats Media Center Tournament Central

No. 10 Blue Demons meet No. 7 Friars for fourth BIG EAST Tournament meeting all-time

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – DePaul women's basketball is set to begin play at the 2026 BIG EAST Tournament on Friday, March 6, in a first-round matchup with Providence. Tipoff from Mohegan Sun Arena is set for 12:30 p.m. CT with John Fanta, Kim Adams and Caroline Pineda handling the call on Peacock and NBC Sports Network.

Demon Doings
10th-seeded DePaul enters postseason play having won two of its last three games for an 8-23 overall record, including a 5-15 mark in BIG EAST action.

Last time out, redshirt-freshman Ally Timm scored 20 points on 6-for-10 shooting from deep to give DePaul its first road win of the season, a 59-54 victory over Georgetown that completed the season sweep of the Hoyas. Junior guard Kate Novik notched her fifth double-double of the season in the win against Georgetown with 13 points and 10 rebounds while matching her career high with four blocks. DePaul's defense held the Hoyas to 54 points, the lowest scoring total by a BIG EAST opponent against the Blue Demons this season.

Novik was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team Thursday, while graduate forward Meg Newman earned the conference's Sportsmanship Award. DePaul players have earned a collective 52 All-BIG EAST certificates, while Newman becomes the eighth Blue Demon to receive the sportsmanship honor and the first since 2020. For the season, Novik leads the Blue Demons with 12.1 points per game to go with 6.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

The Blue Demons lead the BIG EAST in offensive rebounds with 14.1 per game and have recorded 16 games with 15 or more offensive boards this season. DePaul has capitalized on those second-effort opportunities, averaging 11.5 second-chance points per game.

Scouting Providence
Providence has lost three in a row since defeating DePaul on Feb. 18 and enters Friday's first-round matchup at 14-17 overall and 7-13 in BIG EAST play. The Friars fell 69-65 to Marquette in the regular-season finale on March 1.

All-BIG EAST First Team selection Sabou Gueye averaged a team-best 15.9 points per game in conference play, a figure that ranked fourth among all players. Providence, the No. 7 seed, ranks second in the league in rebounds at 36.7 per game. Erin Batth is in her third season as head coach.

Series Stuff
DePaul holds a 31-8 advantage in the all-time series, including a 3-0 mark in BIG EAST Tournament meetings. The Friars have won three in a row in the series and four of the last six games. The Blue Demons are 1-2 all-time in neutral-site games against Providence.

On Jan. 4, Providence earned a 69-59 victory at Wintrust Arena, handing DePaul its first home loss in the series. The Blue Demons led by 11 at halftime before being held to 16 second-half points. The Friars placed four players in double figures, led by Gueye's game-high 17 points. Freshman guard Gina Davorija scored a career-high 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting.

In the second matchup on Feb. 18, a second-quarter scoring drought in which DePaul scored just nine points proved costly in a 66-60 setback in Rhode Island. Novik had a season-high 23 points to go with five rebounds and five assists to lead DePaul, while the Blue Demons matched a season high with 45 rebounds. Struggles from the free-throw line proved costly as DePaul went 10-for-23 at the stripe. Orlagh Gormley led three Friars in double figures with a team-high 18 points.

BIG EAST Tournament History
Heading into its 21st BIG EAST Tournament, DePaul is 27-15 all-time, including a 19-7 mark since the league reconfigured ahead of the 2013-14 season. The Blue Demons are the No. 10 seed for just the third time (2007, 2024) and own a 5-1 record against the No. 7 seed. Since the tournament moved to Mohegan Sun ahead of the 2021 tournament, DePaul is 1-5.

Up Next
The winner of Friday's first-round game will advance to face second-seeded Villanova on Saturday, March 7, at 6 p.m. CT. The quarterfinal matchup will be broadcast live on Peacock and NBC Sports Network.

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