Well, not quite halfway. By the time this week is over, I think everyone will have played nine league games, and that is the halfway point. We've got two one-loss teams and one one-win team, and everyone else is smashed all together in the middle.
Wednesday, January 29: Butler at Seton Hall (8pm Central, Fox Sports 1) - Did you realize that Seton Hall has the same league record as Marquette right now? Let's see if the Pirates can prove something against Butler. I don't know if SHU has post-season potential in them, but you can't afford to cough up home games if you want to have a chance.
Thursday, January 30: Providence at Marquette (6pm Central, Fox Sports 1) - I repeat that home game item from BU-SHU. This is also a big game for the Friars, as they're assembling a quality postseason profile and a road win over MU would do them a world of good. I would be derelict in my duties if I didn't point out that the last time Providence came to the Bradley Center was The Bat Game.
Saturday, February 1: Georgetown vs #7/#6 Michigan State (2pm Central, Fox Sports 1) - BOY, HOWDY, this going to be a game. This is, of course, the second half of Fox Sports 1's Super Bowl Saturday basketball doubleheader from Madison Square Garden, with Marquette-St. John's occupying the opening bout. This game qualifies as exhibit #5,234,865,235 that Tom Izzo will play anyone, anywhere, at any time. This game will cap off a week of hosting Michigan and going to Iowa for the Spartans. Meanwhile, Georgetown has lost their last five games, and six of the last seven. Welp.
Big East Women's Basketball Game of the Week
Wednesday, January 29: Marquette at DePaul (7pm Central) - Two of the top four teams in the conference right now, and DePaul was the preseason league favorite. If you're paying attention to Charlie Creme's Bracketology, DePaul is one of the two Big East teams in the NCAA tournament field right now. A win by Marquette could move them close to the field of 64, and a win by DePaul will help them cement their spot
The Worst American Athletic Conference Game of the Week
Wednesday, January 29: Rutgers (8-12, 2-5) at Temple (5-13, 0-7) (6pm Central, ESPN News) - Is it just me or is it hilarious that these games keep being on ESPN News? Here's the question: Is it funnier that the AAC keeps getting dumped out on ESPN News, or is it funnier that ESPN is abandoning the "SportsCenter all the time" format for ESPN News so they can show horrible AAC basketball games?