BIG EAST NOTES: Conference season hits halfway point

As teams approach the midpoint of the BIG EAST season, each team is looking to differentiate themselves from the six teams within 2.5 games of each other. Here is where each team stands:

VILLANOVA WILDCATS (19-1, 6-1 BIG EAST)

The No. 1 Villanova Wildcats will enter an 11-game, five-week stretch without one of its key contributors, forward Phil Booth, who fractured his hand against Providence last Tuesday.

“Phil Booth is a huge loss,” Villanova head coach Jay Wright said. “It’s not just his shooting and his defense, but he’s really the most well-respected, loved guy on our team.