It’s a big week for the BIG EAST, as the first series of conference play opens this weekend. 

Another main matchup will feature the hottest team in the league, which is looking to make an early statement as one of the teams to beat for the regular-season title.

In addition to the lone league series, this marks the last weekend of nonconference games. Teams look to get things in order ahead of the league going full-on into conference matchups, starting next weekend.

Here’s a look at this week’s best matchups, headlined by the BIG EAST opener. Game times and dates are subject to change.

Georgetown Vs. Villanova

The first BIG EAST series of the season sees a pair of teams off to opposite starts during nonconference play. Georgetown is out to a 14-10 start, the third-best mark in the league, while Villanova brings up the rear, going just 4-19 thus far.

The Hoyas dropped a non-league game to rival Maryland on Tuesday, snapping a three-game winning streak, but had pitched well prior to that 10-7 loss, giving up six runs or fewer in the previous 11 games.

Ubaldo Lopez has led the way for the Hoyas at the dish this season, hitting .354 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs, all tops on the team, as are his six doubles and 17 walks.

Georgetown also has gotten strong starting pitching, with the trio of Jake Bloss, Andrew Williams and Cody Jensen all at 4.07 ERAs or lower in five or more starts.

That trio should give them a strong edge over a Villanova team that has struggled at the plate as a whole, hitting just .224 as a team and has no hitter batting over .300.

Villanova’s big threat at the dish is Cameron Hassert, who leads the team in all major categories with a .292 average, six home runs and 17 RBIs.

Pitching also has been a struggle for the Wildcats, who will enter the game with a team ERA over 8.00, including its four main starting pitchers all posting ERAs over 7.00.

Last season, at Georgetown, the Hoyas took 2-of-3 from the Wildcats, in three tightly contested games. This year's meeting also will be three games across three days.

St. John’s Vs. William & Mary

The hottest team in the BIG EAST, the Red Storm have surged over the past two-plus weeks, winning nine of their last 11 outings, and doing so in a variety of ways. 

They’ve won a pair of pitchers’ duels in their last two wins, but they also have four games in that span with 11 or more runs.

The key to the strong run and 16-7 start have been a team that might have the most depth in the league in its lineup. 

The Red Storm are batting .311 as a team, and they are doing so with a ton of gap power. 

The team boasts 10 hitters with three or more doubles on the season, and eight players are into double-digit RBIs.

Aaron Mann has been a machine in the early going, batting at a .429 clip and getting on base over 50% of the time.

While the offense has been fantastic, the pitching isn’t far behind, either, with closer Nick Cierelli dominating in the early going. He’s sitting at a 1.44 ERA, 2-0 record and three saves.

Starters Jos Mascio and Sonny Fauci also have pitched well in 11 starts between them, going 4-2 and combining for an ERA of under 4.00.

The Red Storm will need all their hitters and pitchers to be sharp this weekend against The Tribe, who come in at 15-11. William & Mary has been strong on its home field, where the Tribe have 11 wins.

The big challenge for St. John’s comes in the form of starter Nate Knowles, who already has made eight starts and has a 2.25 ERA over 28 innings of work. 

Zach Tsakounis is his partner in crime and boasts a 1.98 ERA in nine total appearances. 

Runs could be at a premium in this series, which will includes three games - one each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Northern Illinois Vs. Xavier

Xavier has been up and down this season, with pitching determining how the team fared most nights. They're now set for three games against Northern Illinois (Friday, Saturday, Sunday).

Recent wins over the Big 12’s West Virginia and Big 10’s Ohio State saw Xavier give up a combined four runs, while in the three losses prior to that pair of wins, the Musketeers gave up 31 combined runs.

Ethan Bosacker has been the dominant arm for Xavier, which will host Northern Illinois in a four-game set. Bosacker has a 2.83 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over six starts, while racking up 40 strikeouts in 35 innings of work.

Ethan Bosacker earns a spot on the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll!https://t.co/jM0QtrgGP6#LetsGoX

— Xavier Baseball (@XavierBASE) March 6, 2023

The Musketeers, as evidenced by their 12-12 record, have struggled to find depth on the hill and in the lineup, where four regulars are hitting .280 or better, but another three starters are hitting under .225. 

Andrew Walker paces the team at .327 and 21 RBIs, while also swiping 10 bags, half of the team’s total this season.

The Musketeers will be hoping this is a good tuneup for them ahead of BIG EAST play, as NIU comes in limping at 5-18 for the year, dropping 11 of their last 13 games.

Xavier should have a chance to straighten out the bats, with the Huskies struggling badly on the hill to the tune of an 8.15 team ERA. Just one Northern Illinois pitcher has thrown more than 10 innings, while posting an ERA under 5.00.