Updated BIG EAST Notes

With a mad dash of games before the Christmas break, a majority of BIG EAST teams will be in action this weekend.

Notre Dame will face No. 22/22 Texas A&M on Friday for the World Vision Classic tournament championship at 8:30 p.m. ET, in Las Vegas, Nev. Notre Dame will be playing its fourth ranked opponent of the season and tipping off a stretch where it will play three Top 25 opponents in its next four games.

On Thursday, Notre Dame topped Kansas State 87-57 in Las Vegas. Five players scored in double figures, including senior Skylar Diggins who netted a game-high 22 points. She shot 8-of-12 from the field and dished out eight assists.  The Irish shot 54-percent from the field and raced out to a 49-25 lead at halftime.

In the Steel City, junior Asia Logan had 26 points and sophomore Brianna Kiesel chipped in 23 as Pittsburgh (7-4) rolled to a 67-49 victory over Mount St. Mary's at the Petersen Events Center. With the win, Agnus Berenato picked up her 159th victory at Pitt to become the program's all-time winningest head coach. She passed Kirk Bruce (1985-1998) who compiled 158 wins for the Panthers.

Marquette (6-5) beat Dartmouth 70-52 at home. Junior Katherine Plouffe scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds. She also dished out five assists. Sophomore Arlesia Morse had a game-high 19 points.

Here is a full schedule of games Friday and Saturday before the holiday break.

Fri.     21      Belmont at Cincinnati                                       Noon

                        Caribbean Classic (Cancun, Mexico)

                   USF vs. Nevada                                              Noon

                   South Dakota State at Georgetown                     2:00 p.m.             

                   Stony Brook at Rutgers                                    4:00 p.m.             

                   Temple at Villanova                                         6:00 p.m.

                   Wagner at Louisville                                         7:00 p.m.

                   Washington State at Syracuse                           7:00 p.m.

                   Princeton at DePaul                                         8:00 p.m.

                        World Vision Classic (Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, Nev.)

                   Notre Dame vs. 22/22 Texas A&M                      8:30 p.m.             

Sat.    22      Rhode Island at Providence                               1:00 p.m.

                   Connecticut at Hartford                                    1:00 p.m.              SNY

                   St. John's at Quinnipiac                                    1:00 p.m.

                   Memphis at Seton Hall                                      2:00 p.m.

                        Caribbean Classic (Cancun, Mexico)

                   USF vs. Creighton                                           2:30 p.m.

Material from interviews, school websites, the Associated Press wire service as well as league and team sources was used in this report. All times are Eastern