WBB Notes - 12.11.18
In The Polls
For a sixth consecutive week, two BIG EAST women’s basketball teams were listed in both national polls. The six weeks of multiple top-25 teams is the longest stretch for the BIG EAST since conference realignment. Marquette led the way for the second consecutive week, dropping one spot in each poll to No. 19 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 16 in the
USA Today Coaches’ Poll. The Golden Eagles took now-No. 5/5 Mississippi State down to the wire in Starkville on Thursday before winning at RV/- Northwestern on Sunday. DePaul held steady at No. 20 in the AP and fell one spot in the coaches’ poll to No. 18, despite posting double-digit wins against Temple, RV/- Northwestern and at Oklahoma last week.
RPI Update
Six BIG EAST teams enjoyed double-digit jumps and six landed in the top 70 in Monday’s NCAA RPI. Marquette continued to lead the Conference for a third consecutive week, coming in at No. 6 for its best ranking of the season. Following a 3-0 week, DePaul jumped 37 slots to No. 40, while Villanova used a 2-0 week to leap 17 spots to a season-best 56 ranking. Going 1-1 in a pair of road contests, Butler enjoyed the largest improvement of the week, jumping 47 spaces to No. 67. Xavier (No. 60) and St. John’s (No. 69) also listed in the top 70, with the Red Storm improving 28 slots from a week ago. As a whole, the BIG EAST listed at No. 4 in the conference rankings, a one-spot improvement for its best league listing since Dec. 1, 2015.
Week Ahead
With semester finals in full bloom around BIG EAST campuses, only six games are on the schedule and none before Friday. Despite the limited contests, quite a few are quality in nature. Three opponents currently rank in the top 30 of the NCAA RPI, five are .500 or better, two are receiving votes in the national polls and one is undefeated. Winners of four straight, Villanova tips the weekend off on Friday at home against RV/- Georgia (7 p.m. ET), while Providence will look to deal Northeastern its first loss of the season when they tip off at Alumni Hall on Saturday at 1 p.m. Action continues on Saturday when St. John’s visits La Salle (2 p.m.), before No. 19/16 Marquette closes out the day against a dangerous Green Bay squad (3 p.m.). Sunday’s 2 p.m. doubleheader sees winners of three straight Creighton visit RV/RV Florida State, and Xavier face rival Cincinnati. The Musketeers have won five straight, while the Red Storm took the Seminoles down to the wire when they met in Queens on Sunday.
Sharing Is Caring
Two BIG EAST teams rank in the top five among all Division I programs in total assists this season, with No. 20/18 DePaul leading the way with 200 dishes thus far to rank third nationally. Seton Hall follows in fifth with 189 helpers. Both squads average 20-or-more assists per game, with the Pirates ranking seventh nationally in dimes per contest (21.0) and the Blue Demons listed 12
th (20.0). Creighton has the highest assist-FGM ratio in the BIG EAST as the Bluejays have assisted on 72 percent of their made buckets this season, while DePaul (68%), Seton Hall (67%), Villanova (66%) and Butler (61%) all assist on over 60 percent of their field goals. Five BIG EAST players are averaging 5.0 or more assists per game, led by St. John’s Tiana England’s mark of 6.0 per contest, and followed by Marquette’s Natisha Hiedeman (5.9), DePaul’s Kelly Campbell (5.6), Butler’s Michelle Weaver (5.4) and Seton Hall’s Kaela Hilaire (5.2).
Weekly Schedule
Friday
RV/- Georgia at Villanova, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Northeastern at Providence, 1 p.m.
St. John’s at La Salle, 2 p.m.
Green Bay at 19/16 Marquette, 3 p.m.
Sunday
Creighton at RV/RV Florida State, 2 p.m.
Xavier at Cincinnati, 2 p.m.
All times Eastern