WBB Notes - 1.15.20
National Polls
In a wild week which saw 11 ranked teams lose including Nos. 1, 2 and 3, DePaul went 2-0 with wins over Seton Hall and St. John’s to improve its positions in both national polls. The Blue Demons climbed to No. 14 in the AP Poll for its highest ranking in the AP since landing at No. 9 in the March 7, 2011 edition. DePaul climbed two spots to No. 15 in Tuesday’s
USA Today Coaches’ Poll to match its best ranking in that poll of the season. Additionally, Creighton received votes for a second consecutive week and sixth week this season. DePaul (15-2, 5-0 BIG EAST) has won six straight to remain undefeated in BIG EAST play, while Creighton (12-4) is alone in second place in the standings at 4-1, having won four of its last five.
RPI Update
Three BIG EAST teams are in the top 32 of the latest NCAA RPI, led by No. 11 DePaul and No. 14 Creighton. Stretching its winning streak to three games, Marquette jumped up four spots to a season-best No. 32 slot. Three other BIG EAST squads remained in the top 100, with St. John’s climbing 11 spots from a week ago to No. 56, Seton Hall improving 13 spots to No. 62, and Villanova moving to No. 88. The BIG EAST remained the sixth-ranked conference for a third consecutive week. Of note, the Bluejays travel to the Pirates and Red Storm for this weekend’s road swing.
Statistical Standouts
Seven BIG EAST players rank in the top 10 nationally in 12 different statistical categories, highlighted by Kelly Campbell’s Division I-leading 5.88 assist-turnover ratio. The next best ATO in the NCAA is more than a point-and-a-half below Campbell at 4.31 (Minyon Moore, Oregon). BIG EAST leading scorer Maddy Siegrist has the eighth-most points among all Division I players this season and is the third-highest scoring rookie at 20.1 points per game. Reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week Selena Lott is ninth nationally in assists per game (5.9), while four-time BIG EAST weekly honoree Jaylyn Agnew of Creighton is stellar from the charity stripe with the sixth-highest success rate at the free-throw line (92.2). Butler’s Kristen Spolyar has also had success at the free-throw line, ranking among the national leaders in both makes and attempts. Villanova’s Mary Gedaka and DePaul’s Chante Stonewall are also among the national statistical leaders in categories such as minutes played in field goals made.
Up Next
Regular-season non-conference action concludes on Wednesday when Villanova (9-7, 4-2 BIG EAST) hosts Philadelphia Big 5 foe Penn at 7 p.m. ET. Wednesday night's game will be the 162nd and final Philadelphia Big Five game for Villanova head coach Harry Perretta who is retiring at the end of the season. Perretta has an all-time City Series record of 121-40 (.751) and he has led the Wildcats to 16 Big 5 championships. The Quakers are 10-2 on the year and just outside of the top 100 of the latest NCAA RPI at 109.
WATCH
Up Next
Wednesday
Penn at Villanova, 7 p.m.
Friday
Providence at St. John’s, 11 a.m.*^
-/RV Creighton at Seton Hall, 11 a.m.*^
Marquette at Butler, 6:30 p.m.*!
14/15 DePaul at Xavier, 7 p.m.*^
Saturday
Georgetown at Villanova, 6 p.m.*^
Sunday
Providence at Seton Hall, 1 p.m.*^
Marquette at Xavier, 2 p.m.*^
-/RV Creighton at St. John’s, 2 p.m.*^
14/15 DePaul at Butler, 2 p.m.*^
All times Eastern
*BIG EAST contest
^BEDN
!FS2