BIG EAST Notes in PDF

League teams are down to a handful of games and the jockeying for position in the 15-team BIG EAST Championship is well underway. Each team has three or four conference games remaining, with the regular-season ending in less than two weeks.

Championship Central

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USF (18-7, 7-5 BIG EAST) had an impressive win Wednesday night as it knocked off No. 12/11 Louisville 73-62 at the KFC Yum! Center. USF senior Andrea Smith (pictured above) tied a career-high with 35 points as she made 11-of-16 shots, including five 3-pointers. The Bulls have won four of their last five and are one win away from equaling last year’s total (19). USF also earned its first win over a ranked team this season.

Louisville (21-6, 9-4 BIG EAST) shot a season-low 31-percent from the field. USF shot 47-percent, including a 60 percent (15-of-25) clip in the second half.

Elsewhere, St. John’s (14-10, 8-4 BIG EAST) also won on the road as it beat Marquette 67-61 in Milwaukee on the CBS Sports Network. Highlights here. Senior guard Shenneika Smith led the way for the Red Storm with 24 points.

St. John’s has won four in a row, five of its last six and sits one game behind Louisville for fourth place in the league standings. St. John’s also enters the week with an RPI of 42 in the Feb. 18 NCAA rankings. With the win the Red Storm also earned their first win at Marquette in five tries.

Senior forward Sarina Simmons scored 16 points and became the 22nd player in Marquette history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. She has 1,0002 points in her collegiate career.

Cincinnati (10-16, 2-11 BIG EAST) won at Pittsburgh 59-50 to earn its second league win of the season. Junior Dayeesha Hollins led the way for the Bearcats and she scored 17 points. Pittsburgh (9-16, 0-12 BIG EAST) got a game-high 24 points from sophomore Brianna Kiesel.

Seton Hall (9-17, 4-9 BIG EAST) beat Providence 72-56 at home for its fourth league win. The Pirates have surpassed their conference win total from the past three years combined (3) and have their highest BIG EAST win mark since 2008-09 when they also had four. Providence (7-18, 2-10 BIG EAST) has lost three in a row.

League teams return to action on Saturday, Feb. 23.

GEORGETOWN AT PITTSBURGH                1:00 p.m.

PROVIDENCE AT CINCINNATI                   2:00 p.m.

21/18 SYRACUSE AT USF (BETV)               2:00 p.m.

RUTGERS AT ST. JOHN’S                         2:00 p.m.

SETON HALL AT 3/3 CONNECTICUT (GP) 4:00 p.m. on SNY

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