BIG EAST Notes in PDF - Nov. 26, 2012
BIG EAST Player of the Week
Shenneika Smith, St. John’s, Sr., G (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Smith averaged 21.0 ppg and 9.5 rpg in a 2-0 week for St. John’s. In two games, she totaled seven assists, eight blocks and eight steals. She had 21 points, eight rebounds, four steals, three blocks and five assists in a win against Iona on Nov. 21. At Hartford on Nov. 25, she had 21 points, shooting 56 percent from the field. Smith also added 11 rebounds, four steals and a career-high five blocks in the win. Smith leads the league in rebounding (11.5 rpg) and is second in scoring (20.8 ppg).
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Jewell Loyd, Notre Dame, Fr., G (Lincolnwood, Ill.)
Loyd averaged a team-high 19.0 ppg for Notre Dame. She averaged 6.5 rpg, 5.0 apg, and 2.0 spg, while shooting 73 percent in a 2-0 week that saw Notre Dame win at No. 19/22 UCLA. She also shot 60 percent from 3-point range. Her performance against the Bruins was highlighted by three baskets in a 47-second span that punctuated a 15-2 ND run, giving the Irish the lead for good against a top-25 opponent. Against UCLA, she led the Irish with 19 points, connecting on 8-of-12, pulling down seven rebounds and grabbing five assists.
BIG EAST Honor Roll
Dayeesha Hollins, Cincinnati, R-Jr., G
Hollins averaged 19.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg in a 2-0 week for the Bearcats. She had 15 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals at Kent State before chipping in 23 points against Charleston.
Breanna Stewart, Connecticut, Fr., F
Stewart averaged 19.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg and blocked seven shots in a 3-0 week for Connecticut. The Huskies won the Paradise Jam with a victory over No. 12/14 Purdue, led by Stewart’s 17 points. Stewart was named the tournament MVP.
Sugar Rodgers, Georgetown, Sr., G
Rodgers averaged 19.7 ppg and 7.3 rpg, dishing out nine assists and grabbing seven steals in a 2-1 week for the Hoyas.
Andrea Smith, USF, Sr., G
Smith averaged 21.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg in a 2-0 week for USF. She shot 48.5 percent from the field and 57 percent from 3-point range.
Kayla Alexander, Syracuse, Sr., C
Alexander helped the Orange in a 3-0 week against opponents all receiving votes in the AP Poll. She averaged 17.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, blocked 16 shots and shot 56 percent.
BIG EAST Notes
Villanova Wins UNLV Lady Rebel Round-Up
Villanova defeated Montana 74-49 to win the UNLV Lady Rebel Round-Up tournament on Nov. 25. Senior Rachel Roberts was named to the All-Tournament Team. The Wildcats have won six of the last eight in-season tournaments they have played in. Villanova improves to 5-1 all-time in the UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament. The Wildcats also won the event in 1993.
Climbing the Charts
With 12 points at No. 19/22 UCLA, senior All-America guard Skylar Diggins moved into fifth place on Notre Dame’s career scoring list with 1,771 points, passing Alicia Ratay (1,763 from 1999-2003). In St. John’s win against Hartford on Nov. 25, senior Nadirah McKenith had 13 points. She has 976 career points, 24 points shy of reaching the 1,000-point milestone, becoming the 19th St. John’s women’s basketball player on the list. Rutgers senior Erica Wheeler’s three 3-pointers in the Scarlet Knights’ 55-49 win against Davidson on Nov. 25 brought her career total to 112, putting her at a tie for eighth on the made three-pointers list.
Bruno to 800
DePaul head coach Doug Bruno will coach his 800th career game against Northwestern on Dec. 2. His record is 515-284.
Cleaning the Boards
Providence senior Brianna Edwards had 11 points and 16 rebounds against Akron on Nov. 24. Thirteen of her 16 boards were on the offensive glass, making it her second game with double-digit offensive boards this season.
The Paradise Jam
Connecticut freshman Breanna Stewart scored 17 points to lead No. 2/2 Connecticut to a 91-57 rout of No. 14/12 Purdue on Nov. 24 and the championship of the Paradise Jam tournament. Stewart, the tournament MVP, matched her season average Saturday after a 20-point, 10-rebound performance in the Huskies’ win over Marist on Nov. 23. The win improves Connecticut’s record against ranked teams to 185-58. The Blue Demons lost to South Carolina 55-46 in the championship game of the Paradise Jam Reef Division on Nov. 24 in the Virgin Islands.
Hoyas on the West Coast
Georgetown fell 72-56 to No. 11/11 California in the championship game of the Cal Classic presented by Doubletree on Saturday at Haas Pavilion in Berkeley, Calif.
Tough D
In each of UC’s three wins, the Bearcats have held their opponent to under 36 percent from the field. Louisville put together back-to-back strong defensive efforts, shutting down both Gonzaga and Oregon State in the final two games of the Hardwood of Hope tournament after giving up 73 points in the opener to Central Florida. Louisville beat Gonzaga 55-42 on Nov. 21 and topped Oregon State 61-43 on Nov. 22.
Still Undefeated
The BIG EAST still has five teams undefeated heading into the third week of play. Louisville and Syracuse are both 6-0, while Connecticut holds a 5-0 record. Notre Dame and USF have both won their first four games of the season.
Down to the Wire
Syracuse senior Elashier Hall made two free throws with .4 seconds left to give the Orange a thrilling 74-73 victory vs. Virginia on Nov. 24 at the Mario Morales Coliseum. Pittsburgh redshirt junior Abby Dowd drained the game-winning shot – a 3-pointer – with 4.9 seconds remaining to lift Pitt to a 58-57 win over Brown at the Petersen Events Center. The victory was the fourth-straight, the longest winning streak for the Panthers since the 2009-10 season.
