Only one word is needed to describe Big East women’s basketball for the 2006-2007 season: loaded. With 11 teams coming off postseason experience (seven NCAA berths and four NIT selections), the Big East will again try to prove why it is the most talented and deep conference in the country. This task should not be too difficult, especially with a second year of the colossal 16-team format in place. Expectations are extremely high throughout the conference, with 10 to 11 teams having a realistic a shots at earning a NCAA Tournament berth and almost as many a chance at the Big East crown. Here’s a brief overview of what should be the top Big East teams this season. Cincinnati: Look for the Lady Bearcats to continue to improve this year after a 2005-2006 season in which they made the seventh best turnaround in the country. Leading scorers Treasure Humphries (12.8 ppg), a senior guard, and sophomore G/F Shelly Bellman (10.9) both return, as does senior Karen Twehaus, who set the school’s all-time record in three-point percentage last year at 44.4 percent.
Connecticut: In an atmosphere that’s championship-or-bust, two years seems like forever. That is when the Lady Huskies last won the NCAA title, something legendary coach Geno Auriemma is not pleased with. That said, UConn still has plenty of talent to work with including Big East Freshman of the Year Renee Montgomery, junior Mel Thomas, and the consensus national high school player of the year of last year in freshman Tina Charles. Losing star Ann Strother will hurt, but with the loaded freshman class UConn has, the Huskies should be right there in March.
DePaul: DePaul has two of their top three scorers returning in second team All-Big East members Allie Quigley and Jenna Rubino. Coming off the first Sweet 16 appearance in school history, expectations are high for the team.
Georgetown: Coming off a 3-13 Big East conference record, it would be easy to assume that the Lady Hoyas will not be much competition this year, especially without any seniors on its roster. However, Terri Williams-Flournoy’s team has a load of talent to go along with the inexperience. Double-double threat Kieraah Marlow returns to dominate the paint, while junior guard Kristin Heidloff looks to improve upon her 4.8 apg, good for third in assists in the Big East last season. Senior Kate Carlin should be deadly from behind the arc. With five freshmen on the roster, the team should struggle early but should show promise for the next few years.
Louisville: The “Jazz” will be heard loud and clear this year in Freedom Hall, and, no, they don’t play Louis Armstrong tunes for their pre-game drills. Who will be playing, however, is Jazz Covington, a first team All-Big East member who needs just 470 points to become the school’s all-time leader. Riding her shoulders, the Lady Cardinals should make their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.
Marquette: Marquette wants to be nowhere near the bubble this year, as it burst on them in 2005-2006 and sent them to the NIT. They made the most of the postseason opportunity, however, making it all the way to the championship game: a loss to Kansas State. Sophomore Krystal Ellis has the makings of a star and should lead this team to the Big Dance.
Notre Dame: If the Fighting Irish want to make the NCAA Tournament for the twelfth consecutive time, they will have to do it without do-it-all guard Megan Duffy who was lost to graduation. The team leader in both points and assists, Duffy was a first team All-Big East member last season. Look for sophomore Lindsay Schrader (10.5 ppg) to have a breakout season.
Pittsburgh: The Lady Panthers want bigger things this year after bowing out to conference foe Marquette in the WNIT semifinals. A ticket to the Big Dance is very realistic for this team, especially with junior standout Mercedes Walker at the helm. The first team All-Big East selection will be a force again in 2006-2007 after almost averaging a double-double last season.
Providence: Although they only won a total of eight games last season, 2005-2006 was an improvement for the Lady Friars after a dismal 1-27 record in 2004-2005. This year the top scorer returns in senior Shauna Snyder, as well as a pair of talented sophomores in Chelsea Marandola (12.5 ppg) and Shantee Darrian (9.9 rpg). Look for another improvement from last year, but it won’t be big enough to make the NCAA tournament.
Rutgers: What a year 2005-2006 was for C. Vivian Stringer’s club. Despite losing to Tennessee in the Sweet 16, the Lady Scarlet Knights went an unprecedented 16-0 in the first year of the revamped Big East conference schedule. It will be tough to repeat that feat, especially without unanimous Big East Player of the Year Cappie Pondexter, but talent still abounds in Piscataway, N.J. The guard duo of Matee Ajavon (12.6 ppg, 4.5 apg) and Essence Carson (8.3 ppg) should have Rutgers right near the top of the Big East standings again.
Seton Hall: Another 3-13 team in the Big East last season, 2006-2007 should be another year of rebuilding for the Lady Pirates. Senior forward Monique Blake returns from her All-Big East Honorable Mention season, leading the team in points, rebounds and blocked shots. Two early games against Kansas and Iowa on Nov. 11-12 should give this team a difficult early test.
St. John’s: After a dog fight with eventual national champion Maryland in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, the Red Storm realized some of their potential last season. With two Big East first team members returning in Angela Clark and Kia Wright, this team should “storm” well into March.
Syracuse: In all sports, taking advantage of one’s home court is critical to the team’s success. Apparently, no one told this to the Lady Orange, who won only two games in the spacious Carrier Dome all of last season and none in the Big East schedule. Syracuse will look mainly to 6’4” center Vaida Sipaviciute to carry the load this year after she led the team in scoring and rebounding last year. Heralded transfer Fantasia Goodwin, who led Monroe College to a 36-0 record and NJCAA Division III Championship, should make a steady contribution.
South Florida: The forecast for USF this year is simple: as Jessica Dickson goes, so will the Lady Bulls. The preseason Wooden Award candidate should again be one of the premier scorers in the nation this year after averaging 22 ppg in 2005-2006, good for third in the country. Shantia Grace (10.4 ppg) and Nalini Miller (the school’s all-time leader in block shots) return to give the team added depth. A loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year should give the Bulls motivation for a deeper run this year.
Villanova: Villanova will be another team talented enough to make some noise in the conference this year. Although they won 20 games for the fifth time in six years, the Lady Wildcats had to settle for a berth in the NIT, something senior forward Jackie Adamshick (10.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg) will look to change this year. Losing first-team All-Big East forward Liad Suez-Karni might be too big of a loss to overcome.
West Virginia: After a disappointing 4-12 conference record last year, West Virginia pulled a shocker reminiscent of their men’s team in making it to the Big East Championship, defeating the Nos. 1, 4 and 5 seeds along the way. Expect a better conference record this year with senior 3-point threat Meg Bulger (19.8 ppg, 43% 3-pt. percentage) and junior center Olayinki Sanni (12.4 ppg) carrying the load.
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