After finishing the 2005-'06 season strong and earning Big East All-Freshman Team honors, Louisville's Angel McCoughtry has picked up this season right where she left off.
Leading the Cardinals in scoring (21.9 points per game), rebounding (11.4 per game) and steals (3.06 per game), the sophomore forward has taken over the go-to-player role to which senior Jazz Covington, an All-Big East First Team selection last season, had become accustomed.
On Jan. 9, McCoughtry recorded 24 points, 14 rebounds and a game-saving block in Louisville's 57-54 win at Georgetown. Her team down by three with 14 seconds remaining, the Hoyas' Kieraah Marlow put up a three-point attempt that McCoughtry swatted away to clinch the Cardinals' victory.
A role player who did not start a single game last season, McCoughtry has become a focal presence and well-rounded talent for the Cardinals this year, and the team is reaping the benefits.
Louisville (17-1, 3-1 Big East) sits at No. 15 in The Associated Press Top 25 poll. Tonight, the Cardinals travel to South Florida (13-4, 3-1), where McCoughtry will take on Bulls senior forward Jessica Dickson, the only other conference player averaging more than 20 points per game (21.1).
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Also in action tonight are two teams headed in opposite directions after having successful seasons a year ago.
St. John's (5-10, 1-3) will travel to take on Notre Dame (11-5, 2-1) in a match-up many figured would have featured two of the top teams in the conference.
The Red Storm ended last season with a 22-8 record, finishing fourth in the Big East and advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament. St. John's returned an All-Big East First Team selection (Kia Wright), as well as the reigning Big East Coach of the Year (Kim Barnes Arico).
However, the 2006-'07 campaign has gotten off to a shaky start for the Red Storm, which already has lost more games than it did last season.
On the other hand, the Fighting Irish have started the season well after earning a bid to the NCAA tournament a year ago. Notre Dame lost star Megan Duffy to graduation, but junior guards Charel Allen and Tulyah Gaines have picked up the scoring slack in Duffy's absence.
Game of the Week – Connecticut at Providence, Wednesday at 6 p.m. The Friars already knocked off Louisville at home this season. Now the challenge will be to muzzle the conference's top dog. The Golden Eagles then visit Providence on Saturday.
Who's Hot – Rutgers. Don't let the Scarlet Knights' 9-5 overall record fool you. After starting the season slowly, Rutgers has won four conference games in a row.
Who's Not – DePaul. The opposite has been true for the Blue Demons. They kicked off the conference season by defeating Rutgers but have dropped three straight games since to Marquette, West Virginia and Cincinnati.