Player of the Week
Forward Stefanie Dolson, Junior, Connecticut
For the second straight week, the Big East Player of the Week comes from UConn. Looking at Dolson’s numbers tells us why: she averaged 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and shot 75 percent from the field in a 2-0 week. Dolson is averaging 14.2 points per game to go along with 6.5 boards, and she will have a solid opportunity to boost her scoring average against Rutgers on Saturday.
Game of the Week
No. 1 Baylor at No. 3 Connecticut — Monday at 8 p.m.
Even if you don’t follow women’s basketball, this game will be worth paying attention to for the pure talent that will be on display. This matchup will not have Big East standings implications for UConn, but a win against the Lady Bears will prove to the selection committee that the Huskies are once again deserving of a No. 1 seed in the tournament.
Baylor center Brittney Griner has been tearing up the competition, putting up 22.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.8 blocks per game. It will be interesting to see if UConn coach Geno Auriemma will try to attack the middle and get Griner into foul trouble early, or if he will instead rely on his team’s potent perimeter offense.
USF, Rutgers coming to life
South Florida and Rutgers are getting hot at just the right time, and both teams are making a bid for high seeds in the Big East tournament.
USF has won four of its last five and is 5-4 in the conference. Rutgers, after dropping its first three Big East games, has won five of seven and sits at 5-5. The Scarlet Knights have won three of the past four, but against less powerful teams such as Marquette, Cincinnati and a reeling Villanova squad.
The Bulls picked up two road wins at Pittsburgh and Providence last week and lost by just three against No. 10 Louisville Jan. 30.
The remaining five games for USF will be crucial for its seeding. The team hosts UConn and Syracuse and goes on the road to Louisville, Rutgers and Georgetown.
Rutgers will have to face two difficult opponents coming up in UConn and Syracuse, both on the road. It will need to win its last three games against winnable foes USF, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Cincy and Pittsburgh are both winless in the Big East.
Notre Dame obliterates Louisville
The No. 2 Irish jumped out to an early lead and never looked back against fellow ranked opponent Louisville. Notre Dame crushed the Cardinals 93-64 Monday night, and jumping out to a 20-9 lead early helped its cause.
Natalie Achonwa led the Irish with 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Big East Preseason Player of the Year Skylar Diggins scored 21. Bria Smith scored 18 for the Cardinals, who struggled terribly defensively – the Irish shot 57 percent from the floor for the night.
Another telling statistic was the free throw differential. Louisville made only seven trips to the charity stripe as opposed to Notre Dame’s 26.
The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Cardinals, who fell to 8-3 in the Big East. The Irish continue to dominate the league, boasting a perfect 11-0 record.
Notre Dame will be making a stop at Marquette this Sunday, while Louisville returns home to play a pair of games against DePaul and South Florida.
