Photo by: Catherine Grosdidier
Bluejay WBB Slotted Fifth by BIG EAST Coaches for 2020-21 Season
10/29/2020 8:02:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Omaha, Neb. -- During the 2020-21 BIG EAST women's basketball media day, held virtually on Thursday, Oct. 29, the Creighton women's squad was picked to finish fifth by the 11 conference coaches. Creighton finished the 2019-20 season in a five-way tie for third place at 11-7 and were expected to reach the NCAA Tournament before it was wiped away by the Covid pandemic.
The 2020-21 season marks the return of national powerhouse UConn, the 11-time national champion Connecticut is the unanimous favorite to win the BIG EAST in 2020-21. The Huskies, who will begin their first season of BIG EAST play since 2012-13, have won the conference regular season 19 times, along with 18 BIG EAST Tournament titles. UConn collected 100 points and 10 first-place votes to top the preseason poll.
Six-time and reigning BIG EAST regular-season champion DePaul finished second in the Preseason Coaches' Poll with 90 points and the remaining first-place vote. Blue Demon rival Marquette, which has advanced to four consecutive BIG EAST Tournament title games, was slotted third with 83 points. St. John's followed in fourth place with 69 points, while Creighton rounded out the top five with 60 points. The Bluejays narrowly edged out sixth-place Seton Hall with 59 points, followed by Villanova in seventh with 44. Butler (eighth, 37 points), Xavier (ninth, 31 points), Providence (10th, 22 points) and Georgetown (11th, 10 points) followed.
In a shortened 2019-20 season, UConn went 29-3 overall and 16-0 in their final season of American Athletic Conference play, winning the AAC Tournament for the seventh straight year. The Huskies return five letterwinners from that squad, three of which were starters, including BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Christyn Williams, who averaged 14.6 points per game a season ago. UConn also has a pair of notable newcomers in 2020 Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year and nationally top-ranked incoming freshman Paige Bueckers, along with Tennessee transfer and 2017 USA Today National Player of the Year Evina Westbrook. The Huskies spent 18 of 20 weeks in the top five of the Associated Press Poll last season, including three weeks at the No. 1 slot before finishing the season ranked fifth. Connecticut last competed in the BIG EAST in 2012-13, going 14-2 and finishing runner-up in the BIG EAST Tournament.
The graduation of seniors Olivia Elger and 2019-20 BIG EAST Player of the Year Jaylyn Agnew leaves the Bluejays without two of its top three scorers from last season, but the cupboard is far from bare. Seniors Temi Carda and Tatum Rembao return to lead a talented young core in Omaha. Carda was Creighton's second leading scorer last season with 388 points (12.9 ppg) and was second for the squad with 82 assists as well as third on the team with 49 three-pointers. Rembao battled through a leg injury last season to guide the Creighton offense with 52 assist. The Bluejay play maker is healthy and ready to guide Creighton's eight underclass women (freshmen or sophomores). Carda represented Creighton as one of 11 conference players on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team.
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BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Christyn Williams, Connecticut, Jr., G
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BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Paige Bueckers, Connecticut, Fr., G*
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Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Connecticut, Jr., G
Evina Westbrook, Connecticut, R-Jr., G
Temi Carda, Creighton, Sr., G
Lexi Held, DePaul, Jr., G
Sonya Morris, DePaul, Jr., G*
Selena Lott, Marquette, Sr., G*
Leilani Correa, St. John's, So., G
Qadashah Hoppie, St. John's, Sr., G*
Desiree Elmore, Seton Hall, Sr., G/F*
Maddy Siegrist, Villanova, So., F*
A'riana Gray, Xavier, Sr., F
^extra player added due to a tie in voting
*unanimous selection
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The 2020-21 season marks the return of national powerhouse UConn, the 11-time national champion Connecticut is the unanimous favorite to win the BIG EAST in 2020-21. The Huskies, who will begin their first season of BIG EAST play since 2012-13, have won the conference regular season 19 times, along with 18 BIG EAST Tournament titles. UConn collected 100 points and 10 first-place votes to top the preseason poll.
Six-time and reigning BIG EAST regular-season champion DePaul finished second in the Preseason Coaches' Poll with 90 points and the remaining first-place vote. Blue Demon rival Marquette, which has advanced to four consecutive BIG EAST Tournament title games, was slotted third with 83 points. St. John's followed in fourth place with 69 points, while Creighton rounded out the top five with 60 points. The Bluejays narrowly edged out sixth-place Seton Hall with 59 points, followed by Villanova in seventh with 44. Butler (eighth, 37 points), Xavier (ninth, 31 points), Providence (10th, 22 points) and Georgetown (11th, 10 points) followed.
In a shortened 2019-20 season, UConn went 29-3 overall and 16-0 in their final season of American Athletic Conference play, winning the AAC Tournament for the seventh straight year. The Huskies return five letterwinners from that squad, three of which were starters, including BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Christyn Williams, who averaged 14.6 points per game a season ago. UConn also has a pair of notable newcomers in 2020 Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year and nationally top-ranked incoming freshman Paige Bueckers, along with Tennessee transfer and 2017 USA Today National Player of the Year Evina Westbrook. The Huskies spent 18 of 20 weeks in the top five of the Associated Press Poll last season, including three weeks at the No. 1 slot before finishing the season ranked fifth. Connecticut last competed in the BIG EAST in 2012-13, going 14-2 and finishing runner-up in the BIG EAST Tournament.
The graduation of seniors Olivia Elger and 2019-20 BIG EAST Player of the Year Jaylyn Agnew leaves the Bluejays without two of its top three scorers from last season, but the cupboard is far from bare. Seniors Temi Carda and Tatum Rembao return to lead a talented young core in Omaha. Carda was Creighton's second leading scorer last season with 388 points (12.9 ppg) and was second for the squad with 82 assists as well as third on the team with 49 three-pointers. Rembao battled through a leg injury last season to guide the Creighton offense with 52 assist. The Bluejay play maker is healthy and ready to guide Creighton's eight underclass women (freshmen or sophomores). Carda represented Creighton as one of 11 conference players on the Preseason All-BIG EAST team.
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| Team (first-place votes) | Points | |
| 1 | Connecticut (10) | 100 |
| 2 | DePaul (1) | 90 |
| 3 | Marquette | 83 |
| 4 | St. John's | 69 |
| 5 | Creighton | 60 |
| 6 | Seton Hall | 59 |
| 7 | Villanova | 44 |
| 8 | Butler | 37 |
| 9 | Xavier | 31 |
| 10 | Providence | 22 |
| 11 | Georgetown | 10 |
BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year
Christyn Williams, Connecticut, Jr., G
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BIG EAST Preseason Freshman of the Year
Paige Bueckers, Connecticut, Fr., G*
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Preseason All-BIG EAST Team^
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Connecticut, Jr., G
Evina Westbrook, Connecticut, R-Jr., G
Temi Carda, Creighton, Sr., G
Lexi Held, DePaul, Jr., G
Sonya Morris, DePaul, Jr., G*
Selena Lott, Marquette, Sr., G*
Leilani Correa, St. John's, So., G
Qadashah Hoppie, St. John's, Sr., G*
Desiree Elmore, Seton Hall, Sr., G/F*
Maddy Siegrist, Villanova, So., F*
A'riana Gray, Xavier, Sr., F
^extra player added due to a tie in voting
*unanimous selection
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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/ Women's Basketball
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