BIG EAST Releases Women's Basketball Home and Away Schedule
Jun 01 | Women's Basketball
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The BIG EAST Conference has announced the home and away opponents for the 2009-10 women’s basketball season. The league selected new repeat opponents for eight of the league’s 16 teams, including Rutgers.
After maintaining the same repeat opponents for the last two seasons, and some for the last four years, the BIG EAST opted for the change that will slightly affect the home/away cycle of certain teams.
Instead of facing Connecticut twice during the regular season, RU will instead match-up with Syracuse on two occasions. Previously, the Scarlet Knights and Huskies had met twice each of the last four seasons.
In addition to Syracuse, the Scarlet Knights’ seven other home opponents will be Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, Notre Dame, St. John’s and Seton Hall.
Rutgers will play road games against Connecticut, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Providence, USF, Syracuse, Villanova and West Virginia.
The BIG EAST had 13 squads compete in post-season play in 2009, seven in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championshipand six in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT).
The format for league play is a 16-game schedule. Each team will play 16 conference games - seven opponents home only, seven opponents away only and one opponent both home and away, a repeat opponent. Each member will have a total of eight home and eight away games. The rationale in determining the repeat opponents are as followed: providing additional television inventory; competitive issues/RPI implications and geographic rivalries/minimizing travel costs.
Rutgers posted a 21-13 overall record and a 9-7 mark in BIG EAST play last season, advancing to its 20th NCAA Tournament appearance and 11th in 14 seasons under head coach C. Vivian Stringer. RU reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season, the second longest streak in women’s basketball.
The Scarlet Knights finished 21st in the final ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll. Rutgers is ranked in a pair of preseason 2009-10 rankings: No. 6 by SI.com and No. 8 in ESPN’s ‘64 Teams to Watch’ next season. The Scarlet Knights return three starters and eight letterwinners from last year’s squad. RU welcomes three incoming players in 2009-10.
