The following "Starting Five" points offer a quick look inside GLVC women's basketball action this week:
STARTING FIVE
[1 | divisional matchups between top teams on tap]
More GLVC women's basketball
divisional games are on the docket Thursday and Saturday. Indianapolis (13-6, 7-2) has a tough road ahead this week, welcoming the East Division's co-leaders in No. 4 Bellarmine (16-1, 8-1 GLVC) on Thursday followed by Southern Indiana (16-3, 8-1 GLVC) Saturday. UIndy is currently third in the division and can move into at least a tie for first if it wins both. The West Division's second- and third-place teams will face off Thursday as Missouri-St. Louis (9-8, 4-5 GLVC) travels to Rockhurst (11-5, 6-3 GLVC). The Hawks may also have its hands full on Saturday, hosting Maryville (7-9, 3-6 GLVC) that upset then-No. 19 Lewis on Jan. 14 and also came out on top against UMSL two days later.
[2 | another week, another upset]
In fact, there were
two upsets last week in GLVC play. On Jan. 19, then-No. 24 Lewis topped then-No. 4 Bellarmine, 69-57, to hand the Knights their first league loss of the season. Two days later, unranked Southern Indiana beat Lewis decisively, 85-65, thanks to holding the Flyers to seven points in the third quarter during a 22-0 run. This was a week after unranked Maryville defeated then-No. 19 Lewis, 77-72, on Jan. 14, holding Lewis to 14.29% shooting from long range in the second half while allowing only two three-pointers all game.
[3 | two ranked, four represented in wbca poll]
The Great Lakes Valley Conference is represented in this week's Women's Basketball Coaches' Association (WBCA)
NCAA Division II Poll, it was announced Tuesday (Jan. 24). Bellarmine University is 11th, Drury University is 12th, while both Lewis University and University of Southern Indiana are each receiving votes outside the top 25.
[4 | nine down, nine to go]
Nine conference games have been played so far this season, which leaves another nine left to be contested before the GLVC Championship Tournament gets underway.
At the midway point, Bellarmine and Southern Indiana are both tied for first in the East Division with 8-1 records, while Drury has a comfortable hold on the top spot in the West at 9-0. Indianapolis follows the co-leaders in the East with a 7-2 mark just ahead of Lewis’ 6-3 Conference clip. The West’s second-place team is Rockhurst at 6-3 followed by both Missouri-St. Louis and Truman State at 4-5. Taking a look back on the
GLVC Preseason Poll, we find that the league coaches were on pace with the top teams, picking Bellarmine and Drury to win each division; however, both USI and Rockhurst (6-3 GLVC) have surprised after being tabbed fourth ahead of the 2016-17 campaign. Additionally, Indianapolis and UMSL were picked to finish fifth in their respective divisions and have made great improvement to sit third up to this point.
[5 | glvc ranks among ncaa statistical leaders]
In Monday’s
NCAA statistical report, four teams find themselves in the top 10 in 10 different categories while seven players boast the same laurels. Southern Indiana holds the most top-10 spots nationally with five, while Drury follows with four. USI’s best ranking is for blocked shots (110) at No. 2 and is fourth best nationally in blocks per game (5.8). The Screaming Eagles are also fifth in rebound margin (10.7), sixth in scoring margin (21.3) and seventh in free throws made (324). Drury also has a No. 3 ranking in three-point field-goal percentage (40.3) that has aided its No. 7 spot for field-goal percentage (47.3). The third and fourth top-10 mark for the Panthers includes ninth in turnover margin (6.58) and 10th in won-lost percentage (89.5). Lewis finds itself ranked second in the nation for field-goal percentage with a 49.1 clip, while Bellarmine rounds out the league contingent in eighth for free throw attempts with 441. Many more individuals from the GLVC stand out among Division II’s best, including Lewis’ Jessica Kelliher and Maryille’s Ali Ringering, who both hold the best mark in two separate categories. Kelliher has the best field-goal percentage with an astonishing 69.1 percent, while Ringering’s got the hot hand from long range with her 51.6 three-point field-goal percentage. No. 2 nationally is William Jewell’s Maddie Nelson for her 38.06 minutes played per game. Kelliher also is third with 159 field goals made, while Missouri-St. Louis’ Jordan Fletcher joins Kelliher in the top five for field-goal percentage in fourth (61.9). Two others rank in a tie for eighth in steals and three-point field goals made, as USI’s Tanner Marcum has collected 56 steals and Drury’s Paige Wilson has made 58 three-point field goals. Rounding out the individual top 10 is Lewis’ Jamie Johnson and her 88.8 percent from the foul line that’s good for ninth nationally.