RSC Women's Basketball Weekly Report -- Dec. 16, 2016 #RSCWBB #RSC
FLORENCE, Ky. -- This week's edition of the River States Conference Women's Basketball Weekly Report brings you up to date on the happenings around the conference with just more than one week before Christmas. Look for this weekly feature at RiverStatesConference.com
OUT OF THE GATE
There are three teams that are still unbeaten in conference play and out of the gate to early leads in the RSC East and West Divisions. Point Park (13-2) is 3-0 RSC to lead the RSC East, and IU Kokomo (8-4) is 3-0 RSC to lead the RSC West. Also without a conference loss and a half game back in the East Division is IU East (9-3) at 2-0 RSC and ranked No. 21 in the nation.
The RSC West has the top four teams separated by just 1.5 games with Midway (11-4) and IU Southeast (7-4) both 2-1 RSC and Alice Lloyd (6-3) and Cincinnati Christian (5-9) at 2-2 RSC. The RSC East has WVU Tech (9-4) at 2-1 and Rio Grande (6-6) at 1-2 to make up the top four spots currently.
NAIA DII TOP 25 POLL
The second NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Poll of the regular season came out this past Tuesday, Dec. 21. In it, the RSC had No. 21 IU East leading the way with a record of 9-3 overall. Point Park (13-2) as winners of 11 straight at the time, were receiving votes at No. 30 overall in the country.
IU East had taken a loss at No. 20 Oregon Tech since the previous poll two weeks earlier and dropped back four spots since that last ranking Nov. 29. But the Red Wolves have won five straight since then and have some opportunities coming up to build on their resume in the coming weeks with Top 25 matchups at No. 7 Davenport (Dec. 20) and versus No. 25 Huntington.
Point Park had its 11-game win streak stopped Dec. 14 at Northwestern Ohio, only its second loss of the year. The Pioneers were missing three opening-day starters in that game due to injuries. The next Top 25 Poll comes out Jan. 10 after a break for the holidays.
COMING UP THIS WEEKEND
The weekend begins with Friday night's matchup of No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan at Asbury (6 p.m.) for an out-of-conference clash. Asbury gets right back into RSC play on Saturday at home versus IU Southeast (2 p.m.), one of four conference matchups on the day.
Designated as the RSC Women's Basketball Game of the Week is IU Kokomo at Midway (1 p.m.). In that game the Cougars put their first place record of 3-0 RSC on the road at the Eagles, who have a strong season going at 11-4 overall. Both teams have won five in a row.
Saturday's action continues with No. 21 IU East at WVU Tech (1 p.m.), an RSC East battle with each team trying to match idle Point Park with its third conference win. Also on tap is Ohio Christian at Rio Grande (2 p.m.) with two teams trying to move up in the division standings.
IN THE WIN COLUMN
RSC women's basketball is on the plus side of winning percentage with 10 fo 13 teams boasting winning records entering the weekend. The RSC East Division leads the way with a collective record of 50-23 -- Point Park (13-2), No. 21 IU East (9-3), WVU Tech (9-4), Rio Grande (6-6), Ohio Christian (8-4) and Carlow (5-4).
The RSC West Division has four of seven teams with winning records, and those top four teams are a combined 32-15 -- IU Kokomo (8-4), Midway (11-4), IU Southeast (7-4) and Alice Lloyd (6-3).
OFFENSIVE OUTPUT
RSC women's basketball requires a fairly high scoring output to come out with victories. Nine of the 13 RSC squards are averaging 69.0 ppg or higher. That gives the conference nine of the top 50 scoring teams in NAIA Division II, or 20 percent of that grouping. There are six teams leading the way averaging 74.0 ppg or higher led by IU East ranking 13th nationally at 78.7 ppg. IU Southeast is not far behind ranking 14th at 78.5 ppg.
Field-goal percentage is in high demand as well with nine of 13 RSC members shooting above 40 percent for the year. That gives the conference nine of the top 52 teams in the country in that category.
The defensive side of things has Point Park ranking second in the country in scoring defense at 53.8 ppg and Carlow sixth at 55.8 ppg. Those are outliers in the conference, however. And just about half the RSC teams give up 68 ppg or higher, which puts them 81st or lower in NAIA Division II in defense.