Saint Louis Billikens
Overall Rank: #38
Conference Rank: #1 Atlantic 10
Saint Louis had a superb 2015-2016 campaign. They went 13-3 in Atlantic 10 play and ended up with 26 wins. The season ended with a trip to the WNIT where the Billikens beat Arkansas-Little Rock and Ball State before falling to Western Kentucky at home in the third round. Two starters are gone, but this is still a deep and talented team that will be looking to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance under Coach Lisa Stone.
2015-16 Record: 26-8, 13-3
2015-16 Postseason: WNIT
Coach: Lisa Stone
Coach Record: 65-61 at Saint Louis, 568-298 overall
Key Departed Players (starters in bold)
Jamesia Price, Guard, 7.9 ppg
Denisha Womack, Forward, 6.5 ppg
Key Returning Players (starters in bold)
Jackie Kemph, Junior, Guard, 16.6 ppg
Sadie Stipanovich, Senior, Center, 11.7 ppg
Jenny Vliet, Junior, Guard, 6.5 ppg
Aaliyah Covington, Junior, Guard, 6.6 ppg
Maddison Gits, Junior, Forward, 6.1 ppg
Jordyn Frantz, Sophomore, Guard, 4.2 ppg
Olivia Jakubicek, Senior, Forward, 3.1 ppg
Tara Dusharm, Sophomore, Center, 1.7 ppg
Erin Nelson, Senior, Forward, injured last season
Key New Players
Hannah Frazier, Freshman, Forward
Kerri McMahan, Sophomore, Guard, Transfer from Akron
Kendra Wilken, Freshman, Forward
Projection
Jackie Kemph and Sadie Stipanovich are two of the best players in the conference. Kemph, a junior point guard, led the team with 16.6 points per game and added an impressive 7.0 assists per game. Kemph makes this offense go, but she can certainly fill up the scoring column on her own as well. Stipanovich is a 6-3 senior center who is very difficult to stop in the paint. She averaged 11.7 points and a team high 6.0 rebounds last season. Kemph and Stipanovich alone can get this team close to the NCAA Tournament, but others need to step up and be more productive. Aaliyah Covington and Jenny Vliet are capable shooters and Maddison Gits and Olivia Jakubicek will provide frontcourt depth, but it would be ideal if somebody was able to become a consistent third scoring threat behind Kemph and Stipanovich.
Projected Postseason Tournament: NCAA
By the Numbers:
Scoring Offense: 70.3 (67th in nation, 3rd in conference)
Scoring Defense: 61.3 (114, 5)
Field-Goal Percentage: 42.0 (76, 2)
Field-Goal Defense: 37.6 (77, 7)
Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 6.0 (120, 5)
Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 29.9 (230, 12)
Free-Throw Percentage: 76.3 (13, 1)
Rebound Margin: 1.9 (107, 5)
Assists Per Game: 16.9 (13, 1)
Turnovers Per Game: 13.3 (31, 2)
