Three Historic Days
January 07, 2003 10:13 AM | General
Tuesday, January 7, 2003
Three sporting events on three consecutive nights inside the friendly confines of the WVU Coliseum would have to qualify on some type of list charting the most significant events in the building’s history over a three-day span.
 |
|
| West Virginia junior Kate Bulger is one point shy of becoming the school's 21st 1,000-point scorer. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
There have been single memorable occasions, like the time the Mountaineer men’s basketball team upset No. 1-ranked UNLV in 1983, or the several times the WVU women’s basketball team faced No. 1-ranked Connecticut.
But rarely has there been a time when three straight days brings Mountaineer sports fans the competition they are about to witness.
Event number one on the agenda takes place tonight. History will be made when West Virginia University’s John Beilein coaches his first-ever Big East Conference game.
Providing the opposition is a Miami team coming to town fresh off an impressive overtime victory against North Carolina. The Hurricanes are 7-4 and have been playing better recently, but they are also a team that has struggled away from the sea-salt fragrance of South Florida. On the road the ‘Canes are just 1-3.
Event number two on the agenda happens Wednesday night when the undefeated WVU women’s basketball team plays host to nationally ranked Notre Dame. On paper, the Mountaineers have never been in a better position to beat the perennially powerful Irish.
However, the quality of competition West Virginia has been feasting on is nothing like it will face -- first on Wednesday against Notre Dame and then on Saturday against No. 24-ranked Villanova.
And from a historical standpoint, WVU’s standout junior guard Kate Bulger enters Wednesday’s game with 999 career points – just one away from becoming the 21st player in school history to reach 1,000. She’ll have a chance to crack that mark against her dad’s alma-mater with her big brother Marc watching in the stands.
Event number three on the agenda takes place Thursday night when a battle of two top 10-ranked teams square off on the mats. That’s when West Virginia plays host to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Mountaineers shocked Iowa State and its famous coach Bobby Douglas last Saturday for its first win ever against the Cyclones. In the process the Mountaineers secured the 500th victory in program history. No. 501 will be much tougher against a No. 5-rated Buckeye team with a lineup full of nationally ranked wrestlers.
So there you have it, history, drama and intrigue all in a three-day run starting tonight at the Coliseum.
It’s a sports fan’s dream come true.
Hope to see you there.
