Seton Hall Preview
January 09, 2004 10:24 AM | General
January 9, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia’s Saturday afternoon meeting at Seton Hall is one of those measuring stick games for the Mountaineer women’s program.
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| Meg Bulger is coming off a 13-point 4-rebound performance against No. 4 Connecticut Wednesday night. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
Since taking over the West Virginia coaching job in 2001, Mike Carey’s teams have had a tough time winning conference games on the road. The Mountaineers were 1-6 during Carey’s first season and last year WVU failed to win a league road game in eight tries.
West Virginia has an opportunity to change that trend Saturday afternoon against a very solid Seton Hall team that boasts a 9-3 record including a 1-0 mark in conference play.
Seton Hall’s three losses this year have come against USC, Texas A&M and Fordham; Seton Hall shows quality victories over Charlotte, Michigan, South Carolina and most recently against Georgetown in its conference opener. The Hoyas upset Notre Dame, 76-73 Wednesday to run their record to 1-1 in the conference.
Seton Hall has a well balanced lineup featuring seven players averaging at least five points per game. Seton Hall’s top scorer is 5-foot-10 junior guard Ashley Bush with an average of 10.2 points per game. The Frederick, Md., native is shooting 50 percent from the floor and also leads the Pirates by pulling down 6.7 rebounds per game.
Bush and 6-foot-2 senior LaNedra Brown were Seton Hall’s top two scorers with 13 points each in the Pirates’ 57-46 victory over Georgetown last Saturday. Brown is averaging 9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game coming off the bench.
Bush, 6-foot-2 senior center Charlene Thomas, and 5-foot-8 senior guard Melissa Langelier join a pair of promising freshmen in 6-foot forward Monique Blake and 6-foot-2 forward Heta Korpivaara in the starting lineup.
The Pirates are in the midst of a seven-game winning streak – their longest since the 1994-95 season. During that streak, Seton Hall has limited opponents to an average of just 51 points per game. Three of the last four opponents have failed to score 50 points.
SHU is holding opposing teams to just 37.1 percent from the floor including 27.6 percent from three-point distance. The Pirates are also out-rebounding their opponents by nearly 13 rebounds per game.
Meanwhile, West Virginia (9-4, 1-1) is looking to snap a five-game losing streak to Seton Hall. The Mountaineers last defeated the Pirates during the 1998-99 season.
West Virginia had a tough night against No. 4-rated Connecticut on Wednesday, dropping an 82-57 decision to the Huskies.
Freshman Meg Bulger came off the bench to have one of her best performances of the season, scoring 13 points and grabbing 4 rebounds.
Junior Yolanda Paige was West Virginia’s top scorer against Connecticut with 14 points to go along with 7 assists. Top scorer Kate Bulger managed to hit just 3 of 15 field goals and finished the game with 8 points.
Bulger continues to lead the Mountaineers with an average of 15.7 points per game and will team with Paige (12.3 ppg., 7.3 apg.) and junior Sherell Sowho (14.8 ppg.) in the starting backcourt.
Six-two senior center Michelle Carter (8.6 ppg., 4.8 rpg.) and 5-foot-10 senior Janell Dunlap (6.5 ppg., 6.3 rpg.) are expected to start up front.
Game time is 2 pm and the contest will be carried locally on WAJR AM in Morgantown and WAJR FM in Clarksburg. Internet coverage will be through Yahoo! Sports.
