Meg-nificent
November 19, 2004 09:45 PM | General
November 19, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Meg Bulger scored a career-high 29 points to lead West Virginia to a season-opening 67-39 victory over UNC Greensboro Friday night at the WVU Coliseum.
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| Meg Bulger poured in a career-high 29 points to lead West Virginia to a 67-39 victory over UNC Greensboro.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
The 6-foot sophomore poured in 21 points in the first half as West Virginia built a commanding 40-11 halftime lead. West Virginia’s defense limited the Spartans to just four of 27 field goal shooting in the first half for 14.8 percent.
“Obviously we’re not in the Big East but we knew that coming into this contest,” said UNCG coach Lynne Agee. “It was an opportunity for us to take on an outstanding team and just see what we were made of.”
Bulger had 16 of West Virginia’s first 20 points as the Mountaineers built up a 20-2 lead. West Virginia led by 33 points with 6:41 left in the game. At that point Carey substituted liberally and UNCG was able to cut the final margin to 28.
Sherell Sowho was the only other WVU player to reach double figures with 10.
“Get a picture of my hair right now because I probably won’t have any left at the end of the season,” joked West Virginia coach Mike Carey. “I thought we started the first five minutes and played extremely well; boxed out, got our running game going, got some layups and some wide open threes.
“Then we got the big lead and once I started substituting it got crazy. If you noticed I tried a lot of combinations trying to find six, seven and eight. I’m really struggling right not to find six, seven and eight.”
Yolanda Paige tied her Coliseum record with 14 assists while junior Yelena Leuchanka paced West Virginia with nine rebounds.
The Mountaineers (1-0) shot 51.8 percent from the floor and out-rebounded UNCG 44-32. West Virginia also committed 22 turnovers.
“As far as effort I thought it was there,” said Carey. “In the second half I thought we sat on the lead and I think they even outscored us by one point (28-27) in the second half. We played a lot of young people and this is probably the first and last time you’ll see me take Yolanda Paige out. She got her rest for the year.”
The Spartans (0-1) were paced by Kristen Boone’s nine points off the bench. Wheeling Park product Amanda Eaton scored four points in 27 minutes of action for UNCG.
“We’ve got to get a lot better,” Carey said. “Do I think we can have a real good team? Absolutely, I think we have talent but we have a lot of work to do and we’ve got to continue to get better.”
West Virginia backup forward Joei Clyburn landed hard on the floor after converting a layup early in the first half and was held out of action for the remainder of the game. Carey said she injured her lower back.
“I haven’t talked to the trainers but they said she was a no-go for the second half,” said Carey.
West Virginia has a quick turnaround facing Northwestern Monday night at the Coliseum. Last year the Wildcats defeated the Mountaineers 60-57.
“I think we’re going to get a good test Monday night,” Carey said. “They have all five starters back. They have a post player returning that had 31 points the other night that is starting in place of one of their starters returning from last year. They are going to be a veteran team that has played together and beat us last year.”
Game time is 7 pm.
