BC Preview
February 13, 2004 04:46 PM | General
February 14, 2004
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – No. 25-ranked Boston College brings a three-game winning streak into Morgantown to face the Mountaineers Saturday afternoon at the WVU Coliseum.
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| Kate Bulger is coming off a 23-point performance Tuesday night against Virginia Tech. (All-Pro Photogrpahy/Dale Sparks) |
The Eagles (17-5, 7-4) are coming off a 68-58 road win at Georgetown on Wednesday and have also claimed back-to-back victories over Pitt and Rutgers.
Five-nine junior guard Jessalyn Deveny scored 26 points in the Georgetown win and leads the Eagles in scoring with an average of 16.5 points per game. Deveny is one of the conference’s top shooting guards, making 51.5 percent of her field goal attempts including 45.5 percent from three-point range.
Deveny is also pulling down 6.2 rebounds and is handing out 3.0 assists per game as one of the Big East’s best all-around players.
Teaming with Deveny in the backcourt is 5-foot-8 senior Amber Jacobs, whose 15.4 points-per-game scoring average gives BC one of the strongest starting backcourts in the country. Jacobs, like Deveny, is also a good shooter from the field making 49.6 percent of her field goal attempts.
“Their backcourt is excellent,” said West Virginia coach Mike Carey. “They shoot the ball well because they don’t take too many threes.”
Forwards Brooke Queenan and Aja Parkham started Wednesday night against Georgetown and combined for just two points and five rebounds.
Six-four freshman Kathrin Ress was BC’s starting center against the Hoyas and failed to score in 10 minutes of play.
Claire Droesch, a 5-foot-11 junior swing player from Christ The King High School in New York City, is BC’s instant offense off the bench. Droesch is averaging 8.2 points per game and scored 15 in the Georgetown win on Wednesday.
Six-four sophomore forward Lisa Macchia has started 16 games this year and is averaging 9.3 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, but was a reserve against Georgetown and scored just four points in 15 minutes of work.
Five-seven freshman guard Sarah Marshall got quality minutes against Georgetown and has played in 21 of BC’s 22 games this year. She is averaging 2.9 points per game.
The Eagles rank third in the country in team field goal percentage at 49.8 percent and show notable non-conference wins over Alabama, Colorado State and Wisconsin.
West Virginia, meanwhile, is still searching for its first-ever victory against the Eagles, having lost 12 prior games. In last year’s game at Conte Forum, West Virginia held a 32-30 halftime lead before dropping a 69-61 decision.
Deveny and Jacobs combined to score 31 points for Boston College; Yolanda Paige led West Virginia with 12 points and 7 assists.
The Mountaineers are fresh off one of their best wins since joining the Big East earlier this week, coming from 11 behind late in the game to defeat No. 21-ranked Virginia Tech, 69-66.
Kate Bulger poured in 23 points and made two late three-point baskets to help West Virginia improve to 18-5, 9-2.
Bulger is once again the team’s top scorer averaging 14.6 points per game. Right behind Kate is junior guard Sherell Sowho averaging 14 points per game. Paige averages 11.7 points and 7.9 assists per game.
Expected to join those three in West Virginia’s starting lineup are 5-foot-10 senior forward Janell Dunlap (6.3 ppg. and 5.6 rpg.) and 6-foot-2 senior center Michelle Carter (8.3 ppg., and 4.6 rpg.).
West Virginia’s top sub off the bench is 6-foot freshman Meg Bulger, who is averaging 9.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
Saturday’s game is set to tip off at 3 pm following the men’s game against Villanova. Two of the popular Rugrats characters will be appearing at the WVU Coliseum for the women’s game. Fans can bring their cameras and take pictures with the characters beforehand and there will also be giveaways during the game, including five grand-prize gift bags.
Fans can also pick up a coloring sheet at the Garfield’s restaurant at the Morgantown Mall and redeem it at the gate on Saturday for free admission to the women’s game.
MSN will be televising the contest on Charter 22 in Charleston, WVFX in Clarksburg and WJAL in Chambersburg, Pa.
Notebook: Boston College is 7-2 in games played on Valentines Day … BC is 5-0 against West Virginia in games played at the WVU Coliseum … Boston College and West Virginia are two of the top defensive teams in the Big East, allowing just 56.9 and 57.9 points per game respectively … no opposing team has managed to shoot better than 50 percent from the floor in any of BC’s games this season … Boston College is No. 25 in this week’s USA Today/ESPN/WBCA Coaches Poll and is receiving 40 votes in the most recent AP poll … BC’s Jessalyn Deveny is just four points shy of reaching 1,000 for her career … Amber Jacobs has already reached the 1,000-point level with 1,414 points entering Saturday’s game … West Virginia is 9-0 win its scores 70 points or more in a game … WVU’s 18 wins this year already ties the 1978 team for the eighth-best in school history … only four Mountaineer teams have won 20 or more games in a season, the last being in 1992 … Because of the doubleheader with the men, West Virginia officials are expecting a crowd of about 5,000 for Saturday’s game against BC.
