Women's Basketball: WVU Defeats American
November 23, 2007 02:43 PM | General
November 23, 2007
BOX SCORE
KINGSTON, R.I. – The No. 16-rated West Virginia women’s basketball team held on to defeat American, 65-61, in the opening game of the URI Invitational at The Ryan Center in Kingston, R.I., Friday afternoon.
Senior Chakhia Cole scored 19 points, Olayinka Sanni added 16 points and nine rebounds, and LaQuita Owens contributed 15 points and a team-high 10 rebounds to lead the Mountaineers.
Meg Bulger, back in the starting lineup today after spending the first four games coming off the bench, was saddled with foul trouble and finished the game just 2 of 7 from the floor for five points.
West Virginia (4-1) shot 50 percent for the game (29 of 58) and held a 38-25 advantage on the glass, but couldn’t pull away from a pesky American team that made 9 of 21 from 3-point distance. Liz Hayes led all scorers with 29 points, making 10 of 24 shots including 6 of 16 from 3.
Talicia Jackson added 13 for American, which drops to 2-3. Last year West Virginia also struggled against American, pulling out a 57-55 decision in the consolation game of the Loyola-Marymount Thanksgiving Classic.
West Virginia led 35-25 at halftime and held a 34-8 advantage in points in the paint.
The Mountaineers will face either host Rhode Island or Brown in the championship game on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
