Women Down Marshall
January 23, 2008 08:55 PM | General
January 23, 2008
BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia University’s women’s basketball team defeated Marshall, 58-51, in the Chesapeake Energy Capital Classic Wednesday evening at the Charleston Civic Center.
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| West Virginia's Olayinka Sanni works free for a basket during Wednesday night's Chesapeake Capital Classic in Charleston, W.Va.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks |
No. 12 West Virginia (15-3) fought through outside shooting struggles on the inside play of senior center Olayinka Sanni, who tallied her third straight double-double with 17 points (8-11) and 10 rebounds. For her efforts, Sanni was named the WVU game MVP.
Two other Mountaineers reached double-figure scoring in the contest: junior point guard Ashley Powell with a season-high 13 points and senior guard LaQuita Owens with 11. Powell was six-of-nine from the field with five assists. Owens added six rebounds while senior forward Chakhia Cole grabbed 12 caroms.
In a hard fought contest that had nine lead changes and six tied scores, WVU took advantage when Owens ignited for all 11 of her points in a three minute span midway through the second half. No team led by more than seven points during the entire game.
WVU’s defense ultimately was the deciding factor in the contest as the Mountaineers limited Marshall to 27.8% on 15-54 shooting.
Aggressive defense by Marshall (11-8) was the story early in the first half as MU used several defensive alignments to stop the potent Mountaineer attack. The Thundering Herd forced 12 WVU turnovers and tallied five steals.
But WVU’s defense responded in the first half as well, limiting Marshall to just 24.1% shooting (24.1%), including just two three point field goals. WVU also held the Herd without a field goal for the final 6:38 of the first stanza.
Sanni led all scorers in the first half with 10 points. She also had six rebounds.
Cole started her 115th consecutive game tying a school record set by Kate Bulger (2000-04).
Kizzy Hart, Marshall’s game MVP tallied a game-high 18 points on 6-16 shooting including five 3-pointers.
West Virginia has now won three straight in the series, six of the last seven games, seven of the last 10 and nine of the last 13. WVU improves to 31-15 all-time against the Thundering Herd.
The Mountaineers return to action Saturday, Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. when they take on BIG EAST foe Georgetown at the WVU Coliseum. The contest will be aired on West Virginia PBS and MSN radio will broadcast the action with pre-game beginning at 1:50 p.m.
