Women's Basketball: WVU Hosts Villanova
February 22, 2008 06:03 PM | General
February 22, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 13 West Virginia women’s basketball team will try to win its second game in a row when it hosts the Villanova Wildcats in game one of a Mountaineer basketball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum.
West Virginia (21-4, 10-2) enters the game winners of 10 of its last 11 games and is coming off a decisive 82-63 win at Cincinnati on Tuesday. The Mountaineers tied the school record, making 13 3s in that contest.
WVU enters the game with three double-figure scorers led by senior center Olayinka Sannni’s 16.4 points per game. Meg Bulger is next with 13.1 while Chakhia Cole averages 10 points per outing.
Head Coach Mike Carey indicated Friday afternoon that Bulger would likely start in place of the recently suspended LaQuita Owens. The Clarksburg, W.Va. native also noted that as many as four players would chip in off the bench to fill that void.
“I will probably go with Meg in her place. I thought Liz Repella and Kelly Smith both came off the bench and gave us quality minutes at Cincinnati,” Carey said. “Lateefah Joye will also be another player off the bench for us so we have a lot of players that will step up.”
Villanova (15-11, 5-8) always seems to present a tough challenge for Mike Carey’s squad. Harry Perretta’s team leads the Big East with 11 3s made a game. They play a deliberate style with the goal of freeing their many shooters for open shots.
“Harry Perretta is a great coach and he goes for it. He sees your weakest defensive player and he’ll take them to the corner and spot up all his shooters and they’ll try to take you one on one and if you help off they will kick it for the 3,” Carey said. “If they are hitting those it’s going to be a long night.”
The Wildcats place three players in double-figures led by Laura Kurz’s 15.2 points per game. Stacie Witman is right behind her with 14.7 point s per contest while Lisa Karcic chips in 12.4. These three forwards are all capable of having a big game.
“You have too come out on defense and then they penetrate and kick for 3s or they back door you for a lay up,” Carey said. “We’re going to have to have to do a good job defending. We’re going to have to communicate on defense because if we have breakdowns it is lay ups for them.”
Villanova has won three of four but comes to Morgantown on after dropping a 77-66 decision at South Florida on Tuesday. If the Wildcats can shoot well, their deliberate style will limit opponents’ possessions and keep them competitive in games.
“I told our players each possession is very important because you’re not going to have a lot of them in this game,” Carey said. “You can’t take a possession for granted and you can’t have a lot of turnovers because you’re not going to have as many possessions or shot attempts as you normally do.”
The game will be broadcast on BIG EAST TV with Beth Mowins and Toni Roesch calling the action.
