Close Call
February 09, 2008 04:52 PM | General
February 9, 2008
BOX SCORE
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Olayinka Sanni scored 20 points and LaQuita Owens chipped in 18 to rally No. 11 West Virginia to a 63-60 road victory over a determined Providence team Saturday afternoon at Alumni Hall. Chakhia Cole was the third Mountaineer in double figures pitching in 13.
West Virginia (19-3, 8-1) scored the first eight points of the game and appeared to be on its way to another cruise control victory in Big East Conference play. The Friars had other ideas.
Trailing 11-3 following an Owens 3 with 15:51 to go, Providence mounted a 16-2 run that was sparked by an Emily Cournoyer stick back and capped by a Kendria Holmes three-point play to give the Friars a 19-13 advantage with 7:23 left in the first half.
Providence led 29-25 at the half after Holmes made a deep 3 at the buzzer. After opening the game 5 of 10 from the field, West Virginia made just three of its final 12 shots of the half to shoot 36 percent from the floor. The Friars, one of the worst rebounding teams in the Big East, managed to outrebound WVU 20-10 in the first half, corralling nine offensive boards in the process.
Providence didn’t settle for just one half of inspired play. They built their largest lead of the game at 46-38 following a Brittany Dorsey 3 with 10:01 to play. West Virginia responded by outscoring the Friars 13-4 over the next five minutes, grabbing a 51-50 lead following Sanni’s completion of a three-point play with 5:25 to go.
On the Mountaineers next possession Meg Bulger, who saw her first action since the Marshall game, drilled a huge 3 to put WVU in front 54-51 with 4:25 left. The game was nip and tuck in the last four minutes with the Mountaineers unable to gain a comfortable advantage.
Bulger made the play of the day as West Virginia clung to a 58-57 lead following a Shantee Darrian lay up in the final minute. Sparkle Davis missed a 3 on the ensuing possession, but Bulger was able to corral the offensive rebound while falling down and calmly flipped it to a wide open Chakhia Cole who laid it in and was fouled, giving the Mountaineers a 61-57 lead with 31 seconds left.
Liz Repella fouled Holmes shooting a 3 on the next possession and she sank all three to inch the Friars closer, 61-60 with seven seconds left. Davis then made two free throws and Holmes’ desperation heave at the buzzer wouldn’t fall.
West Virginia shot just 39.5 percent from the floor but was able to cash in at the foul line, making 23 of 32 charity shots. The Mountaineers also forced the Friars into 23 turnovers.
Providence (11-11, 1-8) was led by Holmes’ career-high 28 points.
The Mountaineers return to action this Wednesday, Feb. 13, when they play host to rival Pitt. Tip-off at the WVU Coliseum is set for 7 p.m.
