Women's Basketball: Set to Host St. Francis
December 17, 2010 03:21 PM | General
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – The No. 7 ranked West Virginia University women’s basketball team will play host to St. Francis on Saturday evening at the Coliseum, with tipoff set for 7 p.m.
Matching their highest-ever national ranking from the Associated Press, the Mountaineers are off to the best start in program history, going undefeated and riding a ten-game winning streak. They’ve also won 25-straight games at home, setting the school record for most consecutive wins at the WVU Coliseum. With a 58-3 all-time record at home in non-conference play, these statistics provide an intimidating outlook on paper for those teams that come into the Coliseum.
St. Francis comes into Saturday’s game on a positive note, having just recorded its first road win of the season on Thursday against Howard University, the win also helping them to improve to a four-game winning streak. The Red Flash currently own a 5-4 record, going 1-4 on the road. These two records don’t really account for the team’s talent, however, as St. Francis claimed its 10th Northeast Conference Tournament Championship title last year as well as an NCAA Tournament berth.
Under head coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl, the Red Flash also defeated BIG EAST foe Pitt, 85-71, a little more than two weeks ago at the Petersen Events Center.
“We have to be prepared for tomorrow. St. Francis is a good basketball team, they beat Pitt by 14. They’ve won three-straight games, and that includes a win in an overtime game too. Susan Robinson does a great job,” said coach Mike Carey.
The Red Flash will be led by senior guard Samantha Leach, who currently averages 17.3 points per game with 41.3 percent (19-of-46) shooting from 3-point range. Fellow guard Allison Daly is not far behind in scoring as she averages 13.0 points per game and leads the team in shots behind the arc, making 41.5 percent (27-of-65). Daly is also Saint Francis’ leading rebounder as she averages 6.6 boards a game and leads the team in steals with 21. Freshman guard/forward Alexandra Williams led the Red Flash scoring with 22 points in their last outing.
“They kept changing up on Pitt,” explained Carey. “They try to make you shoot over the top of them and their two senior guards are pretty good. They shoot the three and they take you off the dribble. That’s my biggest concern; we have to keep them out of the paint. They’re good sized guards that can drive it to the rim and then kick out for the three, or drive to the rim and try to score and get fouled.”
The Mountaineers expect to start Brooke Hampton, Liz Repella, Asya Bussie, Korinne Campbell and Madina Ali, a starting five that has achieved the high expectations the team had going into the season. Ali currently leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game and shooting 62.4 percent from the field, the third highest percentage in the BIG EAST and sixth highest in the nation. She also leads the team in rebounding, notching an average of 7.4 boards per game.
Meanwhile, fellow co-captain Repella has been averaging 14 points per game while holding the most 3-point field goals as she is 17-of-55 (30.9%).
The Mountaineers have continued to improve upon their annually strong defense, only allowing an average of 46.6 points per game, while also holding opponents to 22.8 percent shooting from outside the arc, the best average in the BIG EAST, and 10th best average in the nation.
Saturday’s game marks Food Drive Saturday. Those who bring a nonperishable food item to the game will receive a voucher good for free admission to an upcoming women’s basketball game. Also, the first 1,000 fans to enter will receive a foam WV.
The third meeting between the teams, the game will be streamed and broadcasted live on www.MSNsportsNet.com with Travis Jones and Jay Jacobs on the call.
Matching their highest-ever national ranking from the Associated Press, the Mountaineers are off to the best start in program history, going undefeated and riding a ten-game winning streak. They’ve also won 25-straight games at home, setting the school record for most consecutive wins at the WVU Coliseum. With a 58-3 all-time record at home in non-conference play, these statistics provide an intimidating outlook on paper for those teams that come into the Coliseum.
St. Francis comes into Saturday’s game on a positive note, having just recorded its first road win of the season on Thursday against Howard University, the win also helping them to improve to a four-game winning streak. The Red Flash currently own a 5-4 record, going 1-4 on the road. These two records don’t really account for the team’s talent, however, as St. Francis claimed its 10th Northeast Conference Tournament Championship title last year as well as an NCAA Tournament berth.
Under head coach Susan Robinson Fruchtl, the Red Flash also defeated BIG EAST foe Pitt, 85-71, a little more than two weeks ago at the Petersen Events Center.
“We have to be prepared for tomorrow. St. Francis is a good basketball team, they beat Pitt by 14. They’ve won three-straight games, and that includes a win in an overtime game too. Susan Robinson does a great job,” said coach Mike Carey.
The Red Flash will be led by senior guard Samantha Leach, who currently averages 17.3 points per game with 41.3 percent (19-of-46) shooting from 3-point range. Fellow guard Allison Daly is not far behind in scoring as she averages 13.0 points per game and leads the team in shots behind the arc, making 41.5 percent (27-of-65). Daly is also Saint Francis’ leading rebounder as she averages 6.6 boards a game and leads the team in steals with 21. Freshman guard/forward Alexandra Williams led the Red Flash scoring with 22 points in their last outing.
“They kept changing up on Pitt,” explained Carey. “They try to make you shoot over the top of them and their two senior guards are pretty good. They shoot the three and they take you off the dribble. That’s my biggest concern; we have to keep them out of the paint. They’re good sized guards that can drive it to the rim and then kick out for the three, or drive to the rim and try to score and get fouled.”
The Mountaineers expect to start Brooke Hampton, Liz Repella, Asya Bussie, Korinne Campbell and Madina Ali, a starting five that has achieved the high expectations the team had going into the season. Ali currently leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.4 points per game and shooting 62.4 percent from the field, the third highest percentage in the BIG EAST and sixth highest in the nation. She also leads the team in rebounding, notching an average of 7.4 boards per game.
Meanwhile, fellow co-captain Repella has been averaging 14 points per game while holding the most 3-point field goals as she is 17-of-55 (30.9%).
The Mountaineers have continued to improve upon their annually strong defense, only allowing an average of 46.6 points per game, while also holding opponents to 22.8 percent shooting from outside the arc, the best average in the BIG EAST, and 10th best average in the nation.
Saturday’s game marks Food Drive Saturday. Those who bring a nonperishable food item to the game will receive a voucher good for free admission to an upcoming women’s basketball game. Also, the first 1,000 fans to enter will receive a foam WV.
The third meeting between the teams, the game will be streamed and broadcasted live on www.MSNsportsNet.com with Travis Jones and Jay Jacobs on the call.
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