WVU Finishes Undefeated at Home
February 27, 2010 10:06 PM | General
February 27, 2010
PHOTOS
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For only the second time in school history, the No. 8 West Virginia University women’s basketball team completed an undefeated home record (17-0) with a 69-56 win over Marquette on Saturday evening at the WVU Coliseum in front of 4,485 fans, the sixth most to witness a women’s basketball game at the Coliseum.
West Virginia (26-3, 13-2) was led by junior Korinne Campbell, who played an outstanding offensive game that saw the Mountaineers shoot 26 of 48 (54.2 percent) as a team. Campbell led all scorers with a career-high 21 points, while junior Madina Ali led the team with 11 rebounds, while also chipping in eight points.
“We’re happy with the win and now we have to get ready for Syracuse,” coach Mike Carey said. “I don’t want to go into that tournament with a loss, so we are going up to Syracuse to win. We’re going to play everybody and go at it.”
The Big East leader in assists, junior Sarah Miles finished with eight assists, while also scoring 13 points. Junior Liz Repella and freshman Asya Bussie each contributed 10 points apiece.
The Mountaineers played stifling defense and held the Golden Eagles to 32.2 percent (19 of 59) shooting from the field, while Marquette’s lead scorer, Angel Robinson, was the only player to reach double-figures with 11 points.
West Virginia also used their height advantage and out-blocked Marquette, 10-1, the seventh time this season WVU has had double-digit blocks in a game. Campbell and Repella each had three, while Ali and Bussie had two apiece.
WVU’s biggest lead of the game was 65-45 with 4:18 left in the game after opening the second half on a 13-3 run that featured seven of Bussie’s 10 points. Marquette was able to finish the game on an 11-4 run after a Mountaineers defensive lapse.
“We’re not consistent,” Carey said. “At times tonight we looked very good both offensively and defensively, but at other times we didn’t. We need to become more consistent for a longer period of time.”
The game got off to a very quick start with West Virginia scoring 12 of their 31 first-half points in the first three minutes of the game. Campbell contributed 10 of those 12 points including two 3 pointers to open up the game.
“When I looked up, we were scoring, but they had nine,” Carey said. “Usually the score at that point is 5-2, us. I was happy with our offense, but not happy with our defense.
“Korinne Campbell came out hot and we found her and she hit some 3’s. She’s been playing well for us the last three or four games and is getting a lot of confidence offensively.”
After being up by 14 midway through the first half, WVU only went into halftime up by five after an 8-2 Marquette run that was capped off with Robinson hitting a buzzer beating 3 pointer to end the half.
With this win the Mountaineers have tied the 1991-92 team for most wins in a season with 26. WVU also notched its 13th Big East win, the most in school history and have a 19-game winning streak at the WVU Coliseum dating back to last season.
“To advance in the NCAAs, we’re going to play some really good teams and we need to play better,” Carey said. “We have to become more consistent and take care of the pressure a lot better and be more efficient on the defensive side and offensive side.”
West Virginia now controls its own destiny in the Big East Tournament if they can win their final game of the regular season at Syracuse. The game is Monday night in the Carrier Dome with tip-off set at 7 p.m.
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All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo
