No. 25 WVU Hosts No. 5 Baylor on Saturday
January 09, 2015 12:10 PM | General
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The No. 25-ranked West Virginia University women’s basketball team puts its 16-game home court win streak on the line when No. 5 Baylor visits the Coliseum on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. and the contest airs regionally on ROOT SPORTS Pittsburgh.
Jeff Culhane will describe the action on the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG. Fans can listen on 100.9 FM in Morgantown, WVUsports.com or use the TuneIn Radio app.
Saturday’s contest is a Gold Rush presented by Coke Zero. Coke Zero will distribute 2,500 pom-poms at the game and all fans are encouraged to wear gold.
The Mountaineers (10-4, 0-2 Big 12) have won 16 consecutive games in the WVU Coliseum dating back to last season. That is the fifth-longest active win streak nationally and is tied for the third-longest at West Virginia.
On Wednesday, WVU fell 61-55 in a tough battle at No. 3 Texas. The Mountaineers cut the unbeaten Longhorns’ lead to four with seven minutes remaining, but were unable to surge ahead.
“I told the team after the Texas game, we looked like the old West Virginia team,” said coach Mike Carey. “We played hard. We got after it. We were on the floor. We battled them. We put bodies on people. We got physical. Even though we lost, this is the first time I’ve seen that from our team. That’s a real positive.”
Junior guard Bria Holmes paced WVU with 22 points versus the Longhorns, as she became the 31st player in WVU history to reach the 1,000-point milestone. Holmes’ 22.4 points per game is second in the Big 12 only behind Baylor’s Nina Davis 22.6 ppg.
The play of point guard Linda Stepney has been tremendous. The senior is tops in the Big 12 with an assist/turnover ratio of 3.3, which is fourth in the NCAA. Lanay Montgomery has averaged 3.5 blocks per game, helping WVU rank seventh as a team with 6.6 blocks each contest.
WVU is averaging 73.6 points, while allowing just 59.1 points to their opposition. In the four losses this season, the Mountaineers have shot less than 40 percent from the field.
Arguably opening the toughest conference slate in the country, WVU faces its second top-5 opponent in No. 3 Baylor. It marks the first time the Mountaineers have played two top-5 teams in back-to-back games.
BU leads the all-time series 5-1 and won two of the three meetings last year. West Virginia and Baylor shared a regular-season Big 12 title. Both teams won at each other’s home floor in regular-season play, while BU came out victorious 74-71 at the Big 12 Championship game in Oklahoma City.
The Lady Bears (13-1, 2-0 Big 12) have reeled off 12 consecutive wins, including top-25 victories over Kentucky, Syracuse, Michigan State and Oklahoma State. BU leads the country in assist/turnover ratio, assists per game and rebounds per game.
Davis, a Preseason All-Big 12 selection, leads the Lady Bears in scoring and is 10th nationally. Guard Niya Johnson is the nation’s top distributor with 8.3 assists per game.
The Lady Bear’s Khadijiah Cave is fourth in the NCAA in field goal percentage, knocking down 65.2 of her attempts this season.
HOLMES MAKES HISTORY
- With her layup at the 14:50 minute mark in the second half, junior guard Bria Holmes became the 31st West Virginia player to register 1,000-points in a career. Holmes, which now has 1,010 points sits 30th and is only 30 away from matching Brandi Batch (’02) for 29th.
- Holmes has reached double figures in 17 consecutive games.
- With her layup at the 14:50 minute mark in the second half, junior guard Bria Holmes became the 31st West Virginia player to register 1,000-points in a career. Holmes, which now has 1,010 points sits 30th and is only 30 away from matching Brandi Batch (’02) for 29th.
- Holmes has reached double figures in 17 consecutive games.
MARQUEE MATCH
- Saturday’s game pits the top two scorers in the league with Nina Davis (22.6 ppg) and Bria Holmes (22.4 ppg).
- Also, the top guards in the league with BU’s Niya Johnson (8.3 apg) and Linda Stepney (5.9 apg) square off.
- Guard Bria Holmes was selected as the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year.
- WVU opened Big 12 play 0-2 in 2013 before winning three straight.
- West Virginia has not lost three-straight games since Jan. 19-Jan. 26, 2013.
- Saturday’s game pits the top two scorers in the league with Nina Davis (22.6 ppg) and Bria Holmes (22.4 ppg).
- Also, the top guards in the league with BU’s Niya Johnson (8.3 apg) and Linda Stepney (5.9 apg) square off.
- Guard Bria Holmes was selected as the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year.
- WVU opened Big 12 play 0-2 in 2013 before winning three straight.
- West Virginia has not lost three-straight games since Jan. 19-Jan. 26, 2013.
AGAINST RANKED OPPOSITION
- WVU is 38-153 all-time against ranked opponents. In 2014, WVU picked up five wins over ranked foes.
- The last ranked win was 71-69 at No. 6 Baylor on March 2, 2014.
- WVU faces back-to-back top-5 opponents in No. 3 Texas and No. 5 Baylor. That is the first time WVU has played back-to-back opponents in the top-5.
- WVU is 38-153 all-time against ranked opponents. In 2014, WVU picked up five wins over ranked foes.
- The last ranked win was 71-69 at No. 6 Baylor on March 2, 2014.
- WVU faces back-to-back top-5 opponents in No. 3 Texas and No. 5 Baylor. That is the first time WVU has played back-to-back opponents in the top-5.
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