WVU and Buffalo Open WNIT Play Thursday
March 18, 2015 10:52 AM | General
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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The West Virginia University women’s basketball team opens the first round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) on Thursday, March 19, against Buffalo. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum.
Tickets to Thursday’s contest are $7 dollars, while youth tickets are $4. Carey’s Crew members receive free admission courtesy of United Bank, while students are also free. A valid student ID or Carey’s Crew membership card must be shown to receive the free ticket. A discounted group rate of $4 is available, but must be purchased in advance. To purchase tickets, visit WVUGAME.com or call 1-800-WVU GAME. Flex plan tickets cannot be redeemed at WNIT games.
A free video stream will be provided at WVUsports.com. Jeff Culhane and Meg Bulger will have the call on the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG. Fans can listen to the contest on various affiliates across the state, online at WVUsports.com or by using the TuneIn Radio app.
The Mountaineers (18-14) are making their fourth appearance in the WNIT and the first since 2009. This is the ninth consecutive season that WVU has reached postseason play and the 14th overall. In 2009, West Virginia advanced to the second round of the WNIT before falling, 68-63, at St. Bonaventure. In 2005, the Mountaineers reached the WNIT Championship game, dropping a 78-70 contest at Missouri State. WVU’s first WNIT appearance was in 1985 with the Mountaineers going 1-2 in a double-elimination format in Amarillo, Texas.
This season, West Virginia reeled off seven consecutive wins from December 3 to December 20. The Mountaineers picked up Top 25 victories over Oklahoma State (21/20), Oklahoma (RV/24) and Texas (RV/24). The Mountaineers are 14-3 at home this season and have reached double-figure wins at home 10 times in 14 seasons under Carey.
Unanimous All-Big 12 First Team honoree Bria Holmes paces the Mountaineers with 19.2 points per game, followed by All-Big 12 Honorable Mention Averee Fields’ 13.1. Fields is 10 points shy of becoming the 32nd Mountaineer to enter the 1,000-point club.
The Mountaineers are third nationally with 6.6 blocks per game and set a single-season program record with 210 deflections this season. Lanay Montgomery leads the Big 12 and is 11th nationally with 3.3 blocks per game.
West Virginia and Buffalo meet for the first time on the hardwood. UB finished the year 19-12 en route to the school’s first WNIT appearance. The Bulls finished fourth in the Mid-American Conference with an 11-7 record and made an appearance in the MAC Tournament semifinals.
“They have a lot of people that can score,” said coach Mike Carey. “They like to play a matchup zone and they play a little bit of man. They are coming in here to prove a point that they can play with a team in a power conference. They are going to come in here with a lot of energy and try to win this game.”
UB is led by All-MAC Second Team and MAC All-Tournament Team selection Kristen Sharkey. She is averaging a team-best 14.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
Winner of Thursday’s game will take on the winner of Drexel/Hampton in the second round. The home site will be announced once all first round games are completed on Friday, March 20.
POSTSEASON PLAY
- The Mountaineers are appearing in the Postseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the fourth time and the first since the 2009 season.
- WVU went 1-1 in 2009 before falling to St. Bonaventure in the second round.
- In 2005, WVU won four consecutive games to reach the WNIT Championship game, eventually falling 78-70 at Southwest Missouri State.
- WVU has faced two other New York teams in the WNIT and will play its third on Thursday: St. John’s (2005), St. Bonaventure (2009) and Buffalo (2015).
OH, HEY BUFFALO
- The same two schools will face off in the Men’s NCAA Tournament and the WNIT opening round since the WNIT was relaunched in 1998 when West Virginia and Buffalo meet in each tournament this week. The men’s squads battle it out on Friday, March 20, at 2:10 p.m. ET in Columbus, Ohio.
- There are a couple of Mountaineer ties to the city of Buffalo. WVU Hall of Famer and assistant coach Lester Rowe was a standout at Buffalo’s Lafayette High School before beginning his stellar college career at West Virginia.
- Assistant to the Head Coach Pat Biondo graduated from nearby Williamsville East High School before attending WVU.
- The Mountaineers are appearing in the Postseason Women’s National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) for the fourth time and the first since the 2009 season.
- WVU went 1-1 in 2009 before falling to St. Bonaventure in the second round.
- In 2005, WVU won four consecutive games to reach the WNIT Championship game, eventually falling 78-70 at Southwest Missouri State.
- WVU has faced two other New York teams in the WNIT and will play its third on Thursday: St. John’s (2005), St. Bonaventure (2009) and Buffalo (2015).
OH, HEY BUFFALO
- The same two schools will face off in the Men’s NCAA Tournament and the WNIT opening round since the WNIT was relaunched in 1998 when West Virginia and Buffalo meet in each tournament this week. The men’s squads battle it out on Friday, March 20, at 2:10 p.m. ET in Columbus, Ohio.
- There are a couple of Mountaineer ties to the city of Buffalo. WVU Hall of Famer and assistant coach Lester Rowe was a standout at Buffalo’s Lafayette High School before beginning his stellar college career at West Virginia.
- Assistant to the Head Coach Pat Biondo graduated from nearby Williamsville East High School before attending WVU.
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