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WVU Welcomes Ole Miss for SEC/Big 12 Challenge
December 03, 2016 10:38 AM | Women's Basketball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - The No. 16/17-ranked West Virginia University women’s basketball team plays Ole Miss in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Sunday, Dec. 4, in a 4 p.m. tipoff at the WVU Coliseum.
All fans who donate a new, unwrapped toy for the WVU Toy Mountain drive will receive free admission to the game or a future women’s basketball game. The first 500 fans will receive a free WVU ugly holiday sweater T-shirt.
Santa Claus will make a special appearance and children will have an opportunity to take a photo with him prior to tipoff. Additionally, Mountaineer Kids Club members may shoot around on the court following the game. Mr. Twister will also be at the WVU Coliseum providing balloon animals and face painting.
Tickets are priced at just $5 and can be purchased at WVUGAME.com or by calling the Mountaineer Ticket Office at 1-800-WVU GAME. Will Call and all game day ticket sales will take place at the Gold Gate ticket windows only. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid lines at the gate on gameday.
Following Sunday’s game, a viewing party will take place where fans can watch the West Virginia women’s soccer team play USC in the National Championship game on the WVU Coliseum video board.
Sunday’s contest is televised throughout West Virginia on Nexstar Broadcasting Group affiliates: WOWK in Charleston/Huntington, WBOY in Clarksburg/Morgantown, WTRF in Wheeling and WVNS in Beckley/Bluefield. Additionally, the game will be streamed online at WVUsports.com.
Dan Zangrilli and Meg Bulger will call the action on the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG. Fans can listen to various affiliates across the state (click here for a full list), WVUsports.com, WVU Gameday app and TuneIn.
On Wednesday, West Virginia (8-0) cruised to a 94-53 win over Morehead State for the team’s 29th consecutive win against nonconference opponents at the WVU Coliseum and 10th straight at home. Lanay Montgomery led the Mountaineers with 23 points, 18 rebounds and six blocked shots, joining WVU Hall of Famer Georgeann Wells as the only players to score 20 or more, rebound 18 or more and block six or more shots in a game. Teana Muldrow also notched a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
The Mountaineers are second nationally in field goal percentage defense (28.9%), seventh in scoring margin (+30.3), seventh in blocked shots (7.3 bpg) and eighth in scoring defense (50.1 ppg).
Sophomore guard Tynice Martin leads the Big 12 with 20.1 points per game, while Montgomery’s 10.6 rebounds per game paces the conference. Montgomery also leads the league with 3.4 blocked shots per game and 4.5 offensive rebounds per game. Point guard Chania Ray is second in the league with 6.3 assists per game.
WVU is participating in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge for the first time. Currently, the SEC holds a 2-1 advantage after No. 3 South Carolina beat No. 14 Texas (76-67) and No. 17 Kentucky upended No. 12 Oklahoma (82-68). Kansas State bested No. 23 Auburn, 71-66, on Thursday. West Virginia is 1-0 against the SEC this season after picking up a 56-52 win over Auburn in the Savannah Invitational Championship in Savannah, Georgia.
The Mountaineers and Rebels meet for a fourth time with Ole Miss holding a 2-1 edge. West Virginia won the last meeting on Nov. 15, 2013, 86-56, at the Bank of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Ole Miss (6-1) collected an 89-41 win over Jackson State on Thursday after suffering a 64-57 setback at UNLV last Sunday. The Rebels beat Big Ten member Wisconsin, 69-44, on Nov. 26, in the UNLV Thanksgiving Tournament in Las Vegas.
“They are the most athletic team we’ve played this year,” coach Mike Carey said. “They have athletes like Texas. All of them push the break, even their center will push the break. Transition defense is going to be very important. Dribble penetration, keeping them out of the paint and off the boards will be very important. They play extremely hard and they’re a good basketball team. If we don’t come out and play with a lot of energy then it could be a long day.”
The Rebels are third nationally, just behind WVU, with a 29.3 field goal percentage defense. Ole Miss is fourth nationally with a 3-point field goal defense of 19.4% and is 15th with 23.0 turnovers forced per game. Ole Miss is averaging 73.3 points per game and limiting opponents to 48.7 ppg, which is fourth in the NCAA in scoring defense.
Madinah Muhammad leads Ole Miss with 14.7 points per game. Preseason All-SEC Second Team honoree Shandricka Sessom is second on the squad with 14.3 points per contest followed by Erika Sisk’s 10.1 points per game. Shequila Joseph leads the Rebels with 6.0 rebounds per contest. The Rebels, under fourth-year head coach Matt Insell, were predicted to finish 14th in the SEC as voted by the league’s coaches.
After Sunday’s contest, West Virginia returns to action on Saturday, Dec. 10, in a 6:30 p.m. tipoff against USC Upstate.
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