WVU Renews Acquaintances with Villanova Sunday[/B]
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 28, 2015) - [/B]With a berth to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) semifinals on the line, the West Virginia University women's basketball team faces old BIG EAST foe Villanova on Sunday, March 29. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum.
The winner of Sunday's WNIT quarterfinal matchup will take on the winner of Temple/Middle Tennessee in the semifinals on April 1 or 2 at a campus site to be determined.
General admission tickets are $7, while youth tickets are $4. WVU students and Carey's Crew members receive free admission courtesy of United Bank. A valid student ID or Carey's Crew membership card must be shown to receive the free ticket.
To purchase tickets, visit WVUGAME.com or call 1-800-WVU GAME. Flex plan tickets cannot be redeemed for WNIT games.
A live stream of Sunday's contest will be available at WVUsports.com. Jeff Culhane and Meg Bulger will have the call on the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG. Listen to various affiliates across the state, online at WVUsports.com and via the TuneIn Radio app.
The Mountaineers (21-14) collected a 60-39 win over Duquesne on Thursday to advance to the WNIT quarterfinals for the second time and the first since 2005. Averee Fields tallied her seventh double-double of the year with 19 points and 11 rebounds against the Dukes. Bria Holmes added 17 points, while Teana Muldrow contributed with 15 points in 20 minutes.
With a win on Sunday, the Mountaineers can set a new program record 18 wins at home surpassing the 17-win mark at home during the 2009-10 campaign. WVU has 530 offensive rebounds and can set a new single-season record with three more on Sunday.
Former BIG EAST foes West Virginia and Villanova meet for the 29th time on Sunday. The Wildcats own an 18-10 all-time record, but the Mountaineers have won five out of the last seven contests. In the last meeting on January 7, 2012, the Mountaineers prevailed 61-56 at the WVU Coliseum. West Virginia has not lost in Morgantown to Villanova since February 28, 2006.
The Wildcats (22-13) finished third in the BIG EAST with a 12-6 record in league play. Villanova fell to DePaul, 58-55, in the tournament semifinals. Villanova knocked off conference foe St. John's, 63-55, in the WNIT third round on Thursday.
The Wildcats are averaging 61.9 points per game and giving up just 55.8 per contest. Villanova leads the nation with a 1.81 assist/turnover ratio and 8.5 turnovers per game.
"We're going to have to make some adjustments," said coach Mike Carey. "We may have to go small at times. You hate to do that. Their center (Emily Leer) shoots threes and shoots it extremely well. The other thing their center does, she can go out to the three-point line and she can penetrate. We're going to have to help and that's going to free up a lot. It's going to be a tough guard."
Caroline Coyer paces Villanova with 13.5 points per contest. Her 2.69 assist/turnover ratio leads the BIG EAST and is 10th nationally. Emily Leer is also in double-figures for the Wildcats, boasting 12.1 points per game.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
- West Virginia has won 16 consecutive games inside the Coliseum against non-conference opponents.
- If the Mountaineers win on Sunday, WVU will set a school record for most home wins in a single-season at 18. WVU went a perfect 17-0 during the 2009-10 season.
- West Virginia is 88-6 all-time against non-conference opponents since 2002.
DEFENSE STEPPING UP
- WVU has held opponents under 40 percent shooting in the last six games.
- Opponents have made less than 30 percent in four of those games.
- Hampton and Duquesne scored opponent season-lows of 39 points.
- West Virginia is 15-3 this season when holding opponents under 60 points.
POSTSEASON PLAY
- West Virginia holds a 7-0 record at home in the Postseason WNIT.
- West Virginia has reached the WNIT quarterfinals for the second time.
- WVU can reach the WNIT semifinals for the second time in program history with a win on Sunday. The last appearance in the WNIT semifinals came in 2005.
- Winner of Sunday's quarterfinal will face the winner of Middle Tennessee/Temple in the WNIT semifinals.
Keep up with West Virginia women's basketball on Instagram and Twitter by following @WVUWBB.[/I]
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (March 28, 2015) - [/B]With a berth to the Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT) semifinals on the line, the West Virginia University women's basketball team faces old BIG EAST foe Villanova on Sunday, March 29. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum.
The winner of Sunday's WNIT quarterfinal matchup will take on the winner of Temple/Middle Tennessee in the semifinals on April 1 or 2 at a campus site to be determined.
General admission tickets are $7, while youth tickets are $4. WVU students and Carey's Crew members receive free admission courtesy of United Bank. A valid student ID or Carey's Crew membership card must be shown to receive the free ticket.
To purchase tickets, visit WVUGAME.com or call 1-800-WVU GAME. Flex plan tickets cannot be redeemed for WNIT games.
A live stream of Sunday's contest will be available at WVUsports.com. Jeff Culhane and Meg Bulger will have the call on the Mountaineer Sports Network from IMG. Listen to various affiliates across the state, online at WVUsports.com and via the TuneIn Radio app.
The Mountaineers (21-14) collected a 60-39 win over Duquesne on Thursday to advance to the WNIT quarterfinals for the second time and the first since 2005. Averee Fields tallied her seventh double-double of the year with 19 points and 11 rebounds against the Dukes. Bria Holmes added 17 points, while Teana Muldrow contributed with 15 points in 20 minutes.
With a win on Sunday, the Mountaineers can set a new program record 18 wins at home surpassing the 17-win mark at home during the 2009-10 campaign. WVU has 530 offensive rebounds and can set a new single-season record with three more on Sunday.
Former BIG EAST foes West Virginia and Villanova meet for the 29th time on Sunday. The Wildcats own an 18-10 all-time record, but the Mountaineers have won five out of the last seven contests. In the last meeting on January 7, 2012, the Mountaineers prevailed 61-56 at the WVU Coliseum. West Virginia has not lost in Morgantown to Villanova since February 28, 2006.
The Wildcats (22-13) finished third in the BIG EAST with a 12-6 record in league play. Villanova fell to DePaul, 58-55, in the tournament semifinals. Villanova knocked off conference foe St. John's, 63-55, in the WNIT third round on Thursday.
The Wildcats are averaging 61.9 points per game and giving up just 55.8 per contest. Villanova leads the nation with a 1.81 assist/turnover ratio and 8.5 turnovers per game.
"We're going to have to make some adjustments," said coach Mike Carey. "We may have to go small at times. You hate to do that. Their center (Emily Leer) shoots threes and shoots it extremely well. The other thing their center does, she can go out to the three-point line and she can penetrate. We're going to have to help and that's going to free up a lot. It's going to be a tough guard."
Caroline Coyer paces Villanova with 13.5 points per contest. Her 2.69 assist/turnover ratio leads the BIG EAST and is 10th nationally. Emily Leer is also in double-figures for the Wildcats, boasting 12.1 points per game.
HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
- West Virginia has won 16 consecutive games inside the Coliseum against non-conference opponents.
- If the Mountaineers win on Sunday, WVU will set a school record for most home wins in a single-season at 18. WVU went a perfect 17-0 during the 2009-10 season.
- West Virginia is 88-6 all-time against non-conference opponents since 2002.
DEFENSE STEPPING UP
- WVU has held opponents under 40 percent shooting in the last six games.
- Opponents have made less than 30 percent in four of those games.
- Hampton and Duquesne scored opponent season-lows of 39 points.
- West Virginia is 15-3 this season when holding opponents under 60 points.
POSTSEASON PLAY
- West Virginia holds a 7-0 record at home in the Postseason WNIT.
- West Virginia has reached the WNIT quarterfinals for the second time.
- WVU can reach the WNIT semifinals for the second time in program history with a win on Sunday. The last appearance in the WNIT semifinals came in 2005.
- Winner of Sunday's quarterfinal will face the winner of Middle Tennessee/Temple in the WNIT semifinals.
Keep up with West Virginia women's basketball on Instagram and Twitter by following @WVUWBB.[/I]
