Marshall University Athletics
Chesapeake Energy Capital Classic Up Next For Herd
1/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 22, 2008
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The Marshall University women's basketball team will take a break from its Conference USA schedule to face West Virginia in the annual Chesapeake Energy Capital Classic at 5:30 p.m. at the Charleston Civic Center. The game will be the first in a doubleheader with the men's team, who will face WVU at 8 p.m.
Wednesday's game will be televised by CSTV with Jason Knapp doing the play-by-play and Sonya Beeler-Willhoite serving as the analyst. The game will also be available locally on WPBY, WSWP and WNPB. The doubleheader will also be available on a pay-per-view basis ($11.95) through CSTV All-Access on HerdZone.com. WMUL and 930 AM WRVC will carry a live radio broadcast.
Marshall enters the game on the heels of a 72-50 loss to SMU on Sunday. With the loss, the Thundering Herd dropped to 11-7 on the year and 3-2 in Conference USA. Prior to that game, the Herd topped Tulsa, 74-53, on Friday.
Meagan Samis led the Herd in scoring in both games last weekend, scoring 13 against Tulsa before registering 16 against SMU. Included in Samis' 16 against SMU was a 4-of-6 performance from three-point range, tying her career mark for three's made in a game and the most in her Marshall career. She also tallied four while playing for UNC Wilmington. All of her points versus SMU came in the second half.
Another star for the Herd was Tynikki Crook. On Sunday, Crook notched the second double-double of her career with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Her rebound total marked a career-high and also a tied Chantelle Handy's season-high for Marshall.
The Mountaineers, currently ranked 12th in the Associated Press and USA Today Polls, enter the classic with a 14-3 record and are 4-1 in the Big East. WVU has won three straight, including wins last week over Marquette and St. John's.
Olayinka Sanni, who averaged 21.5 points and 15.5 rebounds in last week's games, was named Big East Player of the Week on Monday for her efforts. Her season average of 17.6 points per game is fifth in the Big East.
Three-points shooting is one of West Virginia's strengths, leading the conference with a .379 shooting percentage beyond-the-arc. That is also 21st in the nation. Their three-point attach is led by senior Meg Bulger, whose .462 three-point shooting percentage is No. 1 in the Big East and 7th in the country.
In the overall series, WVU holds a 30-16 edge and has won five out of the last six meetings with Marshall's last win coming in the form of an 82-76 win in 2005. Last year, the Mountaineers took a 76-54 win and were led by a 20-points performance from Chakhia Cole while Meg Withrow led the Herd with 15 points and six assists.
Marshall will be back on the road this weekend, facing East Carolina in their second meeting of the season. On January 5th, the Herd dominated the Pirates, grabbing an 81-55 win in the C-USA opener for both teams.
