BabHorn
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Both WVU and Texas come into this Sunday game at 2-1 in conference play. Texas has won two in a row while WVU suffered its first league loss last Thursday to Baylor at Morgantown. WVU leads the series 2-1. The teams split last season’s two games, with each winning at home.
Conference stats haven’t been updated on the texassports.com site so it’s hard to make some comparisons. Stats used here for Texas are from the Big 12.com site. Horns have two players averaging double figure scoring in league play: Nneka at 13.3 ppg and Imani at 11.7 ppg. Empress is averaging 9.0 ppg. Krystle adds 8.0 ppg off the bench. Texas’ three main posts are rebounding well with Kelsey leading at 7.0 rpg, Nneka with 6.3 rpg and Imani is at 6.0 rpg. Those three are also listed among the league leaders in blocked shots with Kelsey and Nneka averaging 1.67 bpg and Imani adding 1.33 bpg. Brady is averaging 34.7 mpg.
The Mountaineers are led by Bria Holmes (14.7 ppg) and Asay Bussie (14.3 ppg). Taylor Palmer (9.3 ppg) is the main scoring threat off the bench. Bussie leads the team in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and blocks (9). Starters Holmes (5.7 rpg), Christal Caldwell (5.0 rpg) and Averee Fields (5.0 rpg) lead strong support on the boards for WVU. Brooke Hampton has 7 assists to lead WVU off the bench. Fields’ 6 assists tops the starters. Bussie has attempted 20 FTs and made 15, both numbers doubling up Palmer (7-11) who is second in both categories. As a team, WVU is making a respectable 71.2% from the FT line. Holmes (6-17, 35.3%) and Palmer (5-19 (26.3%) have combined to take 36 of WVU’s 56 treys attempted in conference play. As a team, WVU has made 15 treys. Holmes and Palmer have 11 of those. Holmes (16-32), Bussie (14-31) and Caldwell (20-39) are the main shooters for WVU. They have combined to take 102 of WVU’s 182 FG attempts. Add in Fields’ 8-20 and Palmer’s 8-24 from the bench and those five players are responsible for 80% of all shots attempted by the Mountaineers. Look for Empress to be glued to Holmes throughout the game. Empress earned her stripes on defense last season as a rookie going up against some of the best SG/SFs in the conference. Whenever the Horns need to face guard a scorer on the perimeter, Empress will get the first call.
WVU has had nine players see action in all 3 league games to date. One other has gotten into two games. The Mountaineers lean heavily on Holmes (31 mpg) and Bussie (36.0 mpg). Six others average between 26 and 12 mpg. One other averages 9.7 mpg (Crystal Leary). Bussie, Caldwell, Fields and Linda Stepney have started all fifteen games, including the three conference games. Holmes joins them in starting all three conference games. She did miss one earlier non conference game and did not start another. Palmer stepped into the starting lineup for those two games. The Mountaineers have good height on their roster with Bussie (6-4 Sr. C), Lubirdia Gordon (6-4 Fr. C) and Lanay Montgomery (6-5 RS Fr. C). However, both Bussie and Montgomery are coming off injuries. Montgomery is averaging 7.6 mpg for the season (13 games) and 1.5 mpg in conference games (2 games). Gordon averaged 4.4 mpg for the season (7 games) and has not played in three conference games. So far this season, for all practical purposes, it has been Bussie providing the inside presence for the Mountaineers. This is a running team that likes to take advantage of fast breaks when available. However, they are being outrebounded in conference play and although they do force more turnovers than they give up (13.7 to 17.7).
Texas uses ten players in their rotation which has been missing Chas for the first three games. The Horns have used the same lineup for the past two league games: Empress, Brady, Celina, Nneka and Imani. Providing strong scoring support off the bench are Krystle, Brianna, Kelsey, Gigi and Nekia.
The teams are opposites in 3pt scoring and defense. Texas is last in conference play in 3pt FG% at 18.9%. WVU ranks sixth at 26.8%. In 3pt FG defense, WVU allows opponets to hit 42.6%, dead last in the conference while Texas third, holding opponents to 25.% from BTA. Okay, so they are both having trouble hitting the 3s. But Horns are better at defending it which gives some hope that they will continue to do so, while maybe getting some solid, open looks for their 3pt shooters (Gigi, Brady, Krystle, Empress and Celina).
Projected starting lineup:
Texas
#1 Empress, 5-7 Soph. G
# 32 Brady, 5-11 RS Soph. G
# 2 Celina, 5-8 Soph. PG
# 3 Nneka, 6-1 Jr. F
#34 Imani, 6-7 Soph. C
West Virginia
#23 Holmes, 6-1 Soph. G
#20 Bussie, 6-4 RS Sr. C
#1 Caldwell, 5-9 Sr. G
#5 Fields, 6-1 Jr. F
#22 Stepney, 5-7 Jr. G
Bussie will be a challenge for Imani and Kelsey. She is one of the best centers in the league, if not the best. But WVU will have similar problems finding someone to guard Nneka. Fields, 6-1 F, is the only one besides Holmes, 6-1 G, that has the size to match up with Nneka. Leary, 6-2 F, may see more than her average of 9.7 mpg if Fields gets into foul trouble. Bussie will see defense from Imani, Kelsey and Nneka at various times. Horns are likely to rotate Empress and Brianna, and possibly, Brady on Holmes. Horns’ ability to go ten deep with minimal drop off may be a key factor, especially if the game is called closely. They have more players on the bench that have logged significant playing time this season than WVU does. A big question mark will be which team is able to get untracked from BTA. Texas entered league play hitting close to 40% from BTA. They have yet to come near that number in the past three league games although they have improved their 3pt shooting in each game.
Chas update: Strictly from what I saw at the OU game. She is off her crutches which bodes well for her return sometime in the next few games.
Game time is 11 AM CST Sunday. It will be carried on Fox Sports Network (in Austin, TWCHD 1693 & digital TWC 430). KVET 1300 will carry the radio broadcast. The team will leave Austin Saturday after a morning practice.
texassports.com game preview
wvusports.com game preview
Conference stats haven’t been updated on the texassports.com site so it’s hard to make some comparisons. Stats used here for Texas are from the Big 12.com site. Horns have two players averaging double figure scoring in league play: Nneka at 13.3 ppg and Imani at 11.7 ppg. Empress is averaging 9.0 ppg. Krystle adds 8.0 ppg off the bench. Texas’ three main posts are rebounding well with Kelsey leading at 7.0 rpg, Nneka with 6.3 rpg and Imani is at 6.0 rpg. Those three are also listed among the league leaders in blocked shots with Kelsey and Nneka averaging 1.67 bpg and Imani adding 1.33 bpg. Brady is averaging 34.7 mpg.
The Mountaineers are led by Bria Holmes (14.7 ppg) and Asay Bussie (14.3 ppg). Taylor Palmer (9.3 ppg) is the main scoring threat off the bench. Bussie leads the team in rebounding (8.0 rpg) and blocks (9). Starters Holmes (5.7 rpg), Christal Caldwell (5.0 rpg) and Averee Fields (5.0 rpg) lead strong support on the boards for WVU. Brooke Hampton has 7 assists to lead WVU off the bench. Fields’ 6 assists tops the starters. Bussie has attempted 20 FTs and made 15, both numbers doubling up Palmer (7-11) who is second in both categories. As a team, WVU is making a respectable 71.2% from the FT line. Holmes (6-17, 35.3%) and Palmer (5-19 (26.3%) have combined to take 36 of WVU’s 56 treys attempted in conference play. As a team, WVU has made 15 treys. Holmes and Palmer have 11 of those. Holmes (16-32), Bussie (14-31) and Caldwell (20-39) are the main shooters for WVU. They have combined to take 102 of WVU’s 182 FG attempts. Add in Fields’ 8-20 and Palmer’s 8-24 from the bench and those five players are responsible for 80% of all shots attempted by the Mountaineers. Look for Empress to be glued to Holmes throughout the game. Empress earned her stripes on defense last season as a rookie going up against some of the best SG/SFs in the conference. Whenever the Horns need to face guard a scorer on the perimeter, Empress will get the first call.
WVU has had nine players see action in all 3 league games to date. One other has gotten into two games. The Mountaineers lean heavily on Holmes (31 mpg) and Bussie (36.0 mpg). Six others average between 26 and 12 mpg. One other averages 9.7 mpg (Crystal Leary). Bussie, Caldwell, Fields and Linda Stepney have started all fifteen games, including the three conference games. Holmes joins them in starting all three conference games. She did miss one earlier non conference game and did not start another. Palmer stepped into the starting lineup for those two games. The Mountaineers have good height on their roster with Bussie (6-4 Sr. C), Lubirdia Gordon (6-4 Fr. C) and Lanay Montgomery (6-5 RS Fr. C). However, both Bussie and Montgomery are coming off injuries. Montgomery is averaging 7.6 mpg for the season (13 games) and 1.5 mpg in conference games (2 games). Gordon averaged 4.4 mpg for the season (7 games) and has not played in three conference games. So far this season, for all practical purposes, it has been Bussie providing the inside presence for the Mountaineers. This is a running team that likes to take advantage of fast breaks when available. However, they are being outrebounded in conference play and although they do force more turnovers than they give up (13.7 to 17.7).
Texas uses ten players in their rotation which has been missing Chas for the first three games. The Horns have used the same lineup for the past two league games: Empress, Brady, Celina, Nneka and Imani. Providing strong scoring support off the bench are Krystle, Brianna, Kelsey, Gigi and Nekia.
The teams are opposites in 3pt scoring and defense. Texas is last in conference play in 3pt FG% at 18.9%. WVU ranks sixth at 26.8%. In 3pt FG defense, WVU allows opponets to hit 42.6%, dead last in the conference while Texas third, holding opponents to 25.% from BTA. Okay, so they are both having trouble hitting the 3s. But Horns are better at defending it which gives some hope that they will continue to do so, while maybe getting some solid, open looks for their 3pt shooters (Gigi, Brady, Krystle, Empress and Celina).
Projected starting lineup:
Texas
#1 Empress, 5-7 Soph. G
# 32 Brady, 5-11 RS Soph. G
# 2 Celina, 5-8 Soph. PG
# 3 Nneka, 6-1 Jr. F
#34 Imani, 6-7 Soph. C
West Virginia
#23 Holmes, 6-1 Soph. G
#20 Bussie, 6-4 RS Sr. C
#1 Caldwell, 5-9 Sr. G
#5 Fields, 6-1 Jr. F
#22 Stepney, 5-7 Jr. G
Bussie will be a challenge for Imani and Kelsey. She is one of the best centers in the league, if not the best. But WVU will have similar problems finding someone to guard Nneka. Fields, 6-1 F, is the only one besides Holmes, 6-1 G, that has the size to match up with Nneka. Leary, 6-2 F, may see more than her average of 9.7 mpg if Fields gets into foul trouble. Bussie will see defense from Imani, Kelsey and Nneka at various times. Horns are likely to rotate Empress and Brianna, and possibly, Brady on Holmes. Horns’ ability to go ten deep with minimal drop off may be a key factor, especially if the game is called closely. They have more players on the bench that have logged significant playing time this season than WVU does. A big question mark will be which team is able to get untracked from BTA. Texas entered league play hitting close to 40% from BTA. They have yet to come near that number in the past three league games although they have improved their 3pt shooting in each game.
Chas update: Strictly from what I saw at the OU game. She is off her crutches which bodes well for her return sometime in the next few games.
Game time is 11 AM CST Sunday. It will be carried on Fox Sports Network (in Austin, TWCHD 1693 & digital TWC 430). KVET 1300 will carry the radio broadcast. The team will leave Austin Saturday after a morning practice.
texassports.com game preview
wvusports.com game preview
