Feb. 18, 2002
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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Riding a season-long seven-game winning streak, No. 22 Notre Dame will try to assure itself of a first-round bye in the upcoming BIG EAST Conference Championship when it plays host to West Virginia Tuesday at 7 p.m. (EST) at the Joyce Center. The Irish, winners of 50 consecutive home games, also hold a one-game lead over Boston College for second place in the conference standings, and a victory over WVU Tuesday would certainly go a long way towards locking down the second seed for the BIG EAST Championship.
Notre Dame (17-7, 11-2 BIG EAST) continued its recent run of success last Saturday night with a 57-52 win at Rutgers. Junior guard Alicia Ratay responded with a season-high 25 points and senior guard/forward Ericka Haney chipped in with 10 points for Notre Dame. Ratay scored 16 points in the second half, including 10 in a row over a span of 3:21, helping the Irish break open a three-point game. Freshman guard Kelsey Wicks preserved the win with some clutch free throw shooting, making 4-of-4 charities in the final 10 seconds with the game still in doubt.
West Virginia (14-10, 6-7) has been perhaps the feel-good story of the year in the BIG EAST. The Mountaineers had won only 11 games in the last two seasons combined, but under first-year head coach Mike Carey, WVU has risen from the ashes and has clinched a spot in this year’s conference tournament.
The Mountaineers are coming off a 65-50 win over Providence last Saturday. Sophomore guard Kate Bulger and freshman guard Yolanda Paige, the reigning BIG EAST Rookie of the Week, each pumped in a game-high 18 points for WVU.
Bulger is the leading scorer in the conference at 15.8 points per game. Freshman guard Sherell Sowho is 12th in the loop at 13.6 ppg., while junior forward Eartha White is fifth in the BIG EAST at 7.1 rebounds per game.
Prior to arriving in Morgantown, Carey spent 13 years as the men’s coach at Salem International, compiling a 288-102 (.738) record. Tuesday will mark his first visit to Notre Dame.
– ND –