WBB Game 16: WKU (10-5, 2-2) vs ODU (12-3, 2-1)
This Thursday the Monarchs will play the Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers. And I have to be honest with you Monarch Nation.....I think that this will be the year where we finally beat WKU. Since ODU has joined Conference USA, we have never beaten them. WKU has put up some good teams in recent years. In the past seven year, they have 20 games each season and they have 4 NCAA appearances along with 3 WNIT appearances. During that time span, their head coach Michelle Clark-Heard takes over the Cincinnati job and the promotes from within their ranks, making Greg Collins the head coach. The team keeps on winning.
Hilltoppers schedule so far. they are 10-5, (2-2 in conference play) They have an RPI of 45, RPI: 85.
@ #9 Louisville L 56-75 Record: 16-1 RPI: 2
@ Mercer W 75-62 Record: 3-14 RPI: 306
Vs Belmont W 77-46 Record: 9-7 RPI: 76
VS Cent Michigan W 93-58 Record 10-4 RPI: 25
Vs AR Little Rock W 77-58 Record: 5-10 RPI: 216
St Mary's Thanksgiving Classic
Vs Tulsa W 76-63 Record: 5-10 RPI: 216
@ St Mary's L 73-80 Record: 10-6 RPI: 116
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Vs Oklahoma W 74-63 Record: 9-6 RPI: 37
@ Ball St W 91-86 Record: 10-4 RPI: 68
@ Samford W 88-84 Record: 5-12 RPI: 149
@ Purdue L 50-67 Record: 11-6 RPI: 31
@ North Texas L 50-67 Record: 7-9 (1-3) RPI: 253
@ Rice L 54-61 Record: 9-6 (4-0) RPI: 126
Vs UAB W 69-65 Record: 9-7 (1-3) RPI: 157
VS Middle Tenn St W 69-65 Record: 10-6 (2-2) RPI: 51
@ ODU Record: 12-3 (2-1) RPI: 47
It's a good schedule with a win over Oklahoma and a quality win over Central Michigan. Their RPI should be a little better, but I can't explain the loss to North Texas.
WKU starting five.
15 El-Gedawy, Raneem F 6'4" Jr 16.9 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 0.4 apg, 49.8 FG%, 29.6 3P%, 60.9 FT%, 29.2 mpg
04 Givens, Dee F 6'1" Rd Sr 15.7 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 40.2 FG%, 31.6 3P%, 78.4 FT%, 33.8 mpg
05 Creech, Whitney G 5'8" Sr 15,4 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.5 apg, 48.6 FG%, 50.0 3P%, 79.4 FT%, 37.2 mpg
40 Abdelgawad, Meral G 5'11" Jr 7.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 apg, 42.4 FG%, 24.5 3P%, 65.4 FT%, 24.9 mpg
22 Porter, Sherry G 5'7" Jr 7.8 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.6 apg, 35.2 FG%, 37.9 3P%, 77.8 FT%, 28.7 mpg
Top Bench
12 Pouye, Fatou F 6'0" Jr 3.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 0.25 apg, 42.6 FG%, 20.0 3P%, 62.5 FT%, 15.3 mpg
11 Brewer, Alexis G 5'9" Rd Sr 2.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.2 apg 24.0 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 66.7 FT%, 15.0 mpg
The Hilltoppers have two players from Egypt on there starting roster. Both are on the women's national basketball team roster. El-Gedawy and Abdelgawad. So they have a connection already and can probably speak Arabic (Egypt's main language). On some level, that is a neat advantage when you can talk and other teams have no idea of what you are saying. WKU has a veteran line-up with some height at some key positions. The team is fairly well balanced with El-Gedawy, Givens, and Creech leading the way on offensve. Out of those three those, the main three point shoter is Givens. She can do a little bit of everything. Brewester is their three point shooter off the bench. Red shirt senior Sandra Skinner played for VCU last year.
Inside the stats
.................WKU.........ODU
PPG..........72.6...........65.1
OPPG........62.9...........53.1
FG%..........42.0..........39.9
OFG%.......42.3..........34.6
FGMPG.....26.3..........23.7
3P%...........31.9..........32.1.
O3P%........34.5...........24.2
3PMPG......5.9.............6.9
FT%...........71.4...........64.3
FTMPG......14.1..........11.3
RPG...........37.9...........41.5
ORPG.........35.5..........36.1
APG............10.7..........11.3
TPG...........15.4............14.9
SPG............10.5...........9.3
BPG............2.8.............4.5
AST/TO ratio:
WKU: 0.7 ODU: 0.8
ODU is the top defensive team in Con USA WKU is the number two offense in the conference USA. WKU has won 11 straight games against us. But I think that this is the year that we can finally beat them. Yes we have the home field advantage, where we are undefeated. But this is game is really improtant because it's the only time during the regular season that we play WKU. And if you look at the conference standings, another win would help put us in a good position. I know...early. But that doesn't make it any less important. Go Monarchs!
Rice 4-0
UTEP 3-1
ODU 2-1
Southern Miss 2-1
WKU 2-2
Middle Tenn St 2-2
FAU 2-2
Marshall 2-2
UTSA 2-2
Charlotte 1-2
La Tech 1-2
UAB 1-3
North Texas 1-3
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