The sixth-seeded West Virginia University Mountaineers (24-7) will duel the 11-seeded Columbia University Lions (24-6) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Mountaineers had a historic regular season, being the second in which they were ranked in all 20 AP polls. Led by the two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year JJ Quinerly, the Mountaineers are ready to make a March Madness run.
Quinerly has made a name for herself in her senior season, leading WVU with 20.6 points per game. In her last game in the WVU Coliseum, she scored a program-record-tying 38 points against the University of Utah Utes.
Alongside Quinerly, the Mountaineers have guards Kyah Watson, Jordan Harrison, and Sydney Shaw, who are vital in Mark Kellogg’s full-court trap defense. Watson led her team in rebounds, blocks, and steals this season.
The Mountaineers are coming in well-rested, with their last game falling two weeks before when they are set to play the Lions. The game was a 65-71 loss to the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs in the Big 12 Tournament Semifinal.
The Lions are coming off a thrilling three-point, come-from-behind victory against the University of Washington Huskies on Thurs. Sophomore guard Riley Weiss scored 24 points with five three-pointers, leading the Lions to a 63-60 win.
Columbia had an incredible year in the Ivy League conference. They went 13-1 in regular-season conference play with the only loss being to Harvard University.
They again lost to Harvard in the Ivy League championship, but the Lions earned a bid to the First Four on selection day.
The Columbia Lions play a defensive style of basketball, similar to the Mountaineers'. They have the 35th-best turnover margin in college basketball.
U92 will have full coverage of the game between the Mountaineers and Lions. Tip-off is scheduled on Sat. Mar. 22, at 2:00 p.m. EST in Chapel Hill, N. C.
Tanner Mountz will be on play-by-play and Quinn Robie will be on color commentary. The broadcasters will go live on air ten minutes before tip for the pregame show.
The broadcast can be heard locally on 91.7 FM, u92themoose.com, an Alexa At-Home Device, or the RadioFX and TuneIn apps.
Photo sourced from The Daily Atheneum.