Carey wants improvement versus Eastern Ky.

The West Virginia women’s basketball team will try to extend its five-game winning streak tonight when it faces a struggling Eastern Kentucky team.

West Virginia head coach Mike Carey sees the game as another opportunity for his team to continue to get better before Big East Conference play begins.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum.

After an 88-32 win over Maine Saturday, Carey said he liked the way his team was progressing and thought it would come out even more focused against Eastern Kentucky.

"Once they see the games on film and see the breakdowns, (the players) understand why I’m not happy," Carey said. "I don’t coach against the score, we’re trying to get better whether we’re down 20 or up 20. That’s the only way were going to get better as a team."

The Mountaineers have been impressive on both sides of the ball this season.

WVU has three players averaging in double-figure scoring while the team is averaging over 70 points a game.

Leading the way is junior Liz Repella. Although the junior has struggled from three-point range this season, shooting 29.5 percent, she leads the team with 14.9 points per game and is second on the team with 6.8 rebounds.

Freshman Asya Bussie is right behind Repella in scoring with 12.6 per game, while having 6.6 rebounds. Eight games into her collegiate career, Carey said he is happy with her improvement.

"Bussie gives us a presence inside that can score," Carey said. "She’s scoring more than we thought she would. She has to continue to get stronger."

Junior Korinne Campbell is scoring 10.4 points a game and leading the Mountaineers in rebounds with 5.1 per contest.

Carey said in order for his team to continue to be successful, it needs to have at least four players in double-figures every game.

That has happened four times this season while including five players twice.

In the Mountaineers’ other four games, three players have been in double figures.

Junior Sarah Miles is averaging 9.6 points while she leads the Big East in assists with 6.9 per game.

"I’d like to see her score more," Carey said. "She has that capability. She’s got to be ready and step up and score. Unlike last year, this year we have people who can step up and score."

The Eastern Kentucky defense is allowing its opponent to shoot just 36.6 percent from the floor and are only giving up 61.1 points per game.

"Our defense has been a focus of ours from Day 1," said EKU head coach Chrissy Roberts. "You have to get stops in basketball. We get in the lanes and mix it up. Our goals are to try to keep teams uncomfortable."

Roberts said the offense has been a different story for the Lady Colonels, though.

Eastern Kentucky has struggled scoring this season, averaging just 55.7 points per game and shooting 39.7 percent from the field.

Freshman forward Alex Jones is averaging 11.3 points per game and is the only player on the Lady Colonels to have double-figure scoring. The freshman also leads the teams with 8.3 rebounds.

Talisha Davis provides backup support for Jones, scoring 9.3 points a contest.

The struggling scoring offense will have to contend with a West Virginia defense, which has allowed an average of 30 points in its last two games. Opponents have shot just 21.2 percent in those games.

Roberts said the lack of offensive production can be attributed to a new system and seven newcomers to the Lady Colonel roster.

"We are getting better. We’re starting to see some of the looks we want out of our offense. The system is new, and we’re still trying to find ourselves," she said. "We tend to speed things up when we don’t have to – we just need to relax. We have to get better."