The No. 4 seed West Virginia Mountaineers opened the NCAA Tournament with a program record sellout crowd at Hope Coliseum and a dominant win over the No. 13 seed Miami RedHawks. Now, they'll be moving on to a second round match-up this evening with No. 5 seed Kentucky.
And while the program's first Sweet 16 trip since 1992 is on the line tonight, every game this March is also important for the future of one particular West Virginia player. That's because March Madness could be a major boon for WVU senior guard Jordan Harrison's WVU basketball draft stock.
Harrison's stats aren't eye-popping – owing in part to depth of the Mountaineers this season – but they're certainly more than respectable, with 13.2 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.2 steals per game. She's often described as the glue player or the heart and soul of WVU's roster this season but those who follow the program. But right now, she's considered just a fringe potential third-round pick in the WNBA Draft or training camp invitee.
However, that could change in March. She got off to a good start against Miami (OH), recording 15 points, eight assists, three rebounds, and two steals in the win, including knocking down a pair of buzzer-beaters. But even more eyes will be on the team tonight as they play a much tougher opponent, and a strong performance from Harrison and a win from the Mountaineers would have all eyes on her during the Sweet 16.
Harrison is a very reminiscent player to former teammate J.J. Quinerly, who graduated last season and had a strong start to her WNBA career as a rookie before the before suffering a season-ending injury. Now, Harrison has the perfect opportunity to shine on a major stage and earn the same opportunity for herself.