WVU Women Remain Perfect–Whip Kansas In Big 12 Win!
Ray Anthony Vallorani
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LAWRENCE, KS.—Head Coach Mark Kellogg led his No. 25 ranked WVU Women’s basketball team into Lawrence, Kansas and left with the Mountaineer’s first Big 12 victory of the season 85-60. The Mountaineers are now 12-0 overall and 1-0 in the Conference.
WVU controlled play in the game by out rebounding Kansas 34-28. Redshirt junior guard Kyah Watson led the rebounding with 11 and fifth year senior and junior Tirzah Moore each had five. Sophomore Jordan Harrison had a career high 21 points. Watson finished with 11 points. Junior guard JJ Quinerly finished with 13 points and Moore added ten.
The Mountaineers shot 52 percent as a team (32 of 59) from the floor and also a solid 50 percent from 3 point range (9 of 18). It marks the 3rd and 5th time this season WVU has shot over 50 percent from 3 point range. Kansas shot 23 of 53 (24.4 percent) from the floor and only 38 percent from 3 point range.
The Mountaineers forced 21 turnovers. Senior Kylee Blacksten and Watson hit 3’s over the opening five minutes, however Kansas jumped out to a 9-6 lead. The Mountaineers trailed 12-11 with only a minute to play in the first quarter but Jayla Hemingway hit a three pointer to give WVU a 14-12 lead. WVU stayed ahead and led 38-25 at the half. The Mountaineers never trailed in the contest after the first quarter and led at the end of the third, 62-44.
In the fourth quarter WVU never surrendered the lead and at one point led by as many as 26 points. It’s the fourth best start in WVU history. The Mountaineers are 18-7 all time against Kansas. They are an impressive 9-4 in games played on the Jayhawk’s court.
The undefeated Mountaineers return home for two straight conference matchups. Cincinnati on Wednesday Jan. 3 and Texas invades the Coliseum on Sat. Jan. 6.