WVU was on a two-game losing streak coming into tonight, but got back on track against Mercyhurst. They won 97-51 in Morgantown, and Jordan Harrison had her best game of the season. The Mountaineers are now 7-2 on the season with only three games remaining before Big 12 play starts. They have two home games next week against Texas Southern and Georgia Tech before heading to College Station, Texas, to face Texas A&M. Read more: Jordan Harrison leads WVU to victory over Mercyhurst.
Jordan Harrison leads WVU to victory over Mercyhurst
Jordan Harrison only scored seven points last time on the floor against Villanova. She exploded for 19 points against Mercyhurst and shot 60% from the field. She made only three of 12 (25%) field goals against Villanova, so she was much more efficient. WVU needs her to remain aggressive in finding her shot and scoring points. Carter McCray contributed 15 points in 17 minutes off the bench to go along with seven rebounds. Four of those rebounds were offensive, which is a possession-creating stat.
First half
This game was not close from the first whistle. The Mountaineers outscored the winless Lakers 23-6 in the first quarter and never looked back. Mercyhurst never was tied or led in this matchup, which sums it up. WVU dominated from start to finish, as they should against a winless team in Morgantown. They scored 16 points before the Lakers even got on the scoreboard.
Related: Season in review: WVU Football
The Mountaineers scored 12 points off turnovers in each of the first two quarters, which is impressive. Mercyhurst had 29 total turnovers, and WVU had 17 steals. The Mountaineers scored 24 of their 39 points off turnovers in the first half, making it a stress-free win.
Skip pass to open threeee 👌@cmccray31 x @J_Harrison2022 💥 pic.twitter.com/aIDQlRaySw
— WVU Women’s Basketball (@WVUWBB) December 6, 2025
The second quarter was similar to the first. WVU won 26-12 and took a 49-18 lead into the locker room. Sydney Woodley scored six of her eight points in the second quarter, including a layup after a steal. She finished with two steals off the bench.
Second half
The third quarter did not bring any change. Mercyhurst was no match for WVU, especially on the offensive glass. The Mountaineers had 16 offensive rebounds in the game, and 10 of them came in the second half. Along with McCray, Jordan Thomas contributed four, while Kierra Wheeler had three. Creating possessions and getting easy looks under the rim are recipes for success.
Wheeler also matched a season-high in steals with five, and Sydney Shaw set her season-high with six. Harrison added three steals to go along with her five assists and two rebounds. Her scoring was the key, however. She was much more efficient and scored a season-high. The more she scores, the farther this team can go.
Gia Cooke added 12 points tonight and was more selective with her shots. She had 18 field goal attempts against Ohio State and 16 against Villanova. Cooke, Shaw, and Harrison can all score for this team, but it works better when they spread their shots.
Final analysis
The lack of turnovers on the offensive end is the biggest news. They average 17.9 per game, which ranks 229th in the nation. They only had 11 tonight, albeit against lesser competition. This matchup was a momentum builder as they approach conference play. I expect WVU to keep it rolling into next week against Texas Southern.
