WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Gia Cooke reached 1,000 career points on Friday night as No. 24 West Virginia took down Northwestern, 66-53, at Colonial Hall at The Greenbrier.
Cooke led the Mountaineers with 22 points, six rebounds and three assists. She also went 10-for-12 at the free-throw line as WVU improved to 4-0. Read more: Mark Kellogg says Gia Cooke has ‘dog’ in the way she plays as No. 24 WVU takes down Northwestern.
After the game, Cooke talked about reaching the milestone and having her teammates behind her before the game.
“Yeah, I mean, I said it was just fun to do it, last year was fun. So just get my 1,000 points, we were all talking about it before the game and they were just super, just hyping me up,” Cooke said. “So it was fun to get it here.”
Cooke also admitted she did not realize when she had reached the mark during the game.
Cooke helps WVU finish strong
West Virginia had control for most of the game, but Northwestern made things interesting in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats tied the game at 51 with 4:36 left, putting the pressure on the Mountaineers to close it out.
WVU answered by outscoring Northwestern 20-9 in the fourth quarter, including a 15-2 run to end the game.
Cooke said the team talked about finishing the game during a timeout after Northwestern tied it.
“We talked about it in the huddle that we need to finish this game, we need to close the game,” Cooke said. “So we need to do everything with our will to do that, just from defense, offense, and just physically and mentally winning the game.”
Cooke also felt the Mountaineers could have made things easier on themselves, especially with how they started.
“I mean, it was a physical game, but I think we made it harder on ourselves,” Cooke said. “I think we were definitely the tougher team. I just think we needed to come out and act like it from the jump.”
Kellogg talks Cooke’s importance
Head coach Mark Kellogg has relied on Cooke as one of WVU’s top scoring options. He also wants her to keep growing as a leader and with the ball in her hands.
“Gia’s been a lot to us in her year plus a few games now. And we’re asking her to lead and take on a different identity here with the ball in her hand quite a bit,” Kellogg said. “And she’s been a phenomenal scorer and will continue to keep working on the point guard and the passing and the leading and those types of things.”
Kellogg knows what Cooke can bring when the game gets close. He said he expects her to step up in the fourth quarter and make plays.
“You just know in the fourth quarter, Gia Cook’s gonna show up and probably make some big shots cuz that’s just in the kid’s DNA,” Kellogg said. “I mean, she just has it.”
Kellogg also pointed to Cooke’s toughness, describing her as having “that DMV toughness and dog.”
Cooke’s 1,000-point milestone came on a night when WVU needed her scoring down the stretch.
The Mountaineers will look to keep their undefeated start going when they host Akron on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 10:30 a.m. ET.
