WVU (23-6, 13-4 Big 12) played a much closer game against UCF in Orlando than they did in Morgantown. WVU trailed by two points at halftime after winning by 50 points against this team just two weeks ago. The Mountaineers are now one win away from clinching a two-seed in the Big 12 Tournament. WVU clinched a top-four seed and holds the tiebreaker over Baylor, giving them a slight edge with one regular-season game remaining. Read more: Mountaineers use a strong third quarter to win on the road at UCF.
First quarter
UCF got off to a hot start, gaining an 8-2 lead in the first four minutes thanks to four points from Mahogany Chandler-Roberts. Gia Cooke responded with a three-pointer, and Sydney Shaw tied the game at 10 with a three-pointer of her own after a UCF turnover.
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Kristol Ayson scored as the teams traded blows. Jordan Harrison retaliated with a driving layup, and Chandler-Roberts gave the Knights the lead back with a layup. Kayanna Cox extended it to four points with a layup, but Cooke made two free throws to end the quarter. WVU trailed 16-14 after the first quarter.
Second quarter
There was not much action in the second quarter by either team. Harrison started the quarter by making one of two free throws, and Cooke followed it with a three-pointer after grabbing Harrison’s miss. That gave WVU its first lead of the game. Cooke extended it to three points after making one of two free throws about a minute later.
Chandler-Roberts scored first for UCF in the quarter by making one free throw. Sydney Woodley contributed off the bench with a layup after a steal to give WVU a 21-17 lead. Carter McCray followed with two layups, with a Chandler-Roberts layup in between them. Those were the last points for WVU in the first half, at the four and a half minute mark.
Khyala Ngodu made two free throws, and Jacorriah Bracey made a second-chance layup. That brought UCF within two points. They tied the game after Ngodu made a second-chance layup, and took the lead into the locker room, 27-25, after a jumper by Ayson.
At the break
Gia Cooke led WVU with nine points at the break, while McCray chipped in six. Cooke went two of eight from the field, but both of her makes were three-pointers. The Mountaineers had five steals and 13 rebounds. Six rebounds came on offense and led to eight second-chance points.
Chandler-Roberts led the Knights with nine points, Ngodu had eight, and Ayson had six. They outrebounded the Mountaineers by six, as they had 19 rebounds. They had 12 turnovers, however, which was their downfall.
Third quarter
WVU dominated from the start of the third quarter and never looked back. Cooke and McCray picked up where they left off in the first half by making the first two baskets and giving WVU the lead. Harrison extended it to four with two free throws. UCF battled back and tied the game with two baskets in the paint, but Harrison made a layup to regain the lead.
Kierra Wheeler made a layup after a steal to continue the WVU run. WVU went on a 17-0 run after Harrison’s layup. It included a three-pointer from Shaw, six points from Wheeler and Harrison, and three steals. Khyala Ngodu broke the run with two free throws, but Shaw immediately responded with a three-pointer. WVU finished the quarter with a 20-point lead and shot three of three (100%) from behind the arc, and 76.5% from the field.
Fourth quarter
UCF fought back in the final period, but it was too big a lead to overcome. The Knights made the first five points of the quarter and went on a 10-2 run. That brought them within 12 points. Harrison ended that run with a layup, and Wheeler made a second-chance layup.
The Knights came as close as a 10-point deficit, but could not sustain a run. Harrison closed the game with five points in the final quarter, while Wheeler and McCray added four apiece in the paint. The Mountaineers used their physicality to win in the paint, finishing with a 74-62 victory.
Top performers
- G. Cooke (WVU): 19 points/2 rebounds/1 assist/2 steals
- J. Harrison (WVU): 16 points/2 rebounds/7 assists/3 steals
- K. Wheeler (WVU): 12 points/7 rebounds/3 assists/1 steal
- K. Ngodu (UCF): 21 points/9 rebounds/1 assist/1 block
What’s next?
WVU returns to Hope Coliseum for the final game of the regular season on March 1. They face Cincinnati on Senior Day, with the game starting at 2 p.m. EST. They play their first Big 12 Tournament game on Friday, March 6, after securing a double bye.
All Mountaineer basketball games are broadcast across the John Fredericks Media Network. The game will air on 100.9 FM The Torch and its nine affiliate stations.
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