The West Virginia Mountaineers Women’s Basketball team (12-2, 2-0) will square off against the Kansas State Wildcats (8-7, 1-1) on Sunday. Let’s look at which squad has the edge in this matchup. Read more: WVU Mountaineers at Kansas State Wildcats Preview – January 4, 2026.
Tipoff
When: Sunday, January 4, 2026 @ 2:00 PM EST
Where: Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, KS
TV: ESPN+
WVU improves to 12-2 thanks to a strong fourth-quarter effort against Kansas
The Mountaineers won their sixth straight game for the second time this season when they defeated the Kansas Jayhawks 79-72.
Read: WVU dominates second half in victory over Kansas.
WVU trailed for most of the first half and stayed within one point (36-35) at halftime. But the Mountaineers finally created some separation, thanks to an 8-0 burst to start the final frame.
Gia Cooke’s back-to-back 3-point baskets gave WVU a 65-54 lead. And Sydney Shaw’s 3-pointer at the 6:17 mark extended the Mountaineers’ advantage to 17 points. The surge enabled the road team to secure a seven-point win.
Cooke was one of three Mountaineer players to reach double figures. She finished with 24 points, two rebounds, and two assists on 8-for-18 shooting from the field. Sydney Shaw added 18 points, two assists, and shot 4-for-8 from beyond the arc.
The Mountaineers look to notch a season-high seventh straight win.
Kansas State’s strong second half was instrumental in its win over Cincinnati
Following a 64-53 setback against San Diego State, the Wildcats have produced two wins in their previous three outings. The team’s latest triumph was a 79-52 victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats on December 31.
The game was close early on, with the teams battling to a 28-28 tie at halftime. However, it was a different story after that, as the Wildcats began the second half with a 15-0 surge.
This crucial stretch keyed a 28-6 scoring edge in the third quarter and a 51-24 advantage in the second half, turning what was a competitive contest into a lopsided victory for the home team.
A pair of bench players spearheaded the Wildcats’ scoring attack. Tess Heal led the way with a team-high 17 points, two rebounds, and two assists on 5-for-9 shooting from the field.
Jordan Speiser added 15 points and collected eight rebounds. Kansas State’s defense limited Cincinnati to 31 percent shooting overall and 17 percent from long range.
WVU vs. Kansas State: Who has the edge?
Although Kansas State is coming off an impressive defensive effort against the Bearcats, the Mountaineers have the edge in this matchup.
Prediction: West Virginia
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