WVU (19-5, 9-3 in Big 12) led for over 35 minutes, but the 61-55 victory over Colorado was not as easy as it sounds. There were nine lead changes, and the largest lead for WVU was only nine points. The Mountaineers capitalized on a big first quarter and forced the Buffaloes into difficult shots throughout the game. Jordan Harrison led WVU with 18 points and six steals, which changed the course of the game. Read more: WVU notches gritty win on the road against Colorado.
First quarter
Tabitha Betson scored the first basket of the game for the Buffaloes, and they took their largest lead of the game in the first two minutes. Anaelle Dutat made a layup to give Colorado a 4-1 lead, but it did not last long. Kierra Wheeler and Sydney Shaw made a pair of layups before a three-pointer from Gia Cooke gave WVU a four-point lead.
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Jordan Harrison made a three-pointer to give WVU a 13-8 lead. Jade Masogayo made a layup in response, but Shaw made a three-pointer to provide WVU with a six-point lead. The Buffaloes went on a 9-0 run to regain the lead. It turned out to be Colorado’s largest run of the game.
Betson started it with a shot in the paint, and Logyn Greer nailed a three-pointer following a shot clock turnover by WVU. Greer made a fast-break layup after a Colorado steal to take a 19-18 lead. Harrison made back-to-back three-pointers to end the quarter, the first coming after a steal.
Second quarter
Desiree Wooten cut the deficit to three points with the first points of the second quarter. Riley Makalusky made a three-pointer off the bench for WVU, but Colorado stormed back. Masogayo made a layup and was awarded a free throw, which she converted to cut WVU’s lead to 1. Wooten gave the Buffaloes a lead with a three-pointer, but Makalusky responded with a three-pointer of her own following a Cooke offensive rebound.
The teams traded leads again after a Zyanna Walker fast-break layup. Makalusky made a layup on the following possession to give WVU a 32-21 lead. Colorado regained the lead with two Masogayo free throws. Cooke gave the lead back to WVU with a minute and a half remaining, and they held it for the rest of the half. The Mountaineers took a 37-34 lead into the locker room.
At the break
Jordan Harrison paced the Mountaineers with 13 points and three steals in the first half. Makalusky added eight points off the bench, with two three-pointers. Shaw added six points and a steal, and Cooke scored six points. WVU only had two assists in the first half, but made seven of 11 (64%) three-pointers.
Masogayo had nine points for the Buffaloes in the first half, with three rebounds and one block. Greer added seven points off the bench, while Wooten had five points and three assists. The Buffaloes made eight of nine free throws and had 14 bench points. They also recorded 11 points off turnovers.
Third quarter
The third quarter was a sloppy display of basketball by both offenses. Harrison scored off a steal in the first 15 seconds of the quarter, and Carter McCray added a layup off an assist from Harrison. That basket gave WVU a 41-34 lead. Colorado did not score for just under four minutes and got on the board with a layup from Zyanna Walker. Wooten made a layup on Colorado’s next possession to cut the deficit to three points.
WVU finished the quarter with a couple of jumpshots from Harrison and Shaw to take a 47-42 lead into the final period. WVU outscored Colorado with just 10 points in the quarter, holding the Buffaloes to eight points. They went a combined zero for six from three in the quarter.
Fourth quarter
Sydney Shaw grew WVU’s lead to seven with a layup to start the fourth quarter. Cooke extended the lead to nine after a steal and a layup on the other end. Greer made two free throws, followed by a jumpshot to cut into WVU’s lead. Masogayo, who made nine of nine free throws in the game, made two to bring the score to 52-48 in favor of WVU. Tabitha Betson made a layup with just under five minutes remaining to bring Colorado within two points. That was the closest they managed to cut the deficit.
Kierra Wheeler made a jumper in the paint on the following possession for WVU. Cooke made a layup in the final two minutes, followed by a layup by Wooten. WVU took a 56-53 lead into the final minute. Cooke scored a fast-break layup with 57 seconds remaining off an assist from Shaw. Masogayo made two more free throws, which were the last points of the game for Colorado. McCray answered with a shot in the paint to give WVU a 60-55 lead. Harrison made one of two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to give the final score of 61-55.
Top performers
- J. Harrison (WVU): 18 points/3 rebounds/2 assists/6 steals
- G. Cooke (WVU): 12 points/3 rebounds/1 assist/1 steal
- D. Wooten (COL): 12 points/4 rebounds/4 assists/3 steals
What’s next?
WVU returns home for a two-game homestand beginning on February 7 against Arizona at 2 p.m. EST. The following game is against UCF on February 11 at 7 p.m. EST, and they hit the road to face TCU for the second time this season on February 15.
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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