MORGANTOWN, WV – The West Virginia University women's basketball team mounted a furious fourth-quarter comeback Saturday afternoon to defeat the University of Kansas Jayhawks 72-68 at the WVU Coliseum. The Mountaineers, trailing by as many as 13 points earlier in the game, outscored Kansas 25-12 in the final frame to secure the victory.
The win improves West Virginia's record to 17-6 overall and 6-6 in Big 12 Conference play, while Kansas falls to 16-8 and 6-7 in conference.
“I’m incredibly proud of our team’s resilience,” said West Virginia head coach Dawn Plitzuweit following the game. “We faced some adversity early on, but our players never gave up. They kept fighting, kept communicating, and ultimately found a way to get the job done.”
Sophomore guard JJ Quinerly led the Mountaineer charge, scoring a game-high 22 points, including several key baskets down the stretch. She also contributed four rebounds and three steals. Fifth-year senior guard Jayla Hemingway added 16 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore forward Kylee Blacksten contributed 10 points and five rebounds.
Kansas was led by Zakiyah Franklin, who scored 18 points, and Taiyanna Jackson, who recorded a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Wyvette Mayberry chipped in with 13 points for the Jayhawks.
The game started slowly for West Virginia, as Kansas jumped out to an early lead, capitalizing on Mountaineer turnovers and cold shooting from the field. The Jayhawks extended their lead to double digits in the second quarter, taking a 37-28 advantage into halftime.
West Virginia struggled offensively in the first half, shooting just 34.5% from the field and committing eight turnovers. Kansas, meanwhile, shot 48.4% from the field and controlled the boards.
The third quarter saw Kansas maintain its lead, but West Virginia began to chip away at the deficit. The Mountaineers increased their defensive pressure, forcing turnovers and converting them into points. Heading into the fourth quarter, Kansas held a precarious 56-47 lead.
The final quarter was all West Virginia. The Mountaineers came out with renewed energy and intensity, fueled by the home crowd. Quinerly sparked the comeback with a series of drives to the basket and clutch free throws. Hemingway also hit several key shots, and the Mountaineer defense tightened up, limiting Kansas to just 12 points in the quarter.
With just under two minutes remaining, Quinerly hit a contested layup to give West Virginia its first lead of the second half. The Mountaineers then held on to the lead, hitting free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.
West Virginia finished the game shooting 42.6% from the field, while Kansas shot 43.9%. The Mountaineers won the turnover battle, forcing 16 Kansas turnovers while committing only 11 themselves. West Virginia also outscored Kansas 20-9 in points off turnovers.
"Our defense was the key in the fourth quarter," Plitzuweit emphasized. "We were able to generate some turnovers and get some easy baskets in transition. And JJ [Quinerly] was just outstanding. She really took over the game and led us to the win."
The Mountaineers will look to build on this momentum as they head on the road to face Oklahoma State on Wednesday. Kansas will return home to host TCU on the same day.
