MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In a game that went down to the wire, the West Virginia University (WVU) women's basketball team rallied late to secure a thrilling 68-65 victory over the University of Kansas Jayhawks Wednesday night at the WVU Coliseum. The Mountaineers overcame a sluggish start and a persistent Kansas squad to clinch a crucial Big 12 conference win.
The victory improves West Virginia's overall record to 17-6 and their conference record to 7-5. Kansas, now 15-8 overall and 5-7 in the Big 12, put up a valiant fight, but ultimately couldn't contain the Mountaineers' late-game surge.
"That was a tough one," said WVU head coach Mark Kellogg. "Kansas is a really good team, and they came in here ready to play. I was proud of our girls for battling back and finding a way to win when things weren't always going our way."
Sophomore guard JJ Quinerly led the Mountaineers with 22 points, including several clutch baskets in the final minutes. She also added 5 rebounds and 3 steals to her impressive stat line. Senior guard Madisen Smith contributed 15 points and dished out 4 assists, while fifth-year forward Savannah Samuel chipped in with 12 points and a team-high 8 rebounds.
Kansas was paced by Zakiyah Franklin, who poured in a game-high 24 points. Wyvette Mayberry added 16 points for the Jayhawks, who shot 43% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only 4 of their 15 three-point attempts.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading baskets. Kansas jumped out to an early lead, but West Virginia responded with a 10-2 run to take a narrow advantage. The Jayhawks regained the lead late in the second quarter, and the half ended with Kansas holding a slim 34-32 lead.
The third quarter saw Kansas extend their lead to as many as seven points, fueled by Franklin's scoring prowess. West Virginia struggled to find their rhythm on offense, and the Jayhawks capitalized on several Mountaineer turnovers.
However, West Virginia refused to back down. Trailing by six points entering the fourth quarter, the Mountaineers ratcheted up their defensive intensity and began to chip away at the deficit. Quinerly spearheaded the comeback, scoring eight consecutive points to tie the game at 58 with just under four minutes remaining.
A key steal by Smith led to a fast-break layup, giving West Virginia the lead for the first time since the second quarter. Kansas responded with a basket of their own, but Quinerly answered with another clutch jumper to put the Mountaineers back on top.
With seconds ticking away, Kansas had multiple opportunities to tie or take the lead, but the West Virginia defense stood tall, forcing tough shots and securing crucial rebounds. A pair of free throws by Smith with 12 seconds left extended the Mountaineer lead to three, effectively sealing the victory.
West Virginia's ability to force turnovers proved to be a significant factor in the win. The Mountaineers forced 18 Kansas turnovers, converting them into 20 points. The Mountaineer bench also outscored the Jayhawks' bench 21-11.
"Our defense was key in the fourth quarter," Kellogg said. "We were able to force some turnovers and get some easy baskets in transition. That gave us the momentum we needed to finish the game strong."
The Mountaineers will look to build on this momentum as they travel to Lubbock, Texas, this Saturday to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Kansas will return home to host Oklahoma State. The game is slated for a 3:00 PM EST tip-off and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
