After a rough shooting performance against No. 10 TCU, WVU Women’s Basketball rebounded to make 54 percent of their shots in a 84-76 road win over the Cincinnati Bearcats on Sunday, Jan. 18.
West Virginia (15-4, 5-2 Big 12) stuck to the basics, scoring 56 points in the paint and attempting just eight three-point shots. 17 more points came from the charity stripe, and the Mountaineers’ shot profile looked like that of a professional team, focusing on the rim and the three-point line rather than higher-risk, same reward two-point attempts from farther out.
The Mountaineers still suffered miscues, committing 22 turnovers (15 in the second half). That prevented them from blowing the Bearcats out: after pushing their lead as high as 26 points, West Virginia allowed Cincinnati to close within seven points midway through the fourth quarter. An 8-0 Mountaineers run that included four points from Jordan Thomas off a pair of Sydney Shaw assists helped seal the win.
Five Mountaineers finished in double figures including Thomas (12 points, 5-of-5 shooting), who did so in 17 minutes off the bench; Kierra Wheeler led the team with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting.
West Virginia began to establish themselves with a 7-0 run late in the first quarter then built their lead steadily in the second, going ahead 43-22 before a 4-0 spurt from the Bearcats heading into the break.
Jordan Harrison (10 points, eight assists) approached a double-double but also committed eight turnovers as the Mountaineers flirted with disaster but ultimately kept their composure.
Up next, WVU Women’s Basketball will host Arizona State at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
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