West Virginia University Women’s Basketball Team Dominates UCF
West Virginia University’s women’s basketball team, ranked 19th nationally, continued their strong performance by securing a decisive 106-56 victory over UCF on Wednesday night, marking their fourth consecutive win.
Standout Performances
The standout in this match was Riley Makalusky, a junior forward, who came off the bench to score 20 points in just 20 minutes. This marks her most prolific game since her freshman year at Butler, where she displayed impressive shooting accuracy, hitting 7 out of 10 shots overall, including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, and making all her 3 free throws.
Also contributing to the Mountaineers’ victory was Kierra Wheeler, who scored 18 points, while Sydney Woodley added 16 points off the bench. Other notable performances included Jordan Harrison and Gia Cooke, each contributing 12 points, and Sydney Shaw who chipped in with 10 points. Notably, both Wheeler and Shaw dominated the boards, gathering nine rebounds apiece. Harrison, who has been on a scoring streak, logged four steals and eight assists during the game.
Defensive Strategy and Game Flow
West Virginia showcased an overwhelming defensive strategy, capitalizing heavily on UCF’s mistakes, converting 41 points from turnovers. The Mountaineers maintained a low turnover rate of just seven, compared to UCF’s 23, demonstrating their control and efficiency on the court.
The game started strong for West Virginia, as they quickly took a 13-4 lead within the initial five and a half minutes. Following an 11-0 scoring run, they built a commanding 24-6 advantage. At the conclusion of the first quarter, West Virginia led 24-8 and further extended their lead to 25 points through back-to-back 3-pointers from Makalusky, who scored 12 points in the first half. The Mountaineers went to the locker room with a 45-22 lead.
In the third quarter, West Virginia shot an impressive 68%, scoring 31 points, making it their highest-scoring quarter of the night, and increased their lead to 76-38 by the end of the period. The team maintained their offensive momentum into the fourth quarter, adding another 30 points to their tally.
Looking Ahead
On the other side, Mahogany Chandler-Roberts led the Knights with 12 points, but it was not enough to end their losing streak, which now stands at six games.
Looking ahead, West Virginia will travel to face No. 17 TCU on Sunday, while UCF will return home to challenge No. 12 Baylor on the same day.
