West Virginia Mountaineers Triumph Over Baylor Lady Bears
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — The West Virginia Mountaineers delivered an impressive victory against the Baylor Lady Bears, securing a 70-60 win on Sunday and improving their win-loss record to 18-5 overall and 8-3 in the Big 12 Conference. Kierra Wheeler’s standout performance was crucial in this matchup, as she notched a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds. In a closely contested game, Jordan Harrison matched her scoring output, also contributing 18 points to the team’s success.
Impact on Conference Standings
The defeat proved costly for No. 14 Baylor, now with a record of 19-4 and 8-2 in Big 12 play, likely jeopardizing their position at the top of the conference standings. However, the Lady Bears caught a break later in the day when No. 21 Texas Tech managed to defeat No. 12 TCU 62-60, allowing Baylor to remain tied with TCU at the summit.
Game Highlights
The Mountaineers controlled much of the game, building on a six-point advantage at halftime. With Sydney Shaw hitting a crucial three-pointer in the third quarter, West Virginia extended their lead to 14 points at 47-33. The Mountaineers’ defense was stifling, allowing Baylor only three field goals during that critical quarter. Although Darianna Littlepage-Buggs was able to score a layup just before the buzzer, the score was 47-37 as they entered the final period.
As the fourth quarter unfolded, West Virginia maintained their momentum, with Wheeler’s jumper increasing their lead to 53-39. Nevertheless, Baylor fought back, with Littlepage-Buggs sinking a three and Taliah Scott and Bella Fontleroy contributing free throws to cut the margin to 53-48. But Shaw answered back with another three, and Gia Cooke‘s layup pushed the lead to 60-49, ensuring West Virginia stayed ahead for the remainder of the game.
Shooting Struggles and Key Performances
Baylor struggled with their shooting, finishing at a mere 30% from the field, despite making an impressive 27 of their 32 attempts from the charity stripe, with Scott and Fontleroy particularly effective at the line, hitting 9 of 10 free throws each. Cooke also had a notable performance with 14 points, while Shaw added another 10 for West Virginia. For Baylor, Scott led the scoring with 18, supported by Fontleroy’s 14 and Littlepage-Buggs with 12 points.
Crucially, West Virginia capitalized on 15 points from Baylor’s turnovers within the first 23 points they scored. Both teams are set to continue their seasons with Baylor looking to bounce back against Cincinnati on Wednesday and West Virginia heading to Colorado on the same day.
For ongoing coverage and updates on women’s college basketball, including the AP Top 25 poll, stay connected with our news alerts.
