MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Dec. 31, 2024) – The No. 18-ranked West Virginia University women’s basketball team is set to open home Big 12 Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 1, when they take on Central Florida inside the WVU Coliseum on Morgantown.
Tipoff against the Knights is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET, and gates open at 1 p.m. The contest against UCF will be broadcast live on the Mountaineer Sports Network, including 100.9 WZST-FM, with Andrew Caridi on the call. Fans also can listen to the game on the Varsity Network App.
Additionally, Wednesday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+, with Eric Little and Warren Baker on the call. Live stats and game notes are available on WVUsports.com.
Tickets for the contest can be purchased at WVUGAME.com or by visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located inside the Gold Gate of the WVU Coliseum.
The contest will serve as youth and family day at the WVU Coliseum. Fans can purchase a Family Day pack of four general admission tickets and a $15 concessions voucher for just $25. Post game autographs with the team will be held on the concourse outside of the gold gate.
The matchup will be the fourth meeting between WVU (10-2, 0-1 Big 12) and Central Florida (7-4, 0-1 Big 12). The Mountaineers are a perfect 3-0 all-time in the series after sweeping both meetings last season. WVU is 1-0 in games played inside the WVU Coliseum.
The Knights are led by Preseason All-Big 12 Selection Kaitlyn Peterson who averages 22.4 points per game. Hannah Gusters and Emely Rodriguez also average double-figures with 16.4 and 11.8 points per game. Gusters adds a team-leading 8.5 rebounds while Neveah Brown dishes out 3.7 assists.
UCF opened the season with six straight wins before dropping four of their last five. Central Florida opened Big 12 play with a 92-52 loss at home to No. 12 TCU their last time out.
Senior guard JJ Quinerly (17.5), junior guard Jordan Harrison (15.3) and junior guard Sydney Shaw (12.5) pace the Mountaineers scoring production this season. Harrison’s 5.3 assists per game leads WVU and ranks 34th in the country. Senior guard Kyah Watson has grabbed 8.2 rebounds per game which ranks fifth in the Big 12 while her 3.17 steals per game ranks first.
The Big 12’s leaders in steals last season, Watson (38), Quinerly (29) and Harrison (24), are at it again this season averaging over two steals per contest. Junior guard Sydney Shaw and Senior guard Sydney Woodley have also gotten in on the action with 24 and 22 steals this season, giving WVU five players with 20+ steals through 12 games. The Mountaineers' 14.7 steals per game are the best in the Big 12 and fourth nationally.
The Mountaineers have forced 15+ turnovers in every game this season, to average 25.6 per game. The mark ranks ninth in the nation. The Mountaineers have forced 30-plus turnovers in four games, including a season-high 44. WVU ranks fourth in the nation with 14.7 steals per game and holds a +9.2 turnover margin.
The Mountaineers are averaging 82.8 points per game while outscoring their opponents by an average of 32.5 points.
Senior guard JJ Quinerly looks to break into the top 10 in points scored in a career and the top five in steals. She currently sits 12th in points at 1,557 and 7th in steals with 260.
Tipoff against the Knights is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET, and gates open at 1 p.m. The contest against UCF will be broadcast live on the Mountaineer Sports Network, including 100.9 WZST-FM, with Andrew Caridi on the call. Fans also can listen to the game on the Varsity Network App.
Additionally, Wednesday’s game will be broadcast on ESPN+, with Eric Little and Warren Baker on the call. Live stats and game notes are available on WVUsports.com.
Tickets for the contest can be purchased at WVUGAME.com or by visiting the Mountaineer Ticket Office, located inside the Gold Gate of the WVU Coliseum.
The contest will serve as youth and family day at the WVU Coliseum. Fans can purchase a Family Day pack of four general admission tickets and a $15 concessions voucher for just $25. Post game autographs with the team will be held on the concourse outside of the gold gate.
The matchup will be the fourth meeting between WVU (10-2, 0-1 Big 12) and Central Florida (7-4, 0-1 Big 12). The Mountaineers are a perfect 3-0 all-time in the series after sweeping both meetings last season. WVU is 1-0 in games played inside the WVU Coliseum.
The Knights are led by Preseason All-Big 12 Selection Kaitlyn Peterson who averages 22.4 points per game. Hannah Gusters and Emely Rodriguez also average double-figures with 16.4 and 11.8 points per game. Gusters adds a team-leading 8.5 rebounds while Neveah Brown dishes out 3.7 assists.
UCF opened the season with six straight wins before dropping four of their last five. Central Florida opened Big 12 play with a 92-52 loss at home to No. 12 TCU their last time out.
Senior guard JJ Quinerly (17.5), junior guard Jordan Harrison (15.3) and junior guard Sydney Shaw (12.5) pace the Mountaineers scoring production this season. Harrison’s 5.3 assists per game leads WVU and ranks 34th in the country. Senior guard Kyah Watson has grabbed 8.2 rebounds per game which ranks fifth in the Big 12 while her 3.17 steals per game ranks first.
The Big 12’s leaders in steals last season, Watson (38), Quinerly (29) and Harrison (24), are at it again this season averaging over two steals per contest. Junior guard Sydney Shaw and Senior guard Sydney Woodley have also gotten in on the action with 24 and 22 steals this season, giving WVU five players with 20+ steals through 12 games. The Mountaineers' 14.7 steals per game are the best in the Big 12 and fourth nationally.
The Mountaineers have forced 15+ turnovers in every game this season, to average 25.6 per game. The mark ranks ninth in the nation. The Mountaineers have forced 30-plus turnovers in four games, including a season-high 44. WVU ranks fourth in the nation with 14.7 steals per game and holds a +9.2 turnover margin.
The Mountaineers are averaging 82.8 points per game while outscoring their opponents by an average of 32.5 points.
Senior guard JJ Quinerly looks to break into the top 10 in points scored in a career and the top five in steals. She currently sits 12th in points at 1,557 and 7th in steals with 260.
