MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (December 7, 2017) – The No. 10/11 West Virginia University women’s basketball team used its balanced scoring attack and sound defense to pick up a 73-52 victory over rival Pitt on Thursday night at the WVU Coliseum.
Four Mountaineers reached double figures in the scoring column, while WVU forced 17 Panther turnovers in the two teams’ first meeting since 2012. With the win, the Mountaineers extended their win streak over Pitt to four games.
WVU never trailed in the 46th edition of the Backyard Brawl, clinging to a double-digit lead throughout the night.
“(It’s) good to get the win,” WVU coach Mike Carey said. “We played very slow, very tired. I don’t know why, but we played very slow and very tired.”
The Mountaineers (8-0) wasted no time taking early control of the contest, as senior forward Teana Muldrow sank a pair of 3-pointers to begin the game. WVU went on to score the first 12 points of the game, making five of its first six shots of the evening.
All five starters found the scoring column in the opening 10 minutes, while holding the Panthers (5-4) to just 5-of -15 from the field. The Mountaineers led by as many as 16 in the first period, before they ultimately claimed a 26-13 lead after one.
In the second, though, Pitt settled in, cutting the Mountaineer lead to single digits at the 6:50 mark before halftime. The Panthers used a 10-0 run at one point to get as close as six of the lead, before junior guard Katrina Pardee’s 3-pointer bumped WVU’s advantage back up to 32-23.
Later on, senior forward Kristina King’s steal-and-score bumped the Mountaineer lead back up to double digits with 3:01 to play in the half. But it was junior forward Naomi Davenport’s eight first-half points that led the way for West Virginia to take a 36-23 lead into the locker room.
King got the Mountaineer offense going to begin the second half, scoring the team’s first five points of the third quarter, including a three-point-play at the 7:34 mark to help extend WVU’s lead. Then, freshman guard Destiny Harden’s baseline jumper, combined with another three by Pardee, gave the Mountaineers a 48-31 lead midway through the third quarter.
Pardee added to her total moments later, hitting another shot from beyond the arc to make it a 55-36 game. The Cedar Park, Texas, native, hit a career-high five triples in the win, finishing with 15 points. WVU led, 55-38, after three quarters.
WVU’s lead grew to 20 just minutes into the final frame, as Davenport hit a shot from the elbow, giving the Mountaineers a 60-40 edge. Then, Muldrow put the finishing touches on the victory, scoring eight fourth-quarter points to seal the deal on WVU’s eighth consecutive win to begin the 2017-18 campaign.
Muldrow tallied her 14th career double-double in the win, finishing with a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. King added 14 points, while Davenport chipped in with 13. Senior guard Chania Ray, who scored nine points, dished out a game-high eight assists.
Yacine Diop led the Panthers with 18 points.
WVU shot 25-for-54 (46.3%) from the field, including 9-of-20 (45%) from downtown. The Mountaineer defense held Pitt to just 33.9% shooting, and they out-rebounded the visitors, 39-29, in the contest.
The Mountaineers are back in action on Sunday when West Virginia hosts Coppin State at the WVU Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET.
Notes: With the win, the Mountaineers improved to 27-19 against the Panthers … WVU has now won four straight games in the Backyard Brawl … the Mountaineers’ 21-point margin of victory marked their largest since defeating the Panthers, 56-35, on Feb. 13, 2008, at the WVU Coliseum … WVU led the contest for 39:49, the longest it has led a game all season … the Mountaineers have now won 36 straight nonconference games in the WVU Coliseum … with a 20-point performance against Pitt, Teana Muldrow has registered at least 20 points in seven of eight games this season … Muldrow has led the team in scoring in all eight games this season … Muldrow also grabbed 10 rebounds to mark her fourth double-double of the season and the 14th of her career … it is the ninth time this season that a Mountaineer has recorded a double-double … Kristina King scored 14 points, tying a season-high … Katrina Pardee drained five 3-pointers, marking a career-high … four of WVU’s five starters recorded double-figures in scoring … at least
Four Mountaineers reached double figures in the scoring column, while WVU forced 17 Panther turnovers in the two teams’ first meeting since 2012. With the win, the Mountaineers extended their win streak over Pitt to four games.
WVU never trailed in the 46th edition of the Backyard Brawl, clinging to a double-digit lead throughout the night.
“(It’s) good to get the win,” WVU coach Mike Carey said. “We played very slow, very tired. I don’t know why, but we played very slow and very tired.”
The Mountaineers (8-0) wasted no time taking early control of the contest, as senior forward Teana Muldrow sank a pair of 3-pointers to begin the game. WVU went on to score the first 12 points of the game, making five of its first six shots of the evening.
All five starters found the scoring column in the opening 10 minutes, while holding the Panthers (5-4) to just 5-of -15 from the field. The Mountaineers led by as many as 16 in the first period, before they ultimately claimed a 26-13 lead after one.
In the second, though, Pitt settled in, cutting the Mountaineer lead to single digits at the 6:50 mark before halftime. The Panthers used a 10-0 run at one point to get as close as six of the lead, before junior guard Katrina Pardee’s 3-pointer bumped WVU’s advantage back up to 32-23.
Later on, senior forward Kristina King’s steal-and-score bumped the Mountaineer lead back up to double digits with 3:01 to play in the half. But it was junior forward Naomi Davenport’s eight first-half points that led the way for West Virginia to take a 36-23 lead into the locker room.
King got the Mountaineer offense going to begin the second half, scoring the team’s first five points of the third quarter, including a three-point-play at the 7:34 mark to help extend WVU’s lead. Then, freshman guard Destiny Harden’s baseline jumper, combined with another three by Pardee, gave the Mountaineers a 48-31 lead midway through the third quarter.
Pardee added to her total moments later, hitting another shot from beyond the arc to make it a 55-36 game. The Cedar Park, Texas, native, hit a career-high five triples in the win, finishing with 15 points. WVU led, 55-38, after three quarters.
WVU’s lead grew to 20 just minutes into the final frame, as Davenport hit a shot from the elbow, giving the Mountaineers a 60-40 edge. Then, Muldrow put the finishing touches on the victory, scoring eight fourth-quarter points to seal the deal on WVU’s eighth consecutive win to begin the 2017-18 campaign.
Muldrow tallied her 14th career double-double in the win, finishing with a game-high 20 points and 10 rebounds. King added 14 points, while Davenport chipped in with 13. Senior guard Chania Ray, who scored nine points, dished out a game-high eight assists.
Yacine Diop led the Panthers with 18 points.
WVU shot 25-for-54 (46.3%) from the field, including 9-of-20 (45%) from downtown. The Mountaineer defense held Pitt to just 33.9% shooting, and they out-rebounded the visitors, 39-29, in the contest.
The Mountaineers are back in action on Sunday when West Virginia hosts Coppin State at the WVU Coliseum. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. ET.
Notes: With the win, the Mountaineers improved to 27-19 against the Panthers … WVU has now won four straight games in the Backyard Brawl … the Mountaineers’ 21-point margin of victory marked their largest since defeating the Panthers, 56-35, on Feb. 13, 2008, at the WVU Coliseum … WVU led the contest for 39:49, the longest it has led a game all season … the Mountaineers have now won 36 straight nonconference games in the WVU Coliseum … with a 20-point performance against Pitt, Teana Muldrow has registered at least 20 points in seven of eight games this season … Muldrow has led the team in scoring in all eight games this season … Muldrow also grabbed 10 rebounds to mark her fourth double-double of the season and the 14th of her career … it is the ninth time this season that a Mountaineer has recorded a double-double … Kristina King scored 14 points, tying a season-high … Katrina Pardee drained five 3-pointers, marking a career-high … four of WVU’s five starters recorded double-figures in scoring … at least
