MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Feb. 6, 2024) – The No. 22-ranked West Virginia University women's basketball team collected its seventh straight win in conference play, defeating Texas Tech, 82-59, on Tuesday night inside the WVU Coliseum.
The win is the 20th this season, matching the best start to a season in program history as WVU reaches the 20-win mark across 22 contests. Head coach Mark Kellogg also became the winningest first-year head coach in program history with the result.
The Mountaineers (20-2, 9-2 Big 12) were led by junior guard JJ Quinerly who finished with 21 points. The Norfolk, Virginia native scored over 20 points in a game for the 12th time this season. She added three steals and three assists. Junior guard Kyah Watson finished with a career-high 19 points and added a team-leading eight rebounds and three steals.
Fifth-year senior guard Lauren Fields finished with 11 points as senior forward Kylee Blacksten added 10 points and a career-high three blocks. Sophomore guard Jordan Harrison filled the box score with seven points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals.
Texas Tech struck first in the game, but a 9-0 West Virginia run put WVU in the lead for good at the six-minute mark. The Lady Raiders trimmed the lead down to two points over the next two minutes. WVU finished the quarter outscoring TTU 7-4, to lead 17-11 after the opening frame.
Senior forward Tavy Diggs scored back-to-back layups to open the second, giving the Mountaineers a double-digit lead for the first time in the contest. Texas Tech cut the lead down to four points at the 5:50 mark. The pair traded baskets over the next two minutes before WVU closed out the half on an 11-4 run to take a 40-28 lead into halftime.
The Mountaineers finished strong over the final four minutes of the half, hitting 6-of-8 from the floor and limiting the Lady Raiders to a 1-of-8 mark.
West Virginia continued to assert its dominance in the third quarter, holding the Lady Raiders to just one field goal over the opening five minutes. The result was a 54-30 lead. WVU controlled play in the quarter, dropping 30 points, while limiting Texas Tech to just 5-of-15 from the floor.
Leading by 32 points entering the fourth, WVU rolled its way to a 23-point victory after going to the bench. Texas Tech outscored West Virginia 21-12 in the final quarter.
The Lady Raiders (16-8, 5-6 Big 12) were led by Jasmine Shavers who finished with 16 points. Jordyn Merritt finished with a game-high 11 rebounds and 13 points to collect a double-double.
West Virginia forced 24 Lady Raider turnovers in the game and converted those miscues into 30 points. WVU collected 15 steals in the contest and managed a 48-30 advantage in the paint.
With the result, West Virginia moves to 18-6 all-time against the Lady Raiders and 10-3 in games played in Morgantown. The Mountaineers now sit in a tie for second place in the Big 12 standings.
Next up, West Virginia hits the road for a matchup with Baylor on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 3 p.m. ET inside Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas. The contest will be broadcast on Big12 Now on ESPN+ and the Mountaineer Sports Network, including 100.9 FM.
The win is the 20th this season, matching the best start to a season in program history as WVU reaches the 20-win mark across 22 contests. Head coach Mark Kellogg also became the winningest first-year head coach in program history with the result.
The Mountaineers (20-2, 9-2 Big 12) were led by junior guard JJ Quinerly who finished with 21 points. The Norfolk, Virginia native scored over 20 points in a game for the 12th time this season. She added three steals and three assists. Junior guard Kyah Watson finished with a career-high 19 points and added a team-leading eight rebounds and three steals.
Fifth-year senior guard Lauren Fields finished with 11 points as senior forward Kylee Blacksten added 10 points and a career-high three blocks. Sophomore guard Jordan Harrison filled the box score with seven points, seven assists, six rebounds and five steals.
Texas Tech struck first in the game, but a 9-0 West Virginia run put WVU in the lead for good at the six-minute mark. The Lady Raiders trimmed the lead down to two points over the next two minutes. WVU finished the quarter outscoring TTU 7-4, to lead 17-11 after the opening frame.
Senior forward Tavy Diggs scored back-to-back layups to open the second, giving the Mountaineers a double-digit lead for the first time in the contest. Texas Tech cut the lead down to four points at the 5:50 mark. The pair traded baskets over the next two minutes before WVU closed out the half on an 11-4 run to take a 40-28 lead into halftime.
The Mountaineers finished strong over the final four minutes of the half, hitting 6-of-8 from the floor and limiting the Lady Raiders to a 1-of-8 mark.
West Virginia continued to assert its dominance in the third quarter, holding the Lady Raiders to just one field goal over the opening five minutes. The result was a 54-30 lead. WVU controlled play in the quarter, dropping 30 points, while limiting Texas Tech to just 5-of-15 from the floor.
Leading by 32 points entering the fourth, WVU rolled its way to a 23-point victory after going to the bench. Texas Tech outscored West Virginia 21-12 in the final quarter.
The Lady Raiders (16-8, 5-6 Big 12) were led by Jasmine Shavers who finished with 16 points. Jordyn Merritt finished with a game-high 11 rebounds and 13 points to collect a double-double.
West Virginia forced 24 Lady Raider turnovers in the game and converted those miscues into 30 points. WVU collected 15 steals in the contest and managed a 48-30 advantage in the paint.
With the result, West Virginia moves to 18-6 all-time against the Lady Raiders and 10-3 in games played in Morgantown. The Mountaineers now sit in a tie for second place in the Big 12 standings.
Next up, West Virginia hits the road for a matchup with Baylor on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 3 p.m. ET inside Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas. The contest will be broadcast on Big12 Now on ESPN+ and the Mountaineer Sports Network, including 100.9 FM.
