Defensive Effort Leads WVU to Win over BYU – West Virginia College Athletics

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 18-ranked West Virginia College girls’s basketball workforce collected its second straight Huge 12 Convention residence win of the brand new yr with a, 66-53, victory over BYU on Saturday night contained in the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown.
 
The Mountaineers trailed at halftime for simply the second time this season and gritted out a comeback win over the Cougars. West Virginia transformed on 34.7 % of its photographs within the recreation however used a 31-8 benefit in turnovers to provide 28 additional photographs in securing the win. From these turnovers, WVU scored 33 factors and held a 14-5 benefit on the offensive glass.
 
Senior guard JJ Quinerly scored in double figures (19) for the 14^th time in as many video games this season. She added 5 assists and 5 steals. Senior guard Kyah Watson narrowly missed a double-double with 10 factors, 9 rebounds and three steals.
 
Junior ahead Celia Riviere completed with a career-high seven rebounds and added six factors. Freshman Jordan Thomas added 9 factors and 6 rebounds as fifth yr ahead Kylee Blacksten had 9 factors and junior guard Sydney Shaw added seven factors and three steals and three rebounds.
 
The Mountaineers discovered open appears to be like from three early, flattening three makes an attempt to a 10-9 lead on the first media timeout. Quinerly, Blacksten and Watson cashed in from past the arc as Quinerly added a free throw for a one-point lead on the media timeout. The Cougars held the Mountaineers to a 1-of-9 mark from the ground the remainder of the body to steer 20-13 after the primary.
 
Trailing by seven early within the second, Shaw cashed in on two floaters within the lane and a step again three, to degree the rating at 22. The surge pressured the Cougars into an early timeout with three minutes gone. WVU completed the ultimate seven minutes simply 2-of-12 from the ground, however well timed threes from Blacksten and Quinerly on the buzzer noticed the Mountaineers down simply two factors, 30-28, on the break.
 
The Mountaineers got here out of the break and hit two threes, the primary from Blacksten and the second from Watson to take its first lead of the sport for the reason that first quarter. BYU tied the sport at 34 earlier than six straight factors from Quinerly pushed WVU again in entrance to a 40-34 lead. The Cougars would trim the WVU lead down to 2 factors on the media timeout. West Virginia restricted BYU to only one made subject purpose throughout the ultimate 4 minutes of the body to steer 49-42.
 
West Virginia scored 10 straight factors early within the fourth to push its result in its largest of the competition at 59-44 with three minutes gone. The WVU protection pressured the Cougars into 5 turnovers and restricted BYU to only 4 subject purpose makes an attempt over the opening 5 minutes. The takeaways allowed WVU to assault the ring and hoist 12 makes an attempt, eight greater than their counterparts, early within the fourth to construct their lead.
 
Out of the ultimate media timeout, BYU mounted one ultimate scoring run stringing collectively seven factors to trim the WVU benefit to eight factors at 59-51. The Mountaineers took again management to push its lead out to 13 factors when the ultimate buzzer rang.
 
The margin of victory marks the 12^th time this season West Virginia has defeated an opponent by double digits.
 
The Mountaineers are actually 2-1 all-time within the collection and gather their first win in opposition to the Cougars contained in the WVU Coliseum. WVU is now 2-0 all-time in Huge 12 Convention play in opposition to the in opposition to BYU.
 
Quinerly at present sits eleventh in factors at 1,607, and behind Corridor of Famer Liz Repella (2008-11) with 1,641. She can be tied for six^th in steals with Alexis Basil (1984-87) with 268.
 
West Virginia is now on the highway for its subsequent two contests, opening play on Wednesday, Jan. 8, in opposition to Texas Tech. Tipoff in Lubbock is ready for 7 p.m. ET.