Mountaineers Overpower RedHawks in First Round of NCAA Tournament

Despite a slow start, the Redhawks found their rhythm midway through the first quarter and kept pace with WVU. No team forced a turnover through the first six minutes of the game, but that changed rather fast in the closing minutes of the quarter.

Off a couple of turnovers, the Mountaineers ended the quarter on an 11-0 run, capped off by a Jordan Harrison buzzer-beating jumpshot. Sydney Shaw also had an impact, as she knocked down a pair of threes in the first quarter. This gave West Virginia a 22-14 lead after one quarter of play.

The second quarter is where the full-court press of West Virginia really started to constrict the RedHawks. It really started to feel like this is where Kellogg’s squad started to settle in and play their game after a period of rough shooting at the beginning of the game.

Miami finished the first half with 10 turnovers and 10 field goals made. Meme Wheeler was great on both ends of the floor, with eight points and four rebounds in the half. The Mountaineers went into the half with a solid 40-26 lead.

Opening the second half, Kellogg’s squad kept up the defensive intensity and started to hit some tough shots. Sydney Shaw stole the show with multiple highlight-reel worthy and one shots. Jordan Harrison and Gia Cooke hit triples to help the Mountaineers continue to extend their lead. Harrison closed out the quarter with a driving layup for her second buzzer-beater of the contest, getting the sellout crowd on their feet.

With a 28-point lead entering the fourth quarter, it was just a matter of watching the clock run out for WVU. Harrison sat most of the fourth quarter and led the way with 15 points, eight assists, and a pair of steals for the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Harrison, along with Shaw, Wheeler, and Cooke, all finished in double figures. The Mountaineers did what they had to do in the fourth quarter to emerge with an 82-54 victory.

The victory officially gives Mark Kellogg an NCAA Tournament victory in each of his first three seasons. This is also the first time the Mountaineers have won at least one NCAA Tournament game in three consecutive seasons since the 2009-2012 seasons. The Mountaineers are officially set for a game versus the Kentucky Wildcats on Monday, with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.