WVU Women’s Hoops Climbs to New Heights in Latest AP Top 25 Poll

The West Virginia women’s basketball team is being rewarded for its 32-point thrashing of the Oklahoma State Cowgirls this past Saturday. The Mountaineers came in as the number 17-ranked team in the nation in the latest AP Poll.

The No. 17 ranking marks West Virginia’s highest ranking of the season after spending several weeks as the 19th-ranked team nationally. This ranking makes the Mountaineers the second-highest ranked team in the Big 12, behind only the TCU Horned Frogs.

The Mountaineers' latest win included five three-pointers from guard Gia Cooke, with Meme Wheeler earning her seventh double-double of the season. It was the Mountaineers' 12th conference win of the season. With a 12-4 overall record in Big 12 play, West Virginia currently sits tied for second place with the Baylor Bears, whom the Mountaineers own the tiebreaker over. TCU currently sits atop the conference with a 13-3 overall record in Big 12 play.

Despite having a very impressive 22-6 overall record, TCU has been a thorn in the side of the Mountaineers this season, accounting for two of their six losses so far this season. The Mountaineers dropped their second game to the Horned Frogs on February 15th by a score of 59-50 after losing a heartbreaker on January 14th in Hope Coliseum by a score of 51-50.

West Virginia has put together quite a resume this season with four ranked wins

They boast signature wins over Duke at Colonial Hall in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and a win over Baylor. Mark Kellogg and his team appear to be in a prime position for their fourth straight NCAA Tournament. With the emergence of Cooke’s scoring ability and Wheeler down low for the Mountaineers, this could be the most complete team we have seen in Kellogg as West Virginia. It looks like Kellogg will extend his streak of making the tournament in each of his first three years as the Mountaineers' head coach.

The West Virginia women’s basketball team will have two more regular-season games to potentially pass up the Horned Frogs and maintain a prime position for favorable seeding in the Big 12 tournament. The Mountaineers' next game is Wednesday, February 25th, at 7 p.m. against UCF in Orlando. West Virginia will then finish off its regular season slate on Sunday, March 1st, against the Cincinnati Bearcats. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.