No. 18 West Virginia Defense Dominates, Rolls Kansas

Morgantown, WV – No. 18 West Virginia forced 29 Kansas turnovers and junior guard Sydney Shaw produced a career-high 22 points, senior guard JJ Quinerly scored 16 and junior guard Jordan Harris added 15 as the Mountaineers (18-4, 8-3) cruised past the Jayhawks (14-9, 4-8) Wednesday night 76-43.

West Virginia started the game on an 18-0 run. Sydney Shaw put in 13 points, including the first eight points of the run while the defense forced 13 turnovers.

Kansas got on the board and scored six-straight to end the first quarter after sophomore guard S’Mya Nichols drove the lane and drew the foul and sophomore guard Brittany Harshaw followed with a three as time expired as the Mountaineers held an 18-6 lead through one quarter of play.

The Jayhawks extended their run to 8-0 at the start of the second quarter with Nichols hitting the jumper before senior guard Sydney Woodley ended the run with a lay-in off the assist from senior guard JJ Quinerly.

West Virginia stretched its lead to 18 after consecutive threes from Jordan Harrison and Sydney Shaw for the 32-14 lead with 3:51 remaining in the first half.

Kansas junior guard Elle Evans knocked the WVU lead back to 15 with a three, but senior forward Kylee Blacksten hit a pair of free throws and Harrison hit a three as time expired to take a 39-19 lead into halftime.

Jordan Harrison opened the second half with a contested layup, but Kansas continued its fight, receiving a three from sophomore guard Laia Conesa and freshman Regan Williams laid it in for a 5-0 spurt to cut the WVU lead to seventeen, 41-24.

Sydney Shaw put the Mountaineers up 21 after her fourth three of the night near the midway point of the third quarter, then Quinerly pushed the lead to 23 with a drive to the basket as the Mountaineers held a 52-29 advantage at the end of the third quarter.

West Virginia continued to pour it on and put together a 12-2 run early in the fourth quarter with Quinerly scoring seven of the points, highlighted by a three for 64-34 lead with 6:07 left in the game.

West Virginia led by as many as 35 after a free throw from senior forward Tirzah Moore with 2:57 left to play as the Mountaineers coasted to a 76-43 victory.