West Virginia knocks off Kansas with Huge Fourth Quarter

Mountaineers cruise to wrap up two-game conference road trip

The No. 19 West Virginia Women’s Basketball (12-1, 2-0) team flew past the Kansas Jayhawks (11-2, 0-2) on Wednesday evening, 68-49, behind a huge fourth-quarter performance. 

The Mountaineers began the night grabbing 6-2 lead behind a Tynice Martin jumper and a Kari Niblack layup. Mariane Carvalho then brought the Jayhawks close after a three-pointer knotted the score with two minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

Holly Kersgieter nailed a jumper and a three while Brooklyn Mitchell dribbled in for a layup with under a minute remaining for the 16-11 Kansas (11-2; 0-2 Big 12) lead heading into the second.

Martin then ignited a comeback for West Virginia with a layup and a pair of free throws before Kysre Gondrezick dribbled in for a layup and a pair of free throws for the 21-18 advantage.

Emma Merriweather helped cut the Kansas deficit to two points with two minutes remaining in the half before Niblack sank a layup and Deans hit a free throw for West Virginia, but Aniya Thomas drained a three to end the half for the Jayhawks to make the score 31-29 heading into the locker room.

The Jayhawks retook the lead after halftime with a layup from Bailey Helgran and a free throw off the fingers of Brooklyn Mitchell. Gondrezick then sank a pair of jumpers and a trio of free throws before Martin hit a jumper for the 41-34 Mountaineer lead.

Kansas was then able to cut the deficit down to five points by the end of the quarter as Mariane Carvalho and Thomas each nailed a three and Mitchell sank a pair of free throws as the Mountaineers led 50-43 heading into the fourth.

The Mountaineers came out firing in the final quarter while running off on a 16-2 run, highlighted by Gondrezick’s eight points through that stretch as West Virginia pulled away from the Jayhawks for the 68-49 victory.

Martin led all scorers on the night with 23 points followed by Gondrezick’s 21 points. The only two Mountaineers to reach double figures. 

West Virginia will now come back home to take on Texas on January 12 for a 1 p.m. tipoff from the Coliseum. The game will be a true blue t-shirt giveaway and will be aired on Fox Sports.