Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The box score tells part of the story, but it doesn’t quite capture the feeling inside Hope Coliseum on Sunday afternoon — the noise, the disruption, the sense that West Virginia had found something it could lean on when it mattered most.
Against one of the Big 12’s most established programs, the Mountaineers didn’t win with polish. They won with pressure, persistence and a defensive identity that never let Baylor get comfortable.
“Well certainly I’m proud of the team,” WVU head coach Mark Kellogg said. “I thought we played hard, we competed, kind of stuck to the game plan, made the right plays.”
The Mountaineers forced 30 turnovers — Baylor’s most in 25 years — and controlled the game by controlling possessions. Presses changed. Defenses shifted. Traps came from different angles. The Bears adjusted, and WVU adjusted right back.
“To play the fourth quarter and to stay in that fight kind of the entire way, I was just really, really proud of the group,” Kellogg said.
The disruption started at the point of attack. Jordan Harrison set the tone with constant ball pressure, moving seamlessly between man, zone and trapping defenses without ever letting up.
“I just like defense, so whichever one is following me,” Harrison said.
That approach is foundational to how the Mountaineers want to play. When WVU is at its best, everything flows from the defensive end.
“When we’re at our best, I think we are disruptive with the ball handlers,” he said. “The constant was the ball pressure.”
Inside, MeMe Wheeler matched Baylor’s size with effort and resolve. Facing one of the tallest frontcourts in the conference, she powered her way to 18 points and 15 rebounds, anchoring a performance that leaned more on will than measurements.
“Just my will, honestly,” Wheeler said. “ A lot of teams start aggressive on me and I think it’s hard to keep pushing us. I have a five that’s really dominant. Me wanting to outwork, I know that they was a good offensive rebounding team and I kind of looked over my coach and he was telling me I need every rebound”
The Mountaineers finished with 23 offensive rebounds, repeatedly extending possessions during stretches when shots wouldn’t fall. They missed plenty but they refused to let missed shots define the game.
“If we’re going to miss, we better find ways to get other opportunities,” Kellogg said.
Those extra chances mattered most late. After struggling to score through three quarters, WVU finally found rhythm in the fourth, shooting 58 percent and creating enough separation to close the door.
The moment felt different inside the Coliseum. The crowd was louder, more engaged — and the players noticed.
“Great crowd, best crowd we’ve had of the year for sure,” Kellogg said.
Harrison noted the energy mattered, especially during a game filled with stoppages, reviews and momentum swings.
“We definitely feed off their energy a lot,” she said. “They were very important in that win.”
For Kellogg, the win represented more than a single result. It was validation of an identity built on toughness, trust and defense — and a reminder of what February basketball demands.
“February’s where you get rolling so you’re playing your best in March and this was our first opportunity in this month and so we need to keep some of this momentum rolling,” he said.
The celebration doesn’t last long. Practice is scheduled for the next day. Colorado is already on the horizon. But for one afternoon in Morgantown, the Mountaineers looked like a team that knew exactly who it wanted to be — and how dangerous that can be when everything clicks.
Photo Credit: Shanna Rose
