Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Senior Day turned into a record-setting rout for No. 17 West Virginia.
Sydney Shaw scored a career-high 24 points, Kierra Wheeler added a double-double and the Mountaineers never trailed in a 118–60 win over Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon at Hope Coliseum in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Shaw hit 9 of 15 shots from the field and went 6 of 9 from 3-point range, leading a senior class that helped power WVU to a season-high 15 3-pointers. Wheeler finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds, Jordan Harrison posted 20 points and 10 assists, and Gia Cooke also scored 20 as four Mountaineers reached the 20-point mark.
WVU (24–6, 14–4 Big 12) scored its most points in a win since 2002 and finished with the second-highest scoring total in program history. The Mountaineers eclipsed 100 points before the midway mark of the fourth quarter and matched a program low with just four turnovers.
The outcome was decided early. WVU opened the game with an 18–3 run and led 31–9 at the end of the first quarter. The margin ballooned to 59–21 by halftime and 93–37 through three quarters as the Bearcats struggled to handle the Mountaineers’ pressure, committing 18 turnovers that led to 25 WVU points.
Cincinnati (11–19, 6–12) was held to 37 percent shooting and managed just one player in double figures. Mya Perry led the Bearcats with 19 points.
In addition to Shaw, Wheeler and Harrison, seniors CeCe Riviere and Sydney Woodley also scored in their final home appearance. Harrison recorded the second double-double of her Mountaineer career and added four steals, while Wheeler posted her eighth double-double of the season.
WVU outscored Cincinnati 52–28 in the paint and finished with 23 fast-break points, closing the regular season with its most complete performance of the year.
With the win, the Mountaineers secured the No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Tournament and earned a double bye into the quarterfinals. WVU will play Friday in Kansas City at the T-Mobile Center against the winner of the second-round matchup involving the No. 7, No. 10 and No. 15 seeds.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
