Shanna Rose | WV Sports Chat
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – Gia Cooke scored 28 points and three assists as West Virginia held off Rhode Island 68-64 in the season opener on Tuesday night at the Hope Coliseum.
The Mountaineers (1-0) earned their 13th consecutive victory in a season opener.
WVU, which returned just two players from last season’s Big 12 Tournament championship team, jumped out to an early lead behind Cooke. The senior scored 13 points in the opening quarter and finished the first half with 16 as the Mountaineers built a 39-30 halftime advantage.
WVU held Rhode Island to just six points in the second quarter.
Cooke gave the Mountaineers their largest lead of the game when she pushed the advantage to 60-43 with 6:28 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Rams (0-1) responded with a late rally as WVU struggled to put the game away.
Rhode Island cut into the deficit with a 10-0 run and Alex Newson hit a 3-pointer with 6.5 seconds remaining to pull Rhode Island within four points. The Mountaineers then turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds pass, but the Rams missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Delanie Hill led Rhode Island with 26 points and made seven 3-pointers. Newson added 12 points.
Zahirah Walton scored 12 points for WVU and Khyala Ngodu had eight boards.
The Mountaineers outrebounded the Rams 39-35 and WVU dominated in the paint 34-22.
The Mountaineers shot 39 percent from the floor and 33 percent from 3-point range while Rhode Island shot 44 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc.
WVU forced 20 turnovers and had nine steals.
The Mountaineers will return to action Thursday when they host George Washington at 7 p.m.
Photo Credit: WVU Athletics
