TEMPE, Ariz. – In a thrilling matchup on Wednesday night, the No. 16 West Virginia women’s basketball team celebrated a milestone achievement with a commanding 89-59 victory over Arizona State. This win marked the 900th victory in the program’s history, a significant accomplishment for the Mountaineers.
JJ Quinerly led the charge for West Virginia, contributing an impressive 29 points, while Kylee Blacksten added 24 points to the scoreboard. Jordan Harrison played a key role as well, scoring 11 points and dishing out eight assists. Sydney Shaw also contributed to the Mountaineers’ success with 10 points. This victory continued West Virginia’s winning streak against Arizona State, having previously defeated them in their only earlier encounter back in 1989.
On the other side of the court, the Sun Devils struggled despite a 12-point effort from Jalyn Brown. Kennedy Fauntleroy showed promise by adding 14 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Jyah Lovett also reached double figures with 10 points. Unfortunately for Arizona State, this loss extends their current losing streak to five games, leaving them with a record of 8-12 and 2-6 in the conference.
West Virginia set the tone early in the first quarter, shooting 10 of 15 from the field and taking an overwhelming 28-9 lead after the first ten minutes. Their impressive shooting continued as they connected on 4 of 6 shots from beyond the arc while Arizona State struggled to find their rhythm, hitting only 4 of 14 attempts.
In the second quarter, the Mountaineers cooled somewhat, making only 3 of 13 shots. However, Arizona State could not capitalize, managing just 5 of 11 from the field, and the Mountaineers led 36-23 at halftime.
The third quarter saw West Virginia regain their shooting form, converting all nine attempts from the free-throw line. Blacksten was particularly effective, making all five of her free throws and scoring 13 points during this stretch. The Mountaineers widened the gap to as much as 29 points, ending the third quarter with a comfortable 63-38 lead.
Overall, West Virginia showcased a strong offensive performance, making nine three-pointers and shooting 50% from the field, while also excelling at the free-throw line with a 24 of 27 success rate. Arizona State shot 41.5% from the floor with only five three-pointers made and 10 of 17 from the line.
Looking ahead, the Mountaineers will travel to Arizona for their next challenge on Saturday, while the Sun Devils will host Cincinnati in their upcoming game.
