Mountaineers Edge Out Sooners in a Nail-Biter at WVU Coliseum
The West Virginia Mountaineers, ranked 24th, secured a hard-fought victory over the 23rd-ranked Oklahoma Sooners with a final score of 70-66. The Mountaineers now stand with an improved record of 1-0, while the Sooners fall to 0-1.
In front of an eager crowd at the WVU Coliseum, the Mountaineers displayed resilience and tactical acumen. The home team's performance was highlighted by their ability to convert turnovers into points, scoring a commanding 23 points off turnovers compared to just nine by the Sooners. This aspect proved critical in maintaining momentum and building pressure on their opponents throughout the game.
West Virginia's defense was particularly impressive as they outmaneuvered Oklahoma with twelve steals and three blocks. These defensive efforts were pivotal in disrupting Oklahoma's rhythm and limiting their scoring opportunities inside the paint where they managed only 22 points against West Virginia’s more dominant 36.
On offense, West Virginia showcased balanced teamwork with thirteen assists contributing to their overall tally. Their assist-to-turnover ratio stood at an even one, reflecting both discipline and effective ball movement against Oklahoma’s lower ratio of 0.42.
The Mountaineer's shooting accuracy from close range was notable as well; they achieved a solid forty-nine percent success rate on two-point attempts making nineteen baskets from thirty-nine attempts. However, long-range shots were more challenging for them as they hit only six out of twenty-three three-point attempts resulting in twenty-six percent accuracy.
Free throws were another area where West Virginia capitalized effectively; converting fourteen out of twenty-one attempts which rounded up to sixty-seven percent completion rate—a stark contrast to Oklahoma’s forty-six percent from eleven free throw attempts.
Rebounding also played a significant role in this encounter; while both teams fought hard under the boards, it was West Virginia who came away with thirty-one rebounds including eight offensive ones that allowed them additional scoring chances through seven second-chance points.
As for individual performances, although specific players' statistics are not provided within this data set, it is clear that team effort across various facets such as defense (steals and blocks), offense (assists), rebounding (both offensive and defensive), along with capitalizing on opponents' mistakes (points off turnovers) led to this important conference win for The Mountaineers against The Sooners.
Looking ahead after this gripping contest at home soil—West Virginia fans can mark their calendars for February 21st when The Mountaineers will face off against Kansas State Wildcats at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. Fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 PM local time as The Mountaineer women look forward to continuing their winning ways on Kansas State territory.