No. 14 Women's Hoops Holds Off WVU

Wednesday, January 19

Morgantown, W.Va.

6 PM

University of Oklahoma

16-2,5-1Big 12

West Virginia

8-7,1-4Big 12

Oklahoma

West Virginia

January 19, 2022 | Women's Basketball

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By: OU Athletics Communications

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The 14th-ranked Oklahoma women's basketball team used a dominant second half to win its fourth consecutive game and fifth straight in Morgantown, dispatching West Virginia 88-76 on Wednesday night.

With the win, Oklahoma (16-2, 5-1) now shares first place in the Big 12 with No. 7 Iowa State as the Sooners are off to their best start in 15 years. OU's winning streak on the road now stands at eight, tied for the fourth-longest in the nation.

"That was a really hard-fought game against a good, gritty West Virginia team," head coach Jennie Baranczyk said. "They're such a physical team and pounded it inside, and exposed us in some areas I thought, so I'm really proud of our team for how they responded."

The Sooners opened a 12-point lead in the first quarter before the Mountaineers stormed back to take a 46-44 lead at halftime, led by Naismith Award watch list honoree Esmery Martinez, who finished with 26 points for WVU. However, Baranczyk's team answered with one of its most dominant quarters of the season, using a 16-3 run to close the third frame and take a 14-point lead into the fourth. The Mountaineers made their last run in the final quarter, cutting OU's lead to nine with 2:56 left in regulation, but a Taylor Robertson layup as the shot clock expired settled the Sooners, who held on for an 88-76 win.

Oklahoma's three leading scorers in Madi Williams, Taylor Robertson and Skylar Vann led the way, combining for 60 points in the win. Williams powered the attack with 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, notching her seventh 20-plus game in her last nine games. The Fort Worth, Texas, product grabbed a team-high nine rebounds, narrowly missing out on her eighth double-double of the year. Robertson added 22 points, including a dagger 3-pointer with 55 seconds left, which also happened to be her 400th career 3-pointer as the senior became the 11th women's basketball player all-time to hit 400 career treys. Vann, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Week, notched 15 points and pulled down four boards.

"West Virginia is a really, really good basketball team," Baranczyk added. "I thought there were some great performances from both sides tonight and that's a great thing for women's basketball."

OU, who leads the nation in assists per game at 20.8, dished out 22 assists on 28 made field goals in the win. Nevaeh Tot, who made her second start of the season Wednesday, led the team with eight dimes, while Kennady Tucker and Williams added five apiece. Tot, a sophomore, also poured in nine points.

On Sunday, the Sooners continue their road trip, heading to Manhattan, Kan., where they take on [RV/RV] Kansas State (14-4, 4-2) at 1 p.m. on ESPNU.