STILLWATER, Okla. – A slow start hampered the No. 24-ranked West Virginia University women’s basketball team, as the Mountaineers fell, 63-51, to No. 20 Oklahoma State on Saturday at the Gallagher-Iba Arena.

 

Oklahoma State (19-5, 9-4 Big 12) led 19-8 after one quarter and held a 32-14 advantage at halftime. The Mountaineers were limited to their fewest points in a half this season. However, WVU (19-7, 8-5) bounced back in the second half and outscored Oklahoma State 37-31. A Chania Ray three-pointer cut the deficit to 12, 47-35, with 1:49 left in the third quarter. OSU maintained a steady 15-point lead for the majority of the fourth quarter. Free throws from Tynice Martin and Katrina Pardee’s trimmed the game to nine points with a minute remaining, but Oklahoma State held on to snap WVU’s three-game win streak.

 

Martin led the Mountaineers with 13 points. Lanay Montgomery finished with nine points, nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals in the contest. Senior Bria Holmes also added nine points, while Arielle Roberson grabbed a team-leading 11 rebounds.

 

“They were more physical and got to the ball,” coach Mike Carey said. “In the first half, we didn’t compete. In the second half, we competed a little bit more. Give Oklahoma State all of the credit. They competed and were physical. We weren’t and because of that, that’s what happened.”

 

The Mountaineers shot 32.0 percent (16-of-50) from the field and were limited to 15.0 percent (3-of-20) from behind the arc. Oklahoma State capped the night shooting 36.2 percent (21-of-58) and outscored the Mountaineers 34-18 in the paint. WVU committed 21 turnovers and was limited to a season-low 51 points on the evening.

 

Center Kaylee Jensen led the Cowgirls with 18 points, while senior guard Brittney Martin corralled a game-high 17 rebounds.

 

OSU took a commanding lead to open the contest, racing out to a 17-4 lead in the first seven and a half minutes. WVU scored four of the next six points as Oklahoma State held a 19-8 lead after one.

 

Pardee’s three-pointer trimmed the contest to 23-11 with less than eight minutes remaining in the second quarter. However, OSU would answer with a six-point run of its own as WVU remained scoreless for three minutes to stretch the lead to 29-11 with 4:56 left in the contest. The Cowgirls closed the half with a trey from Sydney Walton to give OSU a 32-14 halftime edge. 

 

The 14 points were the fewest scored in the first half this season for the Mountaineers. WVU was just 6-of-23 from the field for 26.1 percent shooting. Oklahoma State netted 38.9 percent (14-of-36) from the field and outrebounded WVU 22-19. The Cowgirls scored 11 points off 13 Mountaineer turnovers in the first half.

 

West Virginia opened the third quarter on a six-point run before Oklahoma State answered with its own run to push the lead to 41-24 midway through the frame. Ray’s three-pointer trimmed the game to 12 points with two minutes remaining. However, OSU maintained a 53-38 lead at the end of the period.

 

Oklahoma State maintained a 15-point lead for the majority of the fourth quarter. Roberson connected on a layup to trim the game to 12. Martin and Pardee connected on free throws down the stretch to trim the game to nine. However, the Cowgirls were able to maintain the lead and snap the Mountaineers’ three-game win streak.

 

No. 24 West Virginia returns to action on Wednesday, Feb. 17, in a 7 p.m. tilt at the WVU Coliseum vs. No. 21 Oklahoma.

 

NOTES: West Virginia’s 14 points were the fewest scored in the first half this season … West Virginia was held to its lowest point total of the season … Bria Holmes double-figure scoring streak of 24 consecutive games was snapped with her nine points on the night … Oklahoma State snapped WVU’s three-game win streak.