Box Score MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 25 West Virginia University women's basketball team suffered the loss on Wednesday evening, as the Mountaineers were edged by Oklahoma State 57-55 at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown.
 
WVU's scoring effort was led by redshirt junior guard Kysre Gondrezick, as she finished with 11 points. Redshirt senior guard Tynice Martin was second on the team, with nine points. Sophomore forward Kari Niblack led the Mountaineers on the glass, posting 10 rebounds.
 
"It's real simple, 20 second-chance points, which means they out-hustled us, and 14 offensive rebounds, which means they out-hustled us," WVU coach Mike Carey said. "I don't know. I don't know why we have no energy. I don't know why. I have to find out why. I have to find out something."
 
Despite a slow start from both teams, Niblack put the Mountaineers on the board with a pair of scores in the paint. Martin then tacked on a jumper from the wing, but Oklahoma State matched WVU shot-for-shot to keep the game tied. Gondrezick then converted from 3-point range and on an and-one to give the Mountaineers a six-point lead at the first media timeout.
 
Gondrezick converted on a layup after the timeout, but a pair of scores from the Cowgirls helped cut into the Mountaineers' lead. Senior guard Lucky Rudd struck from 3-point range with 42 seconds remaining in the first. West Virginia led Oklahoma State 18-10 heading to the second quarter of play.
 
WVU opened the second quarter with a score from redshirt freshman center Rochelle Norris, but OSU responded with a trio of scores, including a 3-pointer from Ja'Mee Asberry. Niblack halted the Cowgirls' scoring run by converting in the paint. Oklahoma State scored once more before the second media timeout.
 
Oklahoma State struck first coming out of the break to cut WVU's lead to one point. Freshman forward Esmery Martinez provided the response for the Mountaineers, as she sank two layups to stretch the lead. The Cowgirls added a free throw, but Martin tacked on a pair of foul shots as well. West Virginia held a 28-22 advantage at halftime.
 
The Cowgirls scored in the paint and once more from behind the arc after the half to shorten the deficit, but WVU responded with a layup from Norris. OSU came right back to score a pair in the paint to tie the game, before Martin tacked on a score to retake the lead just before the third media timeout.
 
A layup and 3-pointer from OSU helped the Cowgirls take their first lead of the game following the break. OSU tacked on two more from the line, before West Virginia responded with a score from Rudd and freshman guard Kirsten Deans to make it a one-point game heading to the final quarter of play.
 
West Virginia retook the lead early in the final quarter, as Martinez and junior center Blessing Ejiofor scored in the paint. WVU then stretched its lead to six on two free throws from Deans and three points from Martin just before the final media timeout.
 
Oklahoma State tied the game with a triple after the break, but Ejiofor countered with a jumper in the paint to retake the lead. OSU then added a free throw to cut the deficit in half and then another 3-pointer to take a two-point lead with less than a minute to play. Niblack then tied the game with 44 seconds to play, but the Cowgirls converted from just outside the paint with 20 seconds remaining to claim the victory.
 
The Mountaineers shot 22-of-55 (40.0%) from the field and made three 3-pointers. WVU outrebounded Oklahoman State 34-33 and held the advantage in points in the paint (20-16) and bench points (19-2).
 
Oklahoma State finished 22-of-67 (32.8%) from the floor, including 7-of-18 (38.9%) from behind the arc. The Cowgirls scored 20 second-chance points. Vivian Gray led OSU in scoring, adding 22 points, and rebounding, with eight boards.
 
West Virginia next competes on Sunday, Jan. 26, as the Mountaineers travel to Fort Worth, Texas, for a matchup against TCU. Opening tip is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET at the Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth. Sunday's contest against the Horned Frogs will be broadcast on FS1, with Ron Thulin and Monica McNutt on the call.