Box Score MORGANTOWN, W.Va.  – The West Virginia University women's basketball team defeated Loyola Maryland, 74-39, on Tuesday evening inside the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, to secure the first victory of first-year coach Mark Kellogg's tenure.
 
West Virginia led by as many as 37 points against Loyola Maryland and only trailed for 40 seconds in the contest. The Mountaineers took full control of the game during the second quarter, limiting the Greyhounds to just two points over the 10 minutes.
 
Junior guard JJ Quinerly led all scorers in the contest with 19 points, knocking down a career-best four three-pointers. Two newcomers also finished in double figures as sophomore guard Jordan Harrison and fifth-year senior guard Lauren Fields collected 18 and 13 points, respectively.
 
The Mountaineers dominated the glass, outrebounding the Greyhounds 35-22, with junior guard Kyah Watson leading WVU with six. All nine West Virginia players who saw minutes finished the contest with at least two boards.
 
WVU shot 52.2 percent from beyond the arc, marking the first time a team had done so since Feb. 5, 2022, against Oklahoma.
 
The Mountaineers got out in front early, charging to a 10-point advantage over the opening seven minutes off Quinerly's quick nine points. Loyola pushed back, scoring the final eight points of the quarter to cut the WVU lead down to 18-16 after 10 minutes.
 
From there it was all the Mountaineers, as a 17-2 run ensued in the second quarter to extend the WVU advantage to 35-18.
 
West Virginia managed their most efficient offense quarter of the contest in the third, shooting 66.7 percent from the floor and an even 80 percent from three. The Mountaineers quickly scored 12 points, knocking down 4-of-5 threes across its opening seven possessions. Quinerly knocked down the first two of the quarter before Fields and Watson each added one of their own.
 
WVU outscored Loyola Maryland 15-9 in the final frame to pull away with a 35-point win in its season opener.
 
The win marks the 10th straight season the Mountaineers have been victorious on opening night and is the 22nd straight non-conference regular season home win.
 
Also of note, West Virginia coaches are now 5-2 all-time in their first contests.
 
Next up, West Virginia renews the Backyard Brawl in the first road trip of the season against Pitt on Saturday, Nov. 11, inside the Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh. The Mountaineers and Panthers are set to tip off at 2 p.m. ET.