Tuesday, November 3
Morgantown, W.Va.
7 P.M.
West Virginia University
1-0,0-0Big 12
68
vs
64
Rhode Island
0-1,0-0Atlantic 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhode Island | 24 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 64 |
| West Virginia | 22 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 68 |
November 03, 2026 10:10 PM | Women's Basketball
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University women's basketball team opened the regular season with a narrow 68-64 win over Rhode Island on Tuesday evening inside Hope Coliseum in Morgantown.
Senior guard Gia Cooke scored a career-high 28 points to power West Virginia to its season-opening victory over the Rhode Island. Cooke tallied 13 points in the first quarter and delivered when it mattered most, scoring 10 of WVU's 16 fourth-quarter points as the Mountaineers held off a late Rams rally.
The win moves the Mountaineers to 32-4 in non-conference games during the last four seasons. West Virginia has now won seven straight contests inside Hope Coliseum dating back to last season and are an impressive 44-7 under Mark Kellogg in Morgantown.
After trailing 24-22 at the end of the first quarter, West Virginia used a dominant second period to seize control of the game. The Mountaineers held the Rams to just six points in the quarter while scoring 17 of their own, turning a two-point deficit into a 39-30 halftime advantage.
WVU continued to build its lead in the third quarter. A layup by Zahirah Walton less than 15 seconds into the period pushed the margin to 11, and the Mountaineers eventually stretched their advantage to as many as 14 before carrying a 52-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
Rhode Island mounted a late comeback behind Delanie Hill, who scored 26 points and knocked down seven 3-pointers. The Rams trimmed the deficit to seven with 2:56 remaining and got within four points on a 3-pointer by Alex Newson with six seconds left, but West Virginia converted enough free throws down the stretch to secure the season-opening win.
Cooke led all players with 28 points, shooting 8-of-17 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range while adding nine free throws, three assists and two steals. Walton added 12 points and two steals, while Skylar Forbes chipped in eight points and seven rebounds.
West Virginia controlled the glass for much of the evening, outrebounding Rhode Island, 39-35, including a 17-13 edge on the offensive boards. The Mountaineers converted those extra opportunities into a 34-22 advantage in points in the paint and forced 20 Rhode Island turnovers that led to 18 points.
Khyala Ngodu provided a strong interior presence with eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end, while adding four points, three assists and a steal. Divine Tumba contributed six points and six rebounds off the bench, and Nylah Wilson scored seven points while collecting two steals.
Rhode Island was paced by Hill's 26 points and nine made field goals. Newson added 12 points and three steals, while Amaya Stewart recorded eight points and eight rebounds. Sophia Vital finished with nine assists for the Rams.
West Virginia finished the night shooting 39.0% (23-of-59) from the floor and 68.0% (17-of-25) from the free-throw line. Rhode Island shot 43.6% (24-of-55) overall and connected on 10-of-24 attempts from beyond the arc.
The win marks the 13th straight season the Mountaineers have been victorious on opening night.
Next up, West Virginia takes on George Washington on Thursday, Nov. 5, inside Hope Coliseum. The Mountaineers and Revolutionaries are set to tip off at 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Senior guard Gia Cooke scored a career-high 28 points to power West Virginia to its season-opening victory over the Rhode Island. Cooke tallied 13 points in the first quarter and delivered when it mattered most, scoring 10 of WVU's 16 fourth-quarter points as the Mountaineers held off a late Rams rally.
The win moves the Mountaineers to 32-4 in non-conference games during the last four seasons. West Virginia has now won seven straight contests inside Hope Coliseum dating back to last season and are an impressive 44-7 under Mark Kellogg in Morgantown.
After trailing 24-22 at the end of the first quarter, West Virginia used a dominant second period to seize control of the game. The Mountaineers held the Rams to just six points in the quarter while scoring 17 of their own, turning a two-point deficit into a 39-30 halftime advantage.
WVU continued to build its lead in the third quarter. A layup by Zahirah Walton less than 15 seconds into the period pushed the margin to 11, and the Mountaineers eventually stretched their advantage to as many as 14 before carrying a 52-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
Rhode Island mounted a late comeback behind Delanie Hill, who scored 26 points and knocked down seven 3-pointers. The Rams trimmed the deficit to seven with 2:56 remaining and got within four points on a 3-pointer by Alex Newson with six seconds left, but West Virginia converted enough free throws down the stretch to secure the season-opening win.
Cooke led all players with 28 points, shooting 8-of-17 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range while adding nine free throws, three assists and two steals. Walton added 12 points and two steals, while Skylar Forbes chipped in eight points and seven rebounds.
West Virginia controlled the glass for much of the evening, outrebounding Rhode Island, 39-35, including a 17-13 edge on the offensive boards. The Mountaineers converted those extra opportunities into a 34-22 advantage in points in the paint and forced 20 Rhode Island turnovers that led to 18 points.
Khyala Ngodu provided a strong interior presence with eight rebounds, including five on the offensive end, while adding four points, three assists and a steal. Divine Tumba contributed six points and six rebounds off the bench, and Nylah Wilson scored seven points while collecting two steals.
Rhode Island was paced by Hill's 26 points and nine made field goals. Newson added 12 points and three steals, while Amaya Stewart recorded eight points and eight rebounds. Sophia Vital finished with nine assists for the Rams.
West Virginia finished the night shooting 39.0% (23-of-59) from the floor and 68.0% (17-of-25) from the free-throw line. Rhode Island shot 43.6% (24-of-55) overall and connected on 10-of-24 attempts from beyond the arc.
The win marks the 13th straight season the Mountaineers have been victorious on opening night.
Next up, West Virginia takes on George Washington on Thursday, Nov. 5, inside Hope Coliseum. The Mountaineers and Revolutionaries are set to tip off at 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Players Mentioned
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballTeam Stats
URI
WVU
FG%
.436
.390
3FG%
.417
.333
FT%
.462
.680
RB
35
39
TO
20
17
STL
7
9
Game Leaders
Pts
28
FGM
8
3FGM
3
FTM
9
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
1
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Tuesday, November 03
Monday, November 02
Monday, November 02
Saturday, October 10
