Wednesday, February 25
Orlando, Fla.
7 P.M.
West Virginia University
23-6,13-4Big 12
74
at
62
UCF
10-18,2-15Big 12
1
2
3
4
F
West Virginia
14
11
31
18
74
UCF
16
11
9
26
62
Third Quarter Surges Edges Mountaineers Past UCF
February 25, 2026 09:33 PM | Women's Basketball
ORLANDO, Fla. – Gia Cooke scored 19 points and Jordan Harrison added 16 as No. 17 West Virginia erupted in the third quarter to beat UCF 74–62 on Wednesday night inside Addition Financial Arena in Orlando.
West Virginia (23–6, 13–4 Big 12) trailed 27–25 at halftime but completely flipped the game in the third, outscoring the Knights 31–9 while shooting 13 of 17 from the floor. The Mountaineers forced six turnovers in the period and turned them into eight points, repeatedly pushing the pace and attacking the rim in transition. WVU also went 3 of 3 from beyond the arc in the quarter.
The Mountaineers wasted no time seizing momentum coming out of the break. Cooke opened the period with a driving layup to tie it at 27, and after a defensive stop, Carter McCray finished in traffic to give WVU the lead for good.
From there, West Virginia overwhelmed UCF with speed and pressure. McCray scored again on a feed from Harrison, who followed moments later with four straight points, a layup and two free throws, stretching the lead to 31–27.
WVU's pressure defense stifled the Knights, generating turnovers on back-to-back possessions that led to layups by Harrison and Kierra Wheeler.
Cooke, who scored nine in the quarter, added another transition layup before Sydney Shaw drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing to push the lead into double digits. By the time Shaw hit her second 3 of the period, and Celia Riviere converted a putback, West Virginia had built a 56–35 advantage, capping a 31-9 run and putting the game out of reach.
Harrison finished the game with a game-high seven assists and three steals. McCray and Wheeler each finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Shaw added nine points, four assists, and three steals, while the Mountaineers' defense piled up 12 steals and scored 22 points off 22 UCF turnovers.
Khylala Ngodu led UCF (10–18, 2–15) with 21 points and nine rebounds. Kristol Ayson scored 12, and Kayanna Cox added 11. The Knights shot 10 of 13 in the fourth quarter to narrow the margin, but never drew closer than 11.
The Mountaineers close out their regular season schedule on Sunday, March 1, when they take on Cincinnati inside Hope Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN+. The game will serve as senior day for five Mountaineers in Jordan Harrison, Sydney Shaw, Sydney Woodley, Celia Riviere, and Kierra Wheeler.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWBB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
West Virginia (23–6, 13–4 Big 12) trailed 27–25 at halftime but completely flipped the game in the third, outscoring the Knights 31–9 while shooting 13 of 17 from the floor. The Mountaineers forced six turnovers in the period and turned them into eight points, repeatedly pushing the pace and attacking the rim in transition. WVU also went 3 of 3 from beyond the arc in the quarter.
The Mountaineers wasted no time seizing momentum coming out of the break. Cooke opened the period with a driving layup to tie it at 27, and after a defensive stop, Carter McCray finished in traffic to give WVU the lead for good.
From there, West Virginia overwhelmed UCF with speed and pressure. McCray scored again on a feed from Harrison, who followed moments later with four straight points, a layup and two free throws, stretching the lead to 31–27.
WVU's pressure defense stifled the Knights, generating turnovers on back-to-back possessions that led to layups by Harrison and Kierra Wheeler.
Cooke, who scored nine in the quarter, added another transition layup before Sydney Shaw drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing to push the lead into double digits. By the time Shaw hit her second 3 of the period, and Celia Riviere converted a putback, West Virginia had built a 56–35 advantage, capping a 31-9 run and putting the game out of reach.
Harrison finished the game with a game-high seven assists and three steals. McCray and Wheeler each finished with 12 points and seven rebounds. Shaw added nine points, four assists, and three steals, while the Mountaineers' defense piled up 12 steals and scored 22 points off 22 UCF turnovers.
Khylala Ngodu led UCF (10–18, 2–15) with 21 points and nine rebounds. Kristol Ayson scored 12, and Kayanna Cox added 11. The Knights shot 10 of 13 in the fourth quarter to narrow the margin, but never drew closer than 11.
The Mountaineers close out their regular season schedule on Sunday, March 1, when they take on Cincinnati inside Hope Coliseum. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN+. The game will serve as senior day for five Mountaineers in Jordan Harrison, Sydney Shaw, Sydney Woodley, Celia Riviere, and Kierra Wheeler.
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUWBB on X, Instagram and Facebook.
Team Stats
WVU
UCF
FG%
.517
.510
3FG%
.467
.000
FT%
.636
.750
RB
28
27
TO
15
22
STL
12
5
Game Leaders
Pts
16
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Pts
12
FGM
6
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's Basketball
G
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