MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Three weeks after their last victory, the WVU women’s basketball team found their way back into the win column Sunday with a 79-71 triumph over Iowa State at the Coliseum. The Mountaineers are back to .500 in Big 12 play at 4-4.
“When we were 11-1 everyone was telling them how good they were. Then all of a sudden you go 0-4 and everyone is telling you how bad you are,” said WVU head coach Mike Carey. “I just think we played harder. We came out and played with heart.”
West Virginia scored the first six points of the game and led wire-to-wire. The Mountaineers led 23-16 at the end of the first quarter and extended that cushion to 42-33 at halftime. A 17-point fourth quarter lead was trimmed to six points but West Virginia held on to improve to 14-5.
The Mountaineers had a season-high 21 assists and shot 50 percent from the floor (33-66). “I think we took maybe two or three bad shots. We have been averaging about fifteen bad shots per game,” Carey said.
Kysre Gondrezick led all scorers with 21 points. Tynice Martin added 18 and Esmery Martinez chipped in with 12 points.
“Everyone was getting involved,” Gondrezick said. “Esmery stepped up big for us. Kari (Niblack) was very efficient. Blessing (Ejiofor) was making an impact with her presence in the paint.”
Kristin Scott led the Cyclones (12-8) with 16 points.
West Virginia returns to the road for a two-game swing through Oklahoma, starting with a matchup against the Sooners Wednesday.