MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — After a 35-point win to improve their record to 4-0, head coach Mike Carey was quick to remind everyone that the challenging portion of WVU’s non-conference schedule is about to begin.
“You have to play some of these games to find out where you really are,” Carey said. “A lot of that stuff is not real. If you get against a good team, some of that stuff that is working today is not going to work against them because they are better defensively. They are bigger, stronger, they are taller and they are more athletic.”
The Mountaineers cruised past Coppin State, 82-47 Thursday morning at the Coliseum on ‘Education Day’. A crowd of 10,663 was made up largely of elementary and middle school students from around North Central West Virginia.
“Great enthusiasm in the gym,” Carey said. “Those kids did a great job.”
This will be West Virginia’s last game at the Coliseum until December 31st when they host Cornell.
Kysre Gondrezick led the Mountaineers with 20 points. She has scored 20 or more points in all four of WVU’s games this season. Tynice Martin added 17. Kari Niblack (13), Esmery Martinez (10) and K.K. Deans (10) also scored in double figures.
The Mountaineers jumped out to a 23-8 lead at the end of the first quarter but were outscored 17-14 in the second, taking a 37-25 halftime lead.
“I am just not happy with execution on both ends,” Carey said.
“Overall, I think we are getting better but we just have a lot more work to do,” Gondrezick said.
Ranked 25th in this week’s AP poll, the Mountaineers hit the road for a pair of contests in Cancun over Thanksgiving weekend. WVU will face Creighton (3-1) Thursday and New Mexico (5-0) next Friday.
“That will be good for us to step up going to Mexico,” Carey said. “I am looking forward to that.”