Sports

No. 24 WVU women’s hoops show more complete effort in 81-63 win against Georgia Tech

MORGANTOWN - The 24th-ranked WVU women's basketball team checked off a lot of boxes Sunday afternoon inside McCamish Pavilion in Atlanta.

After two subpar performances to begin the season, the Mountaineers went on the road and blitzed Georgia Tech, 81-63, in what was WVU's most complete game to date.

That checklist included the tandem of Skylar Forbes and Gia Cooke putting together an offensive showcase.

Forbes finished with 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Cooke shot 3 of 4 from 3-point range and finished with 20 points.

WVU's offense went beyond its top two scorers. The Mountaineers (3-0) also saw Kennedy Harris knock down three 3-pointers for 11 points after she had been held to five combined points over the first two games of the season. Divine Tumba provided strength off the bench with 10 points on 5 of 7 shooting and she added five rebounds.

The Mountaineers shot 48.4% for the game (30 of 62) and began the game on a heater, leading 27-16 after the first quarter.

That lead continued to grow throughout the game and WVU's largest lead was 28 points early in the fourth quarter.

The checklist also saw the Mountaineers play much stronger around the rim, with most of that credit going to center Khyala Ngodu.

The 6-foot-3 senior was a point away from a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds. She also blocked three shots and altered several other runs at the rim by Georgia Tech players.

In all, the Mountaineers came away with a 37-28 edge on the boards and dominated in the lane with a 42-26 advantage in paint points. WVU also had 23 second-chance points.

Georgia Tech (2-1), meanwhile, was scrambling. Leading scorer Talayah Walker finished with 21 points, but only two of those came in the second half. Ariadna Termis, who came into the game without a basket on the season, added 14 points on 6 of 8 shooting for the Yellow Jackets.

Overall, it was an interesting first week of the season for the Mountaineers, who look to remain in the AP Top 25 rankings for a ninth consecutive week dating back to last season.

Forbes, a transfer from Marquette, has established herself as an all-around talent in a 6-3 frame. She is WVU's leading scorer through three games (19 ppg) and also leads the team with 10 3-pointers.

Cooke (18.3 ppg) has picked up where she left off last season for the Mountaineers, while ZaZa Walton (11.3 ppg) has shown her versatility on the floor. She leads WVU in both assists and steals heading into Friday's matchup against Northwestern in The Greenbrier Tip-Off, which will be held at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs.

BOX SCORE

WEST VIRGINIA (3-0)

Forbes 8-21 4-4 23, Walton 2-5 1-2 5, Ngodu 4-4 1-2 9, Cooke 6-14 5-6 20, Harris 4-5 0-0 11, Doumbouya 0-0 0-0 0, Murray 0-0 1-2 1, Tumba 5-7 0-0 10, Bordas 0-0 0-0 0, Hudgins 0-3 0-0 0, Parrish 0-0 0-0 0, Wilson 1-3 0-0 2, Totals 30-62 12-16 81

GEORGIA TECH (2-1)

Termis 6-8 0-0 14, Foster 1-4 0-0 2, Moon 2-5 1-2 6, Ode 4-11 0-0 8, Walker 7-20 5-6 21, Dieng 2-4 0-0 4, Mukeba 0-0 0-0 0, Munoz 0-1 0-0 0, Noguero 2-5 0-0 5, Urdiain 1-1 0-0 3, Washington 0-0 0-0 0, Totals 25-59 6-8 63

Halftime–West Virginia, 43-30. 3-Point Goals–West Virginia 9-22 (Forbes 3-10, Cooke 3-4, Harris 3-4, Hudgins 0-3, Wilson 0-1), Georgia Tech 7-20 (Termis 2-3, Moon 1-2, Ode 0-3, Walker 2-7, Munoz 0-1, Noguero 1-3, Urdiain 1-1). Assists–West Virginia 20 (Walton 5), Georgia Tech 21 (Moon 8). Fouled Out–Georgia Tech Dieng. Rebounds–West Virginia 37 (Ngodu 10), Georgia Tech 28 (Moon 4, Noguero 4). Total Fouls–West Virginia 10, Georgia Tech 14. Technical Fouls–None. A–2,875.