Following No. 22 West Virginia women’s basketball win over No. 23 Oklahoma last Saturday, head coach Mark Kellogg spoke on his expectations for the Mountaineer’s final games in their regular season.
“We are running our race. It’s our race and we are not quite at the finish line, but we can start to see it,” Kellogg explained.
The Mountaineers, who are currently 11-3 in the Big 12, forced 25 turnovers from Oklahoma with several key players off the bench scoring in double-figures. Tavvy Diggs tallied 12 points and Jayla Hemingway went six-for-six from the free throw line.
Prior to the game, the Sooners were the top ranked team in the Big 12, defeating ranked juggernauts in No. 24 Baylor and No. 5 Texas. Playing some of the best basketball in the country, Oklahoma maintained a back and forth game with the Mountaineers, ultimately falling due to earlier turnovers and poor shooting behind the arc.
“It was back and forth and it felt like a big time women’s tournament game. OU scores it so quick, so we had to be dialed in,” Kellogg stated.
After Saturday’s win, West Virginia is third in the Big 12, leading the country in both turnovers and steals. Only having four games left in the regular season, two against ranked opponents (No. 10 Kansas and No. 24 Baylor) the Mountaineers hope to maintain their position for the upcoming Big 12 Tournament.
“We’ve worked hard to put ourselves in this position and want to see what we can do going up against the nation’s best,” said Kellogg.
Due to West Virginia’s current placement in their respective conference, a top four finish would grant the team two BYE weeks within the Big 12 Tournament, which begins on Mar. 7.
The Mountaineers are next in action facing No. 10 Kansas State on the road Wednesday, beginning at 7 p.m. EST and being streamed on ESPN+.
