The West Virginia women’s basketball squad overcame the odds, even after losing its entire bench, securing an improbable victory. The Mountaineers triumphed over No. 15 Duke with a final score of 57-49, a surprising result achieved after the team was reduced to just five eligible players due to an altercation during the game.
The contest, which took place at Colonial Hall at The Greenbrier in West Virginia, began as a tightly contested affair, with the Blue Devils maintaining a slim three-point advantage at the half. However, even with no available substitutions, Sydney Shaw, the sole West Virginia starter who avoided ejection, delivered a standout 16-point performance, enabling the Mountaineers to maintain their lead and ultimately secure the win.
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Immediately following the halftime buzzer, a confrontation erupted between West Virginia’s Jordan Harrison and Duke’s Jordan Wood, involving pushing and heated words. This incident drew in other players from both the Mountaineers and Blue Devils, resulting in widespread disciplinary actions for both teams as the second half approached.
Both Harrison and Wood were ejected from the game due to fighting, while five additional West Virginia players — Jordan Thomas, Kierra Wheeler, Gia Cooke, Carter McCray, and Madison Parrish — were also removed from the game for leaving the bench. Duke’s Ashlon Jackson and Ari Roberson were penalized with flagrant 1 fouls for making physical contact during the altercation.
The situation appeared particularly dire for the Mountaineers, who not only lost six players but also a significant portion of their starting lineup. At the time the scuffle commenced, nearing the end of the first half, Harrison was one of just two starters present on the court. The remaining three starters (Thomas, Wheeler, and Cooke) were among the players who faced ejection.
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Despite the disadvantage of being short-handed, the Mountaineers demonstrated resilience, emerging even stronger after the halftime break, outscoring the Blue Devils by a significant margin of 24-9 in the third quarter alone.
Duke began to narrow the gap in the fourth quarter, likely as West Virginia’s stamina began to diminish. However, the Mountaineers managed to maintain their advantage, with Shaw successfully sinking five crucial free throws in the final minute to preserve their lead.
The West Virginia players, coaching staff, and their enthusiastic home supporters erupted in celebration following the hard-fought victory.
In addition to Shaw’s impressive 16-point and seven-rebound performance — during which she played for 38 out of the game’s 40 minutes — senior forward Célia Rivière equaled her career bests with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Cooke contributed 12 points in the first half before her ejection.
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Conversely, it proved to be a challenging night for Duke, who struggled with their shooting, converting only 37.5% of their field goal attempts and a mere 16.7% from beyond the 3-point arc. Only one player, Taina Mair, reached double figures in scoring (10 points), while the Blue Devils’ leading scorer, Toby Fournier, was limited to just nine points.
