Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

West Virginia State University Athletics

Navigation stripe
WBB23 Russell
Photo: Bryan Shepherd
101
West Virginia St. WVSt 10-8,6-5 MEC
104
Winner Charleston (WV) UCM 10-8,6-5 MEC
West Virginia St. WVSt
10-8,6-5 MEC
101
Final
104
Charleston (WV) UCM
10-8,6-5 MEC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 OT 1 OT 2 F
West Virginia St. WVSt 20 18 14 26 13 10 101
Charleston (WV) UCM 25 21 16 16 13 13 104

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Bryan Shepherd, Assistant Sports Information Director

WVSU falls just short in double overtime against Charleston

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia State's women's basketball matchup against cross-county rival Charleston is always a physical matchup, and this time was no exception as the two teams combined for 65 fouls, a combined 87 foul shots attempted, and 62 foul shots made, but when it came down to it, UC made 9-of-12 foul shots in the final extra frame on WVSU's seven fouls. 

WVSU and UC are both 10-8 overall, 6-5 in the Mountain East Conference. 

ZZ Russell scored a season high 27 points on 8-of-21 shooting, 3-of-6 from long range, and 8-12 from the free-throw line. Destiny Fields contributed 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting, 3-of-4 from three point range, grabbed seven boards, and had three steals.

Clarrissa Francis led all scorers for the Golden Eagles with 39 points.

Emyah Fortenberry got the Yellow Jackets on the board with a pair of layups, giving State the 4-0 early lead. WVSU's final lead of the first quarter came after Ashley Kerekes hit a foul shot with 2:22 showing, 16-15. Latifat Olatunji extended the lead to 18-15. UC closed the quarter on a 10-2 run, however, and the Yellow Jackets trailed 25-20 after the first 10 minutes.

WVSU opened the second with seven unanswered points with Kerekes hitting a trey, followed by layups by Imani Reid and Fortenberry, 27-25. UC answered right back with seven unanswered of their own. Fields hit a trey midway through the period to get State within two, 38-36. Scott hit a layup with over two minutes to play, but that was State's final field goal of the half and UC went up 46-38 after 20 minutes.

Fields was the only scorer for the Yellow Jackets in the first four minutes of the third quarter, she hit a layup on the first possession of the quarter. UC scored another eight unanswered points, 53-40, forcing a WVSU timeout. Shelby Harmeyer hit a trey late in the quarter to close the gap back to six points, but UC re-extended to 10 at the end of the third, 62-52.

UC hit a trey to open the fourth quarter, 65-52. The Yellow Jackets then went on a 12-3 run over the next 4:57 to trim the deficit to four points, 68-64. State was down by seven with 58 seconds to play in regulation, 76-69. Following a Hannah Shriver trey, Fields immediately stole the ball from the UC player bringing the ball up the court, and she hit a layup on the runout, 76-74 UC. WVSU fouled and UC converted both foul shots, 78-74. Fortenberry got fouled attempting to rebound a Fields miss and converted the first, but missed the second. Reid gathered the rebound, dished it to Russell waiting in the left corner who drained the shot, tying the game. UC was called for a double-dribble, giving State the ball with under three seconds left. Russell attempted a 30 foot shot, but it was blocked at the horn. 

Russell hit another game tying shot with 56 seconds to play in the first overtime, tying the game at 89 points each. Both teams hit a pair of foul shots late and they were still tied at 91 after five extra minutes.

WVSU held the lead for nearly the entirety of the second overtime, Kerekes hit a trey with 95 seconds to play to put WVSU up 101-97. State didn't score for the rest of the game. UC hit 5-of-6 foul shots and a field goal to quash the hopes of a comeback win.

WVSU returns to home hardwood on Wednesday, Jan. 31st against the West Liberty Hilltoppers. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 pm.
 
Print Friendly Version