The University of Arizona women’s basketball team is set to host No. 16 West Virginia University on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 6:30 p.m. in McKale Center in Tucson.
The Wildcats (13-8, 4-4 in Big 12) are coming off two back-to-back wins against the University of Kansas and the University of Cincinnati. They clutched their first at-home conference victory, winning 72-62 against the Bearcats on Jan. 22. Players coming off the bench have been a huge asset for the team, contributing more than 25 points in both games.
The Mountaineers (16-3, 6-2 in Big 12) will be riding the momentum of a big win against ASU, 89-59. JJ Quinerly led the charge with 29 points, going 6-for-6 on free throws and adding four assists.
History vs. West Virginia
Arizona has performed well against West Virginia historically. The Wildcats have a perfect 2-0 record against the Mountaineers. Their most recent meeting on March 17, 2023, resulted in a decisive 75-62 victory. The teams’ first encounter dates back to Nov. 27, 1982, when Arizona secured a narrow 65-61 win.
Overall, Arizona has averaged 70 points per game against West Virginia while holding its opponent to an average of 61 points. The Wildcats’ largest margin of victory came in the 2023 matchup, with a 13-point win.
Wildcats to watch
Skylar Jones played exceptionally well coming off the bench against the Bearcats on Jan. 22. She led the team with a game-high 16 points in 17 minutes on 6-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 from the line. She also added on five rebounds and two assists.
Defensively, Breya Cunningham had a stellar outing with 15 rebounds (two offensive, 13 defensive) ,marking a career-high and added 9 points. Her ability to control the paint will be crucial against the Mountaineers.
Jada Williams is someone always to have your eyes on. She leads the team in both scoring with 247 points cumulative and assists, 62 total. She is also a strong free-throw shooter, converting .855 of her attempts. The game against Cincinnati marked her ninth game scoring in double-digits with 14 points.
Mountaineers to Watch
Quinerly has been a huge asset for West Virginia this season. She leads them in points (342 cumulative points) and free throws (80 FTM). Quinerly also plays significant minutes (30.1 per game) and contributes across the board with four rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
Jordan Harrison has been a consistent offensive threat, averaging 14.1 points per game on efficient shooting (.453 FG%, .877 FT%). Defensively, Kyah Watson has been dominant on the boards, leading the team with 7.7 rebounds per game and having 147 total this season.
Follow the Daily Wildcat on Instagram and Twitter/X
