West Virginia Women’s basketball Upsets Duke Despite Mass โขEjections Following On-Court Scuffle
DURHAM, N.C. – The โWest Virginia โขMountaineers secured a stunning upset victory over Duke โขon Friday, โdefeating the Blue โฃDevils 73-65 despite โฃbeing reduced to just five availableโ players after a bench-clearing scuffle led to seven ejections. The incident occurred after a contested play at the end of the โคfirst half.
Duke forward Jordan Wood blocked a 3-pointโ attempt byโ West Virginia guard Jordan Harrison as time โexpired, and appeared to tauntโฃ Harrison afterward. Harrison responded by pushing Wood, sparking a physical altercationโ involving bothโ teams.
Officials assessedโ Flagrant 2 fouls – resulting in immediateโ ejection – to both โWood โฃand Harrison forโข fighting. โDuke’s Ashlon Jacksonโข and Ari โคRoberson โreceived Flagrant 1 fouls and were also ejected. Critically, the entire West Virginia bench – including starters Jordan Thomas, kierra Wheeler, and Gia โCooke, along with Carter โMcCray and Madison Parrish – were โejected for leaving the bench during โthe scuffle.
Facing aโข significant disadvantage for the entire second โhalf, West Virginia โขrallied. They โฃoutscored Duke 24-9 in the thirdโ quarter and built a lead โคof as manyโข as 15โฃ points with 4:33 remaining, all without makingโข any substitutions. Duke mounted aโข late comeback, closing the gap to four points with 0:37 left on the clock, but West Virginia’s โฃSydney Shaw sealed the victory with โfour clutch free โขthrows.
“Disappointed in the ending of the half. I think we are better than that, โคwe are โขgoing to learn โคa huge lesson,” West Virginia head coach Mark Kellogg saidโ after the win. “But I โคthink we’veโ seen it inโข sports where things like that happen and youโ rally together. โฆ I’m so proud of thatโ group โฃof five. I’m โคproud of the wholeโ team. โฆ That’s as โgood of a win โas โคI’ve probably had.”
Shaw, the loneโ remaining starter, played 38 minutes and led the Mountaineers with 16 โคpoints,โ seven rebounds, โขand three assists. Westโ Virginia improved to 4-0โ on the season with theโค victory.
Dukeโข (2-2) struggled offensively, shooting 38% fromโฃ the field andโ just 2-of-12 from theโ 3-point line.Taina Mair was the โฃonly Blue Devil to reach double figures, finishing with 10 points, four rebounds, and โคfour assists. Ashlon Jackson was limited to nine points and six assists.
The win marks a significant early-season triumph โfor the Mountaineers, demonstrating resilience and teamwork โฃin theโฃ face of adversity.
