A strong run out the gate by the Oklahoma State Cowgirls gave West Virginia a difficult start to overcome on Tuesday as the Mountaineers fell 76-65 in Stillwater.
Naomie Alnatas led the Cowgirls on a 7-point run to open the game, notching five of those points for her team. Madisen Smith and JJ Quinerly fought back for the Mountaineers to snatch the lead as Smith knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and Quinerly finished a layup to take the lead by a point.
That, however, was WVU’s last share of the lead for the rest of the half. Oklahoma State responded with a 9-point run, and eventually took an 8-point lead before the end of the first quarter.
West Virginia fought back at the beginning of the second half, tying the game up with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter, but Oklahoma State took the momentum back and quickly built a multi-possession lead. The WVU offense went cold in the final period as it added just 11 points on 33 percent shooting.
Smith and Quinerly were West Virginia’s best sources of offense, combining for 34 points with five three-pointers. Quinerly led the Mountaineers with 18 points, while Smith added five assists.
Two Cowgirls, Taylen Collins and Terryn Milton, recorded double-doubles in the win. Milton added 15 points and 10 rebounds while Collins led the team with 13 rebounds with her 13 points. The duo was the biggest contributor to OSU’s domination on the glass as the Cowgirls posted a plus-16 rebounding margin.
Alnatas led the team with 16 points and was one of five double-figure scorers for Oklahoma State.
West Virginia falls below .500 in the Big 12 for the first time since Jan. 7. The Mountaineers sit in sixth place in the league, one spot behind the Cowgirls.
WVU returns to Morgantown for its next game when it hosts No. 21 Iowa State for its return leg after its loss to the Cyclones earlier in the season. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. ET on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.