Mountaineers Pull Off Upset Against Duke
White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia — Mark Kellogg had a simple message for his team, reminding them to “Believe” and “Breathe.”
The situation was tense. West Virginia faced No. 15 Duke at Colonial Hall in Greenbier, needing to keep their cool with only five players for the second half. It felt unlikely, but they had to believe they could turn things around.
Kellogg’s words resonated, leading to a new game plan.
“I’ve been part of a lot of games, but this one was definitely the most insane,” Kellogg reflected. “I’m proud of our team’s resilience and grit. We want our team to reflect what West Virginia stands for.”
The Mountaineers adapted impressively. With only one starter remaining and a bench player stepping up, they avoided foul troubles during the second half, made free throws, and managed to score a surprising 57-49 victory over the Blue Devils in front of a lively crowd of 1,210 at a southern West Virginia resort.
Even though it was an officially neutral site game, the stands filled with blue and gold created an electrifying environment. After the win, “Take Me Home, Country Roads” played through the speakers, and although Kellogg wasn’t expecting to hear the West Virginia anthem so far from Morgantown, he gathered his players to make the most of the moment.
For Kellogg, leading West Virginia for the third year, nothing would comparison to singing that anthem with his players following their significant victory. This marked the Mountaineers’ first regular-season win against an AP-ranked team away from home since December 2019.
Truthfully, it was hard for Kellogg to articulate everything that had transpired.
“Those five guys put their all into it. I’ve never witnessed anything like that,” he said. “You see moments on TV that leave you speechless, and I think this might be one for me.”
Duke coach Carla Lawson didn’t need time to express her thoughts about the game’s conclusion.
“West Virginia was fantastic in the second half. They played with considerable competitive spirit and they deserved the win,” Lawson acknowledged. “Even if the outcome wasn’t in our favor, I can accept that if we played well, but tonight, they played better.”
Duke led 23-20 at halftime, sticking to a defensive strategy in the first half. However, the game took a sudden turn.
A skirmish broke out after Duke’s Jordan Wood shouted “Let’s go” at West Virginia’s Jordan Harrison as halftime ended. This led to mutual shoving, resulting in five players being removed from the Mountaineers’ bench.
After a lengthy review by officials, both players were ejected for their roles in the incident, and five West Virginia players were expelled for leaving the bench. Duke’s Ashron Jackson and Ariana Roberson were also penalized with flagrant fouls, gifting West Virginia a bonus and free throws to kick off the third quarter.
But, with West Virginia now in a tough situation, a win seemed unlikely. Sidney Shaw was the only starter out, but he hadn’t scored in the first half. The players who did score in the first half were sidelined during the second.
“When you’re down to just five players with no bench and the other team has a full roster, winning isn’t really expected,” Shaw remarked. “So we just played freely.”
Alongside Shaw, Kellogg leaned on players such as Butler transfer Riley McCulsky, Texas Tech’s Rohan Johnson, fifth-year guard Sidney Woodley, and junior college transfer Celia Riviere, who hadn’t played more than 20 minutes against a Power 4 opponent before this game.
Kellogg quickly resized his game strategy and focused on limited options. Offensively, he finally placed the ball in Shaw’s hands, who had been asking for point guard duties. Defensively, the Mountaineers settled into a 2-3 zone. They had to manage fouls and create opportunities for free throws.
This strategy paid off. West Virginia University conquered a struggling Duke team, outscoring them 24-9 in the third quarter, taking a commanding lead. Against the zone defense, the Blue Devils appeared confused, almost like trying to navigate an icy rink blindfolded.
“We came out flat to start the second half, and once West Virginia found their rhythm, they gained confidence. It felt like they realized they could do this,” said Lawson, acknowledging that her team didn’t respond well to the shift in momentum.
She added, “Honestly, no other player performed well tonight, and that’s on me. I need to do better. After everything that happened before halftime, I wasn’t prepared for the game.”
In the second half, West Virginia made 14 out of 18 free throws, even outscoring the taller Duke team, which has several McDonald’s All-Americans. Duke committed 11 turnovers in those last two quarters, whereas the Mountaineers kept their mistakes to a minimum. The Blue Devils struggled, making just 8 of 22 layups throughout the matchup.
Shaw led West Virginia with 16 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while Riviere matched her personal best with 12 points and added eight rebounds and three assists.
“I work hard in practice every day. I’m always ready for my teammates and this program,” Riviere stated. “I just play smart and do what I need to do.”
Duke tried to claw back, narrowing the score to four points with 36 seconds left. However, Shaw hit several crucial free throws, while Duke’s attempts to score fell short. Emily Skinner’s final shot couldn’t sway the outcome, leaving the Mountaineers to run out the clock. Riviere turned to the West Virginia supporters, who were visibly thrilled by the win.
“Winning that game felt incredible,” Riviere said, keeping it simple after the game.
Kellogg expressed disappointment over six players being ejected but hoped this victory could unify the team. West Virginia currently stands at 4-0 this season.
Ultimately, against all odds, West Virginia managed to beat a top-25 Duke team with only five players for the second half.
In the end, the Mountaineers’ success can be summarized with one clear thought: “West Virginia handled it better.”
