West Virginia falls short due to ejection, yet still surprises No. 15 Duke

West Virginia Upsets Duke in Women’s Basketball

West Virginia’s women’s basketball team achieved a surprising victory over No. 15 Duke on Friday night, especially after facing increasingly tough odds at halftime.

Things took a chaotic turn when six Mountaineers were ejected after a brief altercation, leaving WVU with just five players to finish the game.

As the first half concluded, Duke’s Jordan Wood notably blocked a 3-point attempt by Jordon Harrison, celebrating his play with an intense reaction.

In the midst of shoving, Mountaineer players had to be separated, and since players exiting the bench automatically get ejected, the bench was empty by the time things calmed down. Sorting out the situation took officials about 15 minutes, and among those sent off were four starters from WVU.

Tailing 23-20 at halftime, West Virginia came back strong, outscoring Duke 20-6 in the first six minutes of the third quarter.

With Duke trailing 53-49 and only 37 seconds remaining, Sydney Shaw redeemed a late turnover by sinking five of six free throws in the final moments to clinch the win.

“I think we were a bit disappointed at the end of the first half,” WVU coach Mark Kellogg reflected. “I really believe we’re better than that. We’re about to learn a significant lesson, but I couldn’t be prouder of that group of five who stuck it out.”