No. 20 West Virginia Women Defeat Arizona 87-68

Kierra Wheeler and Sydney Shaw lead the Mountaineers to victory.

Feb. 7, 2026 at 3:55pm

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The No. 20 ranked West Virginia women's basketball team defeated the University of Arizona 87-68 on Saturday. Kierra Wheeler scored 17 points and Sydney Shaw added 16 for the Mountaineers, who jumped out to a 24-point halftime lead. Arizona cut the deficit to 11 points late, but could not complete the comeback.

Why it matters

This win keeps West Virginia in contention for a top spot in the Big 12 Conference standings, as they improve to 20-5 overall and 10-3 in conference play. Arizona, meanwhile, falls to 11-12 on the season and 2-10 in Pac-12 play, continuing their struggles this year.

The details

West Virginia used a 13-0 run spanning the first and second quarters to take control of the game, going into halftime with a 50-26 lead. The Mountaineers then extended their advantage to 34 points in the third quarter before Arizona made a late push, closing the final margin to 19 points. Wheeler shot 8-of-11 from the field and added 6 rebounds, while Shaw hit 4 three-pointers for West Virginia.

  • The game was played on Saturday, February 7, 2026.
  • West Virginia jumped ahead with a 13-0 run that spanned the first and second quarters.
  • West Virginia led 50-26 at halftime.
  • West Virginia extended their lead to 74-40 in the third quarter.
  • Arizona finished the game on an 11-0 run in the final 3:15.

The players

Kierra Wheeler

A player for the No. 20 ranked West Virginia women's basketball team who scored 17 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in the win.

Sydney Shaw

A player for the No. 20 ranked West Virginia women's basketball team who scored 16 points, including 4 three-pointers, in the victory.

Tanyuel Welch

The leading scorer for Arizona with 17 points in the loss.

Daniah Trammell

Scored 15 points for Arizona in the defeat.

West Virginia

The No. 20 ranked women's basketball team that improved to 20-5 overall and 10-3 in Big 12 play with the win.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

This win keeps West Virginia in contention for a top spot in the Big 12 standings, while Arizona continues to struggle this season. The Mountaineers' balanced scoring attack and strong defensive effort proved too much for the Wildcats to overcome.