Last season, Kierra Wheeler started all 34 games for West Virginia and posted 27 double-figure scoring games, including seven 20+ scoring outings. So, coming into this season, she was expected to dominate. So she was already expected to put up good numbers this year.

However, Kierra Wheeler has surpassed all expectations after playing half as many games. Through the first 13 games, she’s posted a total of 179 points, along with 94 rebounds and 32 steals.

Now, she’s the only Division I player this month to record at least 90 points, 50 rebounds, and 15 steals. And that’s not her only achievement.

After the game against Texas A&M, Kierra Wheeler recorded her fourth double-double in the last seven games with 16 points and 10 rebounds. She also tied her season high of five steals, a mark she bettered against Houston by posting six steals.

Thanks to her dominance, West Virginia has posted an 11–2 record. They’ve fallen out of the top 25 in the latest AP rankings, with the Nebraska Cornhuskers replacing them. Still, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they make a comeback.

What’s next for the West Virginia Mountaineers?

With the latest 101-46 win over Houston, the West Virginia women’s basketball team has extended its winning streak to five. This also marked the team’s first win in Big 12 play, in which it reached 100 points for the first time in program history.

Not only that, the Mountaineers’ 55-point win is the largest margin of victory in a conference game in the program’s history. Even their 39 points in the third quarter of the game set a program record for the most points scored in a single quarter.

So yes, the team is off to a strong start in Big 12 play. Next up, they face Kansas on January 1 in Lawrence, Kansas, to open the new year. 

Written by

Yashika Dutta

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi