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Kierra Wheeler scores 16 points and No. 22 West Virginia women rally past Arizona State 53-43

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Kierra Wheeler scored 16 points and No. 22 West Virginia rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat Arizona State 53-43 on Wednesday night.

Arizona State led 37-34 through three quarters and the score was tied at 41 with 4 minutes left in the fourth quarter. A 3-pointer by Sydney Shaw gave the Mountaineers a 44-41 lead with 2:45 remaining. Jordan Harrison added a free throw and Wheeler scored in the paint for a 47-41 lead.

McKinna Brackens hit a jumper for the Sun Devils but it was their only made basket in nine attempts in the final 4 minutes. West Virginia closed it out at the line, making 7 of 9 free throws in the last minute.

Shaw scored 11 points and Gia Cooke had 10 for West Virginia (16-4, 6-2 Big 12).

Brackens and Gabby Elliott led Arizona State (17-3, 4-3) with 15 points each.

Arizona State battled back from a six-point first-quarter deficit to trail 13-12 after one. West Virginia hit three 3-pointers early in the second quarter and a layup by Sydney Woodley gave the Mountaineers a 25-15 lead with 3 1/2 minutes left in the quarter. Arizona State did not allow a point for the remainder of the half and trailed only 25-24 at halftime.

Arizona State extended the run to 13 points for a 28-25 lead a couple of minutes into the third. The Sun Devils’ lead was 37-29 with about a minute remaining in the third, then West Virginia closed to within three points at the end of the quarter.

Up next

West Virginia: At BYU on Saturday.

Arizona State: At Cincinnati on Saturday.

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Hawkeyes are set to play Vanderbilt in a November women’s basketball game in Sioux City, Iowa

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Vanderbilt and Iowa, both ranked in the top 10 late last season, will meet in a women's basketball game early next season in northwest Iowa, the schools announced Tuesday. The neutral-site game is set for Nov. 15 at the Tyson Events Center, which is 290 miles from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Vanderbilt is 4-0 all-time against the Hawkeyes. This will be the teams' first meeting since 1997. The Commodores are expected to return national scoring leader Mikayla Blakes. She averaged 27 points per game and was Southeastern Conference player of the year. Vanderbilt was ranked as high as No. 5 and finished No. 10 with a 29-5 record after reaching the NCAA Sweet 16.
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