WVU Women Beat St. John's

West Virginia University’s women’s basketball team defeated Big East foe St. John’s 68-44, Saturday afternoon at Carnesseca Arena.

Senior center Olayinka Sanni tallied her second consecutive double-double with 22 points and 14 rebounds in the victory, West Virginia’s ninth win over the Red Storm in the last 10 meetings between the two schools. WVU (14-3, 4-1) improves to 15-4 all-time against the Red Storm. It marked Sanni’s fifth double-double of the season and 14th of her career. Sanni had 21 points and 16 rebounds in the win over Marquette this past Wednesday.

West Virginia’s defense shutdown the Red Storm offense in the second half after a close first half score that had WVU leading by just three at 35-32. WVU held SJU to just 12 second half points on 24.0% (6-25) shooting. For the game the Mountaineers forced 21 turnovers and out-rebounded SJU by a 40-35 margin. Three other Mountaineers reached double-digits in scoring: LaQuita Owens with 15 and Chakhia Cole and Meg Bulger with 11 each. It marked the second consecutive and sixth time this season that Sanni, Bulger, Owens and Cole scored double-figures in the same. The Mountaineers are now 5-1 on the season when the foursome does so.

In first half action, Sanni had a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds while Cole and Owens each had seven points a piece. WVU led by as many as 11 at 16-5 with 12:07 left in the half before the Red Storm (10-7, 1-3) responded by chipping away at the Mountaineers’ lead.

West Virginia returns to action Wednesday, January 23, when it takes on Marshall in the Chesapeake Capital Classic at 5:30 p.m., in Charleston, W.Va., in the Charleston Civic Center.