West Virginia’s women’s basketball team produced a major upset against Duke on Friday night, despite only having five players available for the entire second half.
The undefeated Mountaineers saw their entire bench get ejected by referees just before halftime after they ran onto the court when a skirmish broke out.
West Virginia lost backups Gia Cooke, Carter McCray, Madison Parrish, Jordan Thomas and Kierra Wheeler in a dust-up between the squads. The Mountaineers also lost starter Jordan Harrison.
The incident started when Duke’s Jordan Wood blocked a shot by Harrison as the buzzer rang out at the end of the first half.
Wood proceeded to taunt Harrison and screamed in her direction. Clearly annoyed, Harrison turned and shoved Wood and a minor pushing match broke out on the court.
But five Mountaineers came onto the court, which is not allowed, and they all got ejected for the second half – along with both Harrison and Wood – as officials took 15 minutes to make a decision.
West Virginia’s entire bench was ejected when a skirmish broke out in their game with Duke
Duke’s Jordan Wood taunted West Virginia’s Jordan Harrison when she blocked her shot
The list of ejected players made for grim reading but West Virginia still upset the odds
‘I’m disappointed in the ending of the half,’ West Virginia coach Mark Kellogg said. ‘I think we’re better than that – we’re going to learn a huge lesson – but I’m so proud of that group five.
‘You see in sports things like that happen; there’s just something where you rally around each other.
‘I’m so proud of that group of five. I guess it’s one of those moments where you don’t really know what to say. But that’s as good a win as I’ve probably ever had.’
In an inspired second-half performance, Sydney Shaw scored 16 points and reserve Celia Riviere scored 12 as West Virginia beat 15th-ranked Duke 57-49.
Normally a reserve, Riviere was on the court at the end of the half. Trailing 23-20 at halftime, West Virginia emerged from the break and proceeded to outscore the Blue Devils 20-6 in the first six minutes of the third.
Riviere scored eight and Shaw had seven during that span, which saw the Mountaineers extend their lead to 40-29 with 4:03 remaining in the third.
The Blue Devils drew within 53-49 with 37 seconds left before Shaw atoned for some late turnovers and made five-of-six foul shots in the last 43 seconds to clinch it.
