WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. (AP) — Gia Cooke scored 22 points, Zahirah Walton had 16 points and six steals and No. 24 West Virginia never trailed as the Mountaineers beat Northwestern 66-53 on Friday at the Greenbrier Tip-Off.
Khyala Ngodu added 10 points for West Virginia (4-0).
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Kat Righeimer converted a three-point play that made it 51-all — just the game’s third tie — with 4:36 left in the fourth quarter. Divine Tumba answered 18 seconds later with a jumper before Walton and Cooke made back-to-back layups.
Camdyn Nelson’s layup cut the Wildcats deficit to four points with 2:45 remaining, but West Virginia scored the final nine points.
Nelson led Northwestern (1-3) with 12 points and Casey Harter scored 10. Lily Carmody fouled out in the closing seconds with nine points, eight rebounds and five assists but committed six turnovers.
West Virginia shot just 38% (21 of 58) from the field, 4 of 23 (17%) from 3-point range, but outscored the Wildcats 20-8 from the free-throw line and had 22 points off 23 Northwestern turnovers.
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The Wildcats have lost three straight since a 64-60 win over Milwaukee in the season opener.
Up next
Northwestern: Plays Appalachian State on Saturday at Colonial Hall.
West Virginia: Hosts Akron on Tuesday.
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