MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Jordan Harrison scored 18 of her career-high 23 points in the first half, Sydney Shaw added 19 points and No. 16 West Virginia beat Towson 85-41 on Tuesday night to start the second season of coach Mark Kellogg’s tenure with the Mountaineers.
West Virginia is 23-3 in season openers since the 1999-00 season, including victories in the last 11.
Harrison made six field goals in the first half, while Towson was just 7 of 18 (39%), to help build a 38-25 lead. Shaw, a transfer from Auburn, made a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions midway through the third quarter for a 53-32 lead.
West Virginia scored 18 of the opening 20 points of the fourth quarter to seal it.
JJ Quinerly, who was named to the Naismith College women’s basketball player of the year watchlist, had 14 points for her 68th double-figure games as a Mountaineer.
Towson was without its best player, Patricia Anumgba, due to an injury. She averaged a team-high 14 points last season.
Towson turned it over 32 times and did not have a double-digit scorer.
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