KANSAS CITY, Mo . — JJ Quinerly made a critical steal to set up her game-winning basket and scored 24 points to lift No. 16 West Virginia to a 73-69 win over No. 20 Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament on Friday.
The Wildcats attempted a sideline inbounds lob into the key when Quinerly soared in to intercept the ball with a minute to go. She then drove into the lane for a floater that put West Virginia on top 71-69 with 44.2 seconds remaining.
Temira Poindexter missed a wide-open 3 from the right sideline before Sydney Shaw iced it with two free throws.
The fourth-seeded Mountaineers face No. 8 TCU, the top seed, in Saturday’s semifinals.
Jordan Harrison scored 17 of her 19 points in the second half for West Virginia (24-6). Shaw added 13 points and Jordan Thomas 11.
Reserve Kennedy Taylor scored 21 points on 9-of-9 shooting for the Wildcats (26-7). Poindexter scored 16 points and Serena Sundell added 10 with nine assists, giving her a KSU single-season record 233.
The Wildcats made 13 of 15 shots (87%), including 5 of 6 behind the arc to race to a 33-23 lead. Quinerly had 15 at halftime as the Mountaineers were within 44-36.
Harrison had 11 points in the third quarter and hit a basket to give the Mountaineers their first lead 54-53. But after she made two free throws with four seconds left, Poindexter drilled a long 3 at the buzzer and Kansas State led 58-56 entering the fourth.
K-State was 3 of 11 in the fourth quarter but shot 53% for the game. West Virginia shot 50%.
