Miles scores 16, Campbell gets double-double, No. 9 West Virginia survives Rutgers 55-51

No. 9 West Virginia outlasts Rutgers 55-51

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Sarah Miles scored 16 points, Korinne Campbell had 14 points and 12 rebounds and No. 9 West Virginia held off mistake-prone Rutgers 55-51 on Tuesday night.

West Virginia (23-3, 10-2 Big East) saw a 13-point lead melt away in the second half and the Mountaineers survived despite being held without a field goal over the final 7 minutes.

Madina Ali added 12 points for West Virginia.

Rutgers (15-11, 7-5) committed 24 turnovers and saw its season-high three-game winning streak snapped.

Brittany Ray led the Scarlet Knights with 16 points and Chelsey Lee had 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Playing with their highest-ever ranking, West Virginia improved to 16-0 at home and can complete its first perfect season at The Coliseum in 18 years with a win over Marquette on Feb. 27.

Liz Repella, held to just one shot in the first half, hit 3-pointers to start and finish a 13-0 run that put the Mountaineers ahead 34-24 with 14:41 remaining.

Ray’s 3-pointer 27 seconds later broke Rutgers’ scoring drought, but Campbell, who had her fourth double-double of the season, made two straight baskets to give the Mountaineers their largest lead, 40-27, with 12:30 left.

West Virginia then went scoreless over a 6-minute stretch and Lee hit six points during an 11-0 run for Rutgers. Lee’s basket pulled the Scarlet Knights within 50-49 with 4:25 remaining, but Rutgers never retook the lead and managed just two points the rest of the game.

Trailing 52-51, Rutgers’ Nikki Speed missed a runner in the lane with 13 seconds left and West Virginia’s Asya Bussie blocked Myia McCurdy’s putback attempt. Ray fouled Ali going after the loose ball and West Virginia regained possession.

Miles, who had six steals, made 3 of 4 free throws in the final 10 seconds for the final margin.

West Virginia made half of its field goal attempts after halftime after shooting just 28 percent (9 of 32) in the first half.

Rutgers fell to 1-8 against ranked teams this season.