photo by: Benjamin Powell

WVU guard Sydney Shaw, pictured, had 18 points against Georgia Tech on Thursday.

MORGANTOWN — The thought was there over the summer, as WVU women’s basketball coach Mark Kellogg relayed the story, that he just might have something in transfer guard Gia Cooke.

“It might have been before that,” Kellogg said. “Obviously, when we got her committed and signed that we had a pretty talented player.”

Numbers and expectations are rarely discussed early, but it’s doubtful anyone expected the type of production Cooke has produced so far.

The junior guard out of Upper Marlboro, Md. finished with 23 points inside the Hope Coliseum on Thursday night to lead the Mountaineers to a dominating 82-50 victory against struggling Georgia Tech, which has now lost five of its last six.

One good game is one thing, but Cooke has been a model of consistency ever since she was inserted into the Mountaineers starting lineup in the second game of the season. Since that second game, she’s scored in double figures in 10 straight. She’s gone for at least 19 points in five of those.

“I think the system and the people around me help a lot with my confidence and believing in me,” was how Cooke began to explain it. “Growth plays a part, as well. School after school, I think this school has definitely got a great support system around me to help me play at my highest (level).”

She averaged 12.4 points last season at Houston, a season that saw her hit some high notes. There was her career-high 25 points against TCU, which was an Elite Eight team last season. Cooke actually finished last season with eight consecutive games in double figures, but it came on a Cougars’ team that won just five games.

What she’s currently doing for WVU (9-2), nothing has been quite like this.

“I don’t believe so, no,” she said. “I just think they believe in me. I’m going to keep on going. We just want to win. We want to keep on going out there and attacking people and being our best selves.”

A year ago, WVU guard Sydney Shaw was the new kid on the block. She, too, made an immediate impact and played a role to help the Mountaineers reach the second round of the NCAA tournament.

She understands what Cooke is feeling this season.

“I would say it’s good to see someone come in being new and be able to figure their way around the court and make an immediate impact,” said Shaw, who added 18 points in the win. “It’s much more like a proud feeling than a comparison. It’s good to see.

“It’s not easy at all. I know how lost I was last year.”

Cooke and Shaw both got going in the third quarter, after Georgia Tech (4-7) had muddied up the first half and hung around. Shaw nailed three 3-pointers and Cooke added two more and a drive to the basket to give the Mountaineers a 57-41 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

In evaluating Cooke while she was in the transfer portal last spring, Kellogg said he was able to look through the lack of success Houston had and find a sort of hidden gem.

“They didn’t win much, so her efficiency wasn’t great,” Kellogg said. “I thought if we could get her efficiency up and put her in our system that we could take advantage of her skill set. She got hurt this year in the preseason, like September or October, which kind of set her back. Honestly, she’s just now kind of finding her groove and figuring this out.”

Kierra Wheeler recorded her third double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Jordan Harrison added 16 points and six assists.

Georgia Tech turned the ball over 28 times and West Virginia scored 42 points in the paint. The Mountaineers now travel to Texas A&M on Sunday before beginning Big 12 play a week later with a home game against Houston.