MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Deuce McBride crammed up the field rating with 29 factors, 7 rebounds and eight assists as No. 17 West Virginia pulled away from No. 23 Kansas, 91-79 Saturday on the Coliseum.
Taz Sherman added 25 factors because the Mountaineers scored a season-high level complete and avenged a December loss to the Jayhawks in Lawrence.
“We have been locked in offensively. We have been speaking. We have been speaking. So I really feel like that was by far our greatest exhibiting, for certain,” stated WVU junior ahead Derek Culver.
West Virginia constructed a double-digit lead simply minutes into the competition. Culver scored WVU’s first six factors. Jalen Bridges and McBride adopted with 3-pointers to present WVU a 12-2 lead.
Kansas crept with 4 factors at 25-21 after a Jalen Wilson triple. However the Mountaineers rebuilt a double-digit lead earlier than halftime, 44-34. Culver and McBride mixed for 25 first-half factors. WVU went 7-for-11 from past the arc within the opening twenty minutes.
The Jayhawks wanted simply over two minutes to erase their halftime deficit. A 9-0 Kansas run evened the rating at 47-47, forcing Bob Huggins to take a fast timeout.
“We challenged them,” Huggins stated. “We now have been there earlier than and the outcomes weren’t good. I believe it was extra them responding to the problem than it was anything.”
“Lots of yelling,” McBride stated. “The expectations are excessive in a recreation like this and each possession counts. Once you get a lead, you might be doing all the pieces you may to take care of that lead. Clearly we gave it again to them. However there was a whole lot of motivation in that huddle.”
West Virginia scored the following 4 factors and prolonged their result in 70-62 with 8:52 to play. The Mountaineers slowly pulled away down the stretch. A 3-pointer from Emmitt Matthews, Jr. with 3:30 left prolonged the Mountaineer cushion to 10 factors and Kansas by no means threatened the remainder of the way in which.
Culver scored 19 factors and pulled down 9 rebounds whereas Matthews Jr. added 10 factors. Matthews re-entered the beginning lineup Saturday.
“I assumed Emmitt was terrific,” Huggins stated. “He handed the ball and guarded. He acquired key rebounds. I assumed he was actually good.”
McBride narrowly missed a triple-double. He related on 9-of-15 photographs from the ground and made all 9 of his free throw makes an attempt.
“It’s all about preparation. Once I come right into a recreation extra ready and somewhat extra motivated, I believe each shot goes in,” McBride stated. “You simply float of the sport. You are feeling sizzling and you retain capturing them.”
West Virginia assisted on 18 of their 32 baskets and so they shot fifty % from the ground (32-for-64). The Mountaineers additionally went 11-for-21 from 3-point vary.
“We’re sharing the ball and everyone seems to be getting photographs,” Sherman stated. “That’s one factor we have been actually speaking about was ensuring we’re fluid inside our offense and we get good photographs as a substitute of OK photographs. If anyone has a greater shot than you, swing it to them. The ball would possibly come again finally.”
WVU compelled 18 Kansas turnovers and cashed these in for 26 factors.
“Our on-ball protection was batter. Actually our assist protection was higher. We did a greater job of serving to the helper,” Huggins stated. “That was our greatest defensive efficiency of the 12 months and we nonetheless gave up 70-some.”
Marcus Garrett led the Jayhawks with 18 factors. David McCormack added 17 for KU (12-7, 6-5 Huge 12).
With the win, West Virginia moved into sole possession of second place within the Huge 12, three video games behind unbeaten Baylor.
West Virginia (13-5, 6-3 Huge 12) continues their stretch of six video games in opposition to AP prime 25 groups once they go to No. 13 Texas Tech (13-5, 5-4 Huge 12) Tuesday night.
(Bob Huggins postgame Zoom convention)
