Best Virginia Squeaks Away with 70-68 Win in TBT Opening Round

WHEELING W.Va. — In the first round of the TBT regional, No. 1 Best Virginia defeated No. 8 Dubois Dream by a final score of 70-68. Erik Stevenson connected on a three-pointer to give Best Virginia the win on Tuesday night.

With four minutes to go, the game went into the Elam Ending. This is the rule that TBT uses to end games and avoid late fouling. The leading team’s points plus eight is the target score to end the game. The target score was 70 after the game was tied up at 62 each. Stevenson’s three was vital as Dubois Dream just needed a two to win.

Dubois Dream kept the game close throughout all four quarters. Best Virginia went on an 8-3 run out of the half but Dubois punched back to keep their deficit to five heading into the final frame.

Former WVU F Kevin Jones led Best Virginia in scoring with 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field.

Throughout the game the offense ran through recently departed Erik Stevenson. If Stevenson wasn’t shooting the ball he was dishing it off to his teammates. Stevenson gave Best Virginia their first lead early on with a three-pointer. Stevenson finished with 16 points and three assists on 6-of-13 shooting from the field.

Best Virginia struggled to control the ball, committing 10 turnovers in the first half. Best Virginia went into the break with a one-point lead.

Former WVU head coach Bob Huggins was in attendance. Huggins resigned as West Virginia’s coach in June after a DUI arrest.

Best Virginia is 7-3 all-time in their TBT history, dating back to 2019.

Wheeling is one of TBT’s eight regional locations this summer. Eight teams will compete in the West Virginia Regional over the course of five days in July in the single-elimination event, with the West Virginia Regional champion advancing to the quarterfinals.

The Basketball Tournament is a 64-team field, which the winning team takes home $1 million.