Late Fouls Cost WVU Upset Chance as No. 1 Gonzaga Wins, 87-82

No. 11 West Virginia battled No. 1 Gonzaga for all 40 minutes Wednesday night in the Jimmy V Classic, but late foul trouble cost the Mountaineers a chance to pull off the upset.

The top-ranked Bulldogs (3-0) took advantage of every WVU (3-1) mistake and pulled out an 87-82 win.

West Virginia built a 17-11 lead to start the game but subbed in a number of backups halfway through the first half and Gonzaga took advantage by going on a 9-0 run. After the Bulldogs took a 20-17 lead, the Mountaineers went on their own 14-3 run to pull back ahead 31-23.

WVU took a 39-34 lead into halftime largely because of the play of its big men, Derek Culver, Osvat Tshiebwe and Gabe Osabuohien. The trio combined for 24 points and 18 rebounds in the first half while Gonzaga’s big men — Drew Timme, Corey Kispert and Oumar Ballo — had just 14 total points and eight rebounds. Timme and Kispert entered Wednesday’s game both averaging more than 20 points per game this season.

Both teams suffered injuries in the first half. WVU’s Sean McNeil caught an elbow early in the game that drew blood from his forehead and Gonzaga freshman Jalen Suggs injured his left leg slipping on the court. McNeil returned in the first half and Suggs in the second.

The teams went back and forth throughout the second half, but WVU’s big men all got into foul trouble halfway through. Culver, Tshiebwe and Osabuohien all picked up their fourth fouls with nine minutes left to play. Without WVU’s bigs, Timme powered the Bulldogs in the second half, finishing the game with 17 points.

Tshiebwe and Osabuohien both fouled out of the game. Tshiebwe finished with 14 points and nine rebounds and Osabuohien had 10 points and three rebounds. True freshman Isaiah Cottrell came into the game for Tshiebwe and scored six points in 11 minutes, the most in his young career.

Gonzaga was able to build a slim seven-point lead with four minutes left in the game and was able to maintain it down the stretch to secure the five-point victory.

Culver finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Miles ‘Deuce’ McBride scored 10 points and senior Taz Sherman scored 12 off of WVU’s bench.

Kispert finished with 18 points for the Bulldogs. Florida transfer Andrew Nembhard scored 19 and Joel Ayayi had 21.