Mountaineers Take Down Sooners

Matchup
FG	27-71	28-62
Field Goal %	38.0	45.2
3PT	9-30	4-12
Three Point %	30.0	33.3
FT	9-13	11-13
Free Throw %	69.2	84.6
Rebounds	46	36
Offensive Rebounds	16	5
Defensive Rebounds	30	31
Team Rebounds	0	0
Assists	12	12
Steals	5	6
Blocks	6	1
Total Turnovers	9	8
Fouls	16	15
Technical Fouls	0	0
Flagrant Fouls	0	0

The No. 10 seed West Virginia Mountaineers (13-19) season is still alive after outlasting the No. 7 Oklahoma Sooners (19-13) 72-71 in the first round of the Big 12 Tournament.

WVU held a 7-6 advantage at the first media timeout on 3-7 shooting from the floor including a three (1-4).

Chase Harler’s deep three as time the shot clock expired. followed up with a nice feed from Lamont West to Logan Routt in the paint for the dunk gave West Virginia the 12-6 early advantage. Then, Brandon Knapper drilled a three from the right-wing to push the Mountaineer lead to eight, 16-8.

Oklahoma put together a 6-0 run to get back within a possession but WVU answered with six straight of their own capped off by Emmitt Mathews Jr hitting a jumper from the top of the key.

Moments later, Brady Manek got a couple easy dunks and after an easy look for Jamal Bieniemy, West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins called a 30-second timeout.

The Sooners took the lead from another easy bucket for Manek then veteran Lamont West hit a jumper and on the ensuing WVU possession, West grabbed an offensive rebound and put it back in strong drawing the foul and completing the three-point play.

Christian James put the Sooners back out front on a three with eight seconds left in the first half as Oklahoma went into halftime leading 35-33. The Sooners finished the half with 26 points in the paint.

Oklahoma took a five-point lead by way of Brady Manek continuing to be open all over the floor, hitting a pair of threes and a layup, forcing Huggins to take a timeout early in the second half.

West Virginia freshmen point guard started to heat up drilling his first four shots from behind the arc, after going 0-6 from the field in the first half, and the Mountaineers held a 53-49 lead, near the midway point in the second half.

Neither team could gain control; however, the Mountaineers would never relinquish the lead

Derek Culver picked up his third foul after only playing five minutes in the first half with two early fouls and he picked up his fourth at the 11:32 mark but he would come in with 3:59 to play and end the game strong.

Culver had two offensive put backs to push WVU back up three and keep the pressure on the Sooners.

Oklahoma had a chance with seven seconds remaining, when Jermaine Haley missed the front end of a one and one and Christian James hoisted up a jumper and hit it as time expired but upon further review, his foot was on the line and the Mountaineers won 72-71.

The Mountaineers will face the No. 2 seed Texas Tech Thursday night at 7:00 pm om ESPN or ESPN 2