WVU Basketball Hangs on, Tops No. 19 BYU

The WVU basketball team gained a key resume win with a 79-71 win over No. 19 BYU at Hope Coliseum Saturday, breaking a three-game losing skid.

The Mountaineers forced a turnover on BYU’s opening possession and took advantage with a floater from senior guard Jasper Floyd on the other end. Floyd added a three after a dunk by senior center Harlan Obioha, making it a 7-2 game at just the 18:12 mark.

The offense came to a halt for WVU, as the team went scoreless for six minutes and eight seconds as BYU capitalized with a 9-0 run. Floyd ended the drought with another floater, cutting the BYU lead to 11-9.

Both teams kept trading blows until BYU fell behind 17-15, resulting in a Cougar timeout. BYU hit back-to-back threes out of the timeout for a 21-17 advantage going into the eight-minute media timeout.

The Mountaineers turned the tide with an 11-1 run capped off by a three from senior guard Honor Huff for a 28-22 lead. Freshman forward DJ Thomas then drained two threes and made a dunk for eight Mountaineer points.

WVU finished the half strong with a 40-26 lead at halftime. WVU held BYU without a field goal in the final 7:59 of the half with a 22-5 run over that span.

BYU started the second half strong with nine straight points before senior guard Treysen Eaglestaff made an open three for another double-digit lead at 43-33.

WVU maintained its lead and extended it with a 6-2 run for a 58-45 score. BYU star freshman forward AJ Dybantsa added four straight points to make it a single-digit game again.

BYU senior center Keba Keita made it a five-point game with three minutes to go with an and-one layup for a 71-66 WVU lead.

Dybantsa struck again with a step-back three to make it a three-point WVU lead at 72-69 with under two minutes remaining.

Lorient added a layup before WVU got a stop on the other end, but fifth-year guard Chance Moore was stripped under the rim and Keita made a layup.

BYU had another chance with the WVU lead at just two points when Huff turned the ball over in transition before Moore took it back for the Mountaineers.

Huff missed an attempted floater but WVU got the rebound, forcing BYU to foul. The Mountaineers made free throws the rest of the way to finish with a 79-71 win.

WVU will take the court again at 8 p.m. on Tuesday when the team plays at Kansas State.

Find more coverage of Ross Hodge and WVU basketball at WV Sports Now.