The West Virginia Mountaineers (17-11, 8-9 Big 12) came out firing on all cylinders as they cruised to a 73-55 win over the TCU Horned Frogs (15-13, 8-9 Big 12) on Tuesday night in Morgantown. It marks the first time since January of 2023 that the Mountaineers have defeated TCU, snapping a four game losing streak. Senior guard Javon Small once again put on a show, posting a double-double in the effort with 23 points. West Virginia may have edged themselves into the upcoming NCAA Tournament in March with the victory, however they still have work to do with three regular season games left and the Big 12 Tournament on the horizon.
Mountaineers Impressive First Half
West Virginia may have had their most impressive first half of the season on Tuesday night, leading the Horned Frogs 42-27 at halftime. The Mountaineers were able to connect from three point range early, knocking down 5 in the first half. More impressively, West Virginias defense held TCU to 0/7 shooting from deep, not allowing a 3 point make until the second half. The Mountaineers ended the game on 51.9% shooting from the field to include a total of 11 made 3’s on 42.3%.
Small Name, Big Game
Along with his 23 points, Javon Small recorded his third double-double of the season with an additional 10 assists. He shot 8/16 from the field, to include 6 out of the 11 made 3’s for the Mountaineers. Small is currently second in the Big 12 in scoring with 18.2 PPG, not far from league leader Keyshawn Hall of UCF who averages 18.8 PPG. He also ranks fourth in assists with 5.4 per game, showcasing his ability to score for the Mountaineers as well as find his teammates on playmaking opportunities. Many analysts believe Small is poised to add some hardware to his trophy case this season, including the Big 12 Player of the Year Award given his season long consistency.
DeVries Post Game Comments
Head Coach Darian DeVries further emphasized Smalls impact on the win, stating to the media after the game “I thought he was terrific, and we told him we’ve got to have him continue to be aggressive. Whether it be scoring, assisting. I mean, he is 23 (points) and 10 (assists), and we’re putting a lot on him but that’s what type of player he is. He’s capable of doing that and handling that”
Supporting Cast
Along with Small, two additional Mountaineers posted double digits in the victory. Sophomore guard Sencire Harris tallied 13 points, while senior guard Joseph Yesufu added 14 points off of the bench with 4 made shots from behind the arc and 2 foul shots.
Remaining Schedule
West Virginia will travel to #25 BYU (19-8, 10-6 Big 12) for their first game in March, and will stay on the road for a game at Utah (15-12, 7-9 Big 12). The Mountaineers will end the regular season with a home game on March 8th against UCF (14-13, 5-11 Big 12).
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