No. 21 West Virginia Outlasts Colorado

The 21st-ranked Mountaineers grabe game one of a two game road trip

Jan 12, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Javon Small (7) shoots the ball over Colorado Buffaloes forward Andrej Jakimovski (23) in the first half at CU Events Center. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Boulder, CO – The No. 21 West Virginia Mountaineers (12-3, 3-1) overcame an aggressive Colorado defense in the second half to defeat Buffaloes (9-6, 0-4) Sunday afternoon 78-70.

West Virginia senior guard Javon Small led all scorers with 26 points and senior guard Joseph Yesufu put in a Mountaineer career-high 18 points.

Colorado sophomore forward Assane Diop hit the game’s first bucket but West Virginia guard Javon Small answered with a three, then added a pair of free throws before freshman guard Jonathan Powell drove the lane for a tough take to the basket and followed with a three for a 10-0 run and a 10-2 lead three minutes into the game.

The Buffaloes were able to get back within two with a little 8-2 run, but West Virginia senior guard Joseph Yesufu buried a three from the left side as part five straight for the Mountaineers to push the lead up to seven, 17-10 at the 12:38 mark of the first half.

West Virginia center Eduardo Andre created separation off a pair of pick and rolls, including a bucket and the foul to maintain the seven-point advantage, then Powell buried a three from the left wing to extend the lead to 10 with 6:03 remaining in the half.

Andre gave the Mountaineers their largest lead of the first half with a short drive to the basket and drew the foul for a 36-23 advantage with 2:38 remaining before West Virginia took a 40-29.

Javon Small opened the second half with three consecutive threes to give the Mountaineers a 14-point lead.

The Buffaloes started making their way to the foul line and were in the double bonus near the midway point of the second half, shooting 11-12 from the free throw line for a 11-2 run to cut the WVU lead to four, 54-40.

Colorado cut the advantage to two twice and both times West Virginia sophomore guard Sencire Harris answered with a dunk to keep the four-point advantage.

West Virginia guard Joseph Yesufu began attacking the lane and was rewared with a pair of trips to the free throw line, going 3-4 to put the Mountaineers up five with just under two minutes remaining, and then followed with the bucket and the foul to go up six and West Virginia finishes the game from the foul line for the 78-70 victory.