West Virginia Handles UCF

The Mountaineers avenge an earlier season loss with a 77-67 win over the Knights

Morgantown, WV - West Virginia guard RaeQuan Battle scored 24 points to lead the Mountaineers (9-17, 4-9) to a 77-67 victory over the UCF Knights (13-12, 4-9) Tuesday night. 

West Virginia opened the game on a 13-4 run, behind six-points from guard RaeQuan Battle in mid-range jumpers. 

The Mountaineers built a 12-point advantage at the 13:24 mark of the first half but a five-point spurt by UCF forward Marchelus Avery cut the deficit to seven. 

West Virginia led by as many as 13 in the first half, taking a 32-19 lead with 4:21 remaining and held a 12-point lead with under a minute half left in the half, but a 6-1 run by the nights cut it to seven at the break. 

UCF guard Shemarri Allen got the Knights within five to open the second half but Battle quickly answered with a three and forward Quinn Slazinski followed with a jumper as the Mountaineers extended their lead back to 10. 

The Knights, again, cut the deficit to six, but the Mountaineers responded, stretching the lead out to 12. It was an offensive rebound by forward Akok Akok that gave the opportunity to forward Josiah Harris for a second chance three and a heads up play by point guard Kerr Kriisa looking ahead to Slazinski put the Mountaineers up 12 with under 13 minutes left to play. 

After UCF guard Darius Johnson buried a three to cut the West Virginia lead to six, Battle hit his second three of the evening, followed by a pair of free throws, and Edwards hit two free throws to push the lead back to 13 with 4:52 remaining in the game. 

The Knights were unable to get back within single digits as West Virginia extended its lead out to 15 with a minute remaining and coasted to a 77-67 victory. 

Team + Individual Stats vs. UCF

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