West Virginia Wins the Battle and Pulls Away Late to Take Down Georgetown

Morgantown, WV – West Virginia guard Javon Small led all scorers with 26 points while forward Tucker DeVries added 15 points and seven rebounds as the Mountaineers (6-2) defeated an old Big East rival Georgetown Hoyas (7-2) in the Big 12-Big East Battle 73-60 Friday night.

Georgetown guard Jayden Epps buried a three to begin the game but West Virginia guard Javon Small responded with three to spark a 7-0 run for the early four-point advantage.

Forward Drew Fielder reclaimed the Georgetown lead with a straightaway three and Epps hit his second from behind the arc to cap off a 9-0 Hoyas run for a 14-9 advantage at the 12:37 mark of the first half.

The Hoyas maintained its slim lead until a jumper from Small and then on the ensuing possession he delivered nice pass to Hansberry in transition for the lay-in to tie the game at 18.

Georgetown regained its narrow margin until Small buried a three from the top of the key to give West Virginia a one-point lead, but Epps followed with a wild three that banked in and began a 7-0 run for a 30-25 lead with 1:31 remaining in the half and the Hoyas held on to their advantage for a 30-28 lead at the half.

Georgetown came out of the half with consecutive buckets to take a six-point lead but sophomore forward Amani Hansberry hit a pair of free throws to slow the momentum and a corner three from guard Toby Okani, followed by a three by forward Tucker DeVries made up an 8-2 run to tie the game at 36.

The Hoyas, again, went up a couple of possessions but then, West Virginia captured the momentum of the home crowd and constructed a 16-0 run with a host of Mountaineers contributing as WVU took a 55-43 lead at the 8:34 mark of the second half.

Georgetown answered with a 7-0 run to cut it to five, receiving a three from freshman forward Caleb Williams to end the five and a half minute scoring drought and Epps capped the run after he was gifted pair of free throws to cut the WVU lead to five, 55-50, with 5:18 remaining in the game.

Tucker DeVries put the Mountaineers up three with a straightaway three, then after Williams cut the lead to eight on a second chance opportunity three, Small banked in a three from the win and Okani followed with a dunk to seal the game with 1:04 left to play as the Mountaineers pulled away with the 73-60 victory.