West Virginia’s Javon Small led the team with 25 points in a 72-65 victory over UCF, with freshman Jonathan Powell adding 15 points, 12 of which came in the second half. Despite holding a 25-point lead, West Virginia nearly lost it in the final 20 minutes as UCF mounted a comeback. Amani Hansberry contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds for West Virginia, while Darius Johnson led UCF with 27 points.
The win secured West Virginia the eighth seed and UCF the 14th seed for the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City. Powell’s three-pointer in the second half helped maintain West Virginia’s lead as UCF continued to chip away. Johnson’s drive cut the lead to three points with two minutes left, but Powell responded with a crucial three-pointer. Small’s 19 first-half points were instrumental in West Virginia’s strong start. The Mountaineers will look to carry this momentum into the tournament next week.
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