Days before the holiday break, being without Emmitt Matthews, and this being West Virginia’s only game during a two week stretch, Thursday night’s game against Stony Brook had every reason for the Mountaineers to come out slow.
The Mountaineers (10-2) struggled to score during multiple stretches against the Seawolves, but a second-half surge would help West Virginia close non-conference play with a 75-64 win.
Within the first five minutes of the game, the Mountaineers led 13-4. West Virginia made back-to-back three-pointers from Tre Mitchell and Kedrian Johnson, and all seemed normal for the Mountaineers.
That would be the most consistent offense West Virginia would get for the entirety of the first half.
The Mountaineers would lead 15-7 with 13:40 to play in the first half, but the offense would then go cold.
West Virginia would not score another basket until the 6:19 mark of the first half, while Stony Brook (4-9) climbed back into the game. The Seawolves would use a 10-4 run of their own to tie the game at 17-17.
Johnson would put West Virginia ahead with a mid-range jumper, as the Mountaineers would not trail for the remainder of the game. Johnson’s jumper would spark an 7-0 run of his own, to put the Mountaineers ahead 24-17, before West Virginia carried a 28-24 lead into halftime.
Stony Brook started the second half strong, cutting West Virginia’s lead to just one with 17:24 to play. West Virginia responded with an 8-0 run, with Mitchell and Erik Stevenson hitting back-to-back three-pointers.
The Mountaineers never looked back, as they would not lead by fewer than six for the rest of the game.
Back-to-back three-pointers by Seth Wilson put West Virginia in front by 19 with 7:11 to play. Stony Brook would cut the deficit to nine with under three minutes to play, but another Wilson three-pointer would slam the door shut on the Seawolves.
Wilson would be a perfect 3/3 from beyond the arc, with all nine of his points coming on three-pointers. Stevenson added 16 points for West Virginia, but it was the play of Johnson which helped West Virginia win their final game before conference play.
Johnson matched his career-high, scoring 18 points with eight of them coming at the free throw line.
West Virginia shot 41.8% from the field on the evening, but they made their biggest mark at the free throw line, sinking 18 out of 21 of their free throws. West Virginia will now have a short break before they ramp up towards Big 12 play. Their first game of conference play comes on New Year’s Eve when the Mountaineers face Kansas State on the road.
