MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Erik Stevenson scored a career-high 31 points for West Virginia on Saturday against No. 15 Auburn. But it was his final point which meant the most, as he made a free throw, before Auburn’s last-second three-pointer never came close in West Virginia’s 80-77 win in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
“To be honest, I’ve had a feel the whole year, I’ve just been in a Stevie slump. I always get one of those,” Stevenson said as he scored more than 20 points for the first time since Dec. 18.
Stevenson would be big late, as in the final 3:59 of the game, he would hit two three-pointers and connect on one of two free throws on his trip to the line.
“It was a matter of time,” West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins said. “He’s put time in and he’s really worked at his mechanics.”
Stevenson’s 31 points looked to not matter late as West Virginia was on the verge of blowing a 16-point halftime lead. Auburn never led but had the chance to tie the game at the free throw line twice in the final four minutes but came up short.
West Virginia started the game on fire from the field. The Mountaineers made six of their first 10 shots and led 13-5 withing the opening six minutes of the game. Jimmy Bell scored the first four points of the game for the Mountaineers, and then Stevenson’s first of seven three-pointers went put West Virginia in front 16-8 with 12:45 to play in the first half.
Over the final seven minutes of the first half, the Mountaineers would lead by double-digits. Stevenson made two more shots from deep in the first half, including a three-pointer off a screen as the shot clock was winding down.
“It was just going in like it was supposed to go in,” Stevenson said. “It feels like you’re shooting the ball in the ocean.”
West Virginia led 45-29 at halftime, before Auburn would get back into the game right out of the break.
The Tigers opened the second half on a 12-5 run, cutting West Virginia’s lead to nine as the Tigers were able to score the last five points in transition. The Mountaineers would lead by no less than five points until the final eight minutes when the Tigers got right back into the game.
With 8:25 to play Stevenson would hit a three-pointer — the last WVU points until there was 4:43 to play. During the span, Auburn went on a 7-0 as Johni Broome scored five points and the Tigers roared back and cut the West Virginia lead to one.
Broome finished the game with 15 points and seven rebounds, while going 7 for 12 from the field.
“I think we did pretty good on him, he’s a good player,” Bell said of his matchup against Broome. “He still had a solid game, but overall, we did pretty good on him.”
Bell would make a layup, before K.D. Johnson responded with a layup of his own for the Tigers. Stevenson then hit a three-pointer, while Jaylin Williams hit a jumper to put the Tigers back down two. Joe Toussaint missed a three-pointer on the offensive end for the Mountaineers, and Williams would go back to the free throw line with a chance to tie the game.
Williams missed the first and made the second of two attempts, as the Mountaineers led 71-70.
West Virginia would call a timeout and out of it, Stevenson made a three-pointer, before West Virginia would rebound an Auburn miss on the defensive end. James Okonkwo put the Mountaineers ahead by six, and then Toussaint would do the same after an Auburn bucket.
With 38 seconds to play, Kedrian Johnson went to the free throw line for a one-and-one. Johnson missed the front end as Williams made his only three of the game to put the Tigers down by three. Johnson and Toussaint would then fumble the ball as Auburn took possession with the chance to tie the game.
Williams missed a contested three-pointer out of the timeout, as Johnson made one of two free throws to put West Virginia ahead by four. Broome made a late layup before Stevenson split his pair of free throws, and then Auburn’s Wendell Green missed his chance at a game-tying three-pointer.
“Never even crossed my mind. Why would I foul particularly with their athleticism,” Huggins said of not fouling on the last possession. “Why would you do that, why would you risk losing.”
West Virginia would clinch their third win in their last four tries and give the Big 12 the first win in this year’s SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
Bell finished the game with 15 points, and seven rebounds for WVU, while Williams led Auburn with 18 points.
Photo by Aaron Parker, Blue Gold Sports
