West Virginia heads to face No. 3 Houston on Saturday afternoon as both teams are opening Big 12 Conference play.
This will be the Cougars’ first ever Big 12 game, while the Mountaineers are beginning their 12th conference schedule since becoming a member of the Big 12. WVU is still without Jesse Edwards as he is recovering from a fractured wrist.
The Mountaineers are 5-8 on the season and coming off a 78-75 loss to Ohio State last Saturday, while the Cougars are coming in fresh off a 81-42 win against Penn last Saturday as well.
Tip-off is set for 2 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN+.
First Half:
Houston wins the tip off before missing their first shot. West Virginia comes down and gives Slazinski and open look but misses from deep. Houston comes back down the court as Jamal Shead assists a Ja’Vier Francis dunk.
RaeQuan Battle misses a jumper on the other side before fouling. Houston inbounds which leads to a three pointer from LJ Cryer to make it 5-0. RaeQuan Battle misses a three on the other side before Houston misses on their fastbreak opportunity.
West Virginia gets on the board behind a Noah Farrakhan jumper to make it 5-2. Houston misses another shot which to give Noah Farrakhan a fastbreak who makes a long two to make it 5-4.
Houston comes back down the court with a jumper from J’wan Roberts to make it 7-4 Cougars. A missed three from Slazinski leads to another Houston fastbreak that is capped off by a Jamal Shead dunk. RaeQuan Battle then turns the ball over before fouling, taking the teams into the first media timeout with the Cougars leading 9-4.
Coming out of the timeout Damian Dunn assisted a floater from LJ Cryer to make it 11-4. Noah Farrakhan then missed a three point attempt before a Seth Wilson foul.
Damian Dunn missed a three pointer for the Cougars which was rebounded by Noah Farrakhan. West Virginia moved the ball around to give Farrakhan an open look but the ball rolled in and out.
Jamal Shead missed a jumper but got his own rebound before missed a layup which was rebounded by Farrakhan. Farrakhan brought the ball down the court and assisted a Quinn Slazinski three to make it 11-7.
Houston came right back down the court and knocked down a three from LJ Cryer to make it 14-7.
Joseph Tugler gets steal for Houston but Patrick Suemnick steals the ball right back for West Virginia before heading into the second official media timeout with Houston leading 14-7.
Coming out of the timeout West Virginia turns the ball over again with Tugler getting another steal. Houston gets another basket from Damian Dunn to make it 16-7.
Coming back down the court Kerr Kriisa finds Akok Akok on the outside who knocks down a three pointer to make it 16-10.
Akok Akok gets called for a foul on the defensive side and the Cougars Damian Dunn knocks down both from the line. West Virginia then turns the ball over again as Kerr Kriisa’s pass in intercepted which then leads to a jumper from LJ Cryer to give the cougars a ten point lead.
West Virginia’s next possession takes up the nearly the entire shot clock before Seth Wilson misses a three at the end. Houston comes down the court and gets a layup from Emmanuel Sharp to make it 23-10.
Akok Akok then assists a Kerr Kriisa three on the offensive side to bring West Virginia within 10 once again but Ramon Walker Jr. makes a layup almost immediately for Houston to bring the lead to 12 before the the under eight media timeout.
Coming out of the timeout West Virginia moves the ball around to find an open Quinn Slazinski in the corner but the shot does not fall. Hosuton comes back down the court with Ja’Vier Francis missing a jumper but grabbing his own rebound and converting on the second chance opportunity to make it 27-13.
West Virginia brings the ball back down the court and take the entire shot clock before the Kobe Johnson misses on a contested three. Houston goes right back down the court and miss a jumper but Francis is there to get the rebound and convert on the second chance opportunity again.
Farrakhan then misses a jumper for West Virginia but Suemnick is there for the offensive rebound and second chance opportunity to make the score 29-15. Houston answers immediately though with a three pointer from Emmanuel Sharp bringing the lead to 32-15.
RaeQuan Battle reenters the game for West Virginia after picking up two early fouls. Quinn Slazinski missed another three befroe J’Wan Roberts gets the ball down low for a layup. West Virginia comes back down with Noah Farrakhan missing a jumper which Houston capitalizes on with a fastbreak layup from Jamal Shead that leads to a West Virginia timeout.
Second Half:
Kerr Kriisa hits both of his free throws then L.J. Cryer makes a jumper. Jamal Shead misses a jumper, grabs his own rebound and lays it in. Houston up 57-26.
With a WVU foul L.J. Cryer makes both of his free throws. Damian Dunn hits a three. WVU down 62-27.
Kriisa hits a jumper to end West Virginia’s scoring drought. 68-22.
RaeQuan Battle makes a dunk. Houston up 82-53.
WVU Starters:
Kerr Kriisa
Noah Farrakhan
RaeQuan Battle
Quinn Slazinski
Akok Akok
Houston Starters:
Jamal Shead
LJ Cryer
Emanuel Sharp
Ja’Vier Francis
J’Wan Roberts
