As the injuries piled up for West Virginia over the last month, the Mountaineer offense has run through Javon Small.
Small entered Sunday against Colorado as the Big 12’s leading scorer, but the more important thing for the Mountaineers was finding ways to get production from other places than Small.
West Virginia’s offense would find that second gear in the first half before Small was able to take over early in the second half. Colorado made a run to get back in the game, but the Mountaineers were able to hold off the Buffaloes, earning a 78-70 win.
With 2:22 to play, West Virginia (12-3, 3-1 Big 12) led 66-63 as they had not made a field goal in the last 3:19 of play.
From that point on, the Mountaineers went on a 12-7 run to end the game, led by Joe Yesufu. Yesufu made a layup out of the timeout, and on the next possession, he was fouled as he made a layup, making the free throw as WVU led 71-65 with 1:23 to play.
The Mountaineers would do the rest of their work at the free throw line from Small,
West Virginia responded with wins after each of their previous two losses this season, and they did so yet again on Sunday. Small ignited the West Virginia offense, scoring the first five points, before Jonathan Powell knocked down a 3-pointer to put WVU in front 10-2 in the early minutes. It would continue to be the Small and Powell show for WVU early as they scored the first 14 points of the first 17 points for the Mountaineers.
West Virginia then tried to get into the lane on Colorado, and they had success both getting to the rim and drawing fouls in the process. A 5-0 run included a layup and one for Eduardo Andre, and he would do that again in the first half before closing the half with a dunk as the clock expired. West Virginia led 40-29 at the half, as Andre and Powell had 10 points apiece while Small had eight.
West Virginia’s offense would then turn to Small to start the second half as the Mountaineers scored nine points in the first 3:32 of the half, all coming from Small making 3-pointers.
From that point, the Mountaineers would struggle, the free- as Colorado was able to get to throw line at will.
Leading 49-35 with 17:28 to play, WVU’s lead was cut to 54-50 with 11:06 to play as they scored nine of the 15 points at the free throw line.
The Mountaineers used their third timeout as Small was trapped and out of the timeout it would be Joe Yesufu with a long 2-point jumper to end the run for the Buffaloes.
Colorado's only offense came at the free throw line. CU made a jumper with 14:27 to play, but would not make another shot from the field until the 7:29 mark of the second half.
The Mountaineers weathered the storm, as Sencire Harris slammed home a dunk before making a layup as the Mountaineers held their lead. Harris would foul out with 5:28 to play, and it would be WVU's ability to get to the free throw line that helped the Mountaineers.
Yesufu made two free throws off a fast break and made another with 3:01 remaining, putting the Mountaineers in front, 66-61. Yesufu ended the game with 18 points, the first time he's scored at least 18 points in a game since the 2020-2021 season.
Small added 26 points for the Mountaineers, as they shot 46 percent from the field, making eight 3-pointers, and going 20-for-28 from the free throw line.
Julian Hammond scored 21 points to lead CU, as they shot 42 percent from the free throw line, and went 24-for-30 from the free throw line.
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