Friday night saw West Virginia fans get their first look at the 2019-2020 men’s basketball squad during the Gold-Blue debut, which the Gold team team won by a score of 67-54.
Leading the way for the Gold team was Taz Sherman who tallied 18 points and went 4-of-6 from three-point range. The Blue team was led by Derek Culver and Oscar Tshiebwe, who each scored 15 points.
The Gold team jumped out to a 10-5 lead within the first five minutes of the first half. After a basket by each team, the Blue team narrowed the gold team’s lead down to just one point with a basket by Culver and fastbreak dunk by Tshiebwe.
Sean McNeil later tied the game at 14-14 with a three-pointer as the two squads continued to battle back and forth.
Culver later gave the Blue team a 21-20 lead at the 8:57 mark in the first half with another field goal.
The Gold team would eventually take the lead back with the help of a basket by Jermaine Haley and a three-point play by Miles McBride, putting the score at 25-21. Logan Routt then made it a six-point advantage for the gold team with a field goal.
A three-pointer by Emmitt Matthews trimmed the Gold team’s lead down to three points, but Sherman answered right back with a three-pointer of his own to make it a six-point lead again for the Gold team.
The gold eventually go on to take a 47-35 lead over the blue team at halftime with Culver (12) and Sherman (15) finishing as the two highest scorers of the half.
Through the first six minutes of the second half, the Gold team maintained its lead and led by a score of 51-41 at the 13:54 mark.
A three-pointer by Gabe Osabuohien and field goal by Routt later gave the Gold team a 56-42 lead.
Another three-pointer by Sherman later on would put the score at 63-47 in favor of the Gold team.
From there, the Blue team wasn't able to overcome its deficit as the Gold team took home the victory.
The Mountaineers will face Duquesne on Friday, Nov. 1 inside the Coliseum in a charity exhibition game.
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