West Virginia’s trip to Kansas seemed doomed from the start.
Dealing with a plane malfunction as well as without two of their primary starters, WVU did not have a pregame shootaround and was also without Tucker DeVries for the fourth consecutive game, as well as Amani Hansberry.
The Mountaineers led by as many as 18 before they had their lead erased in the closing seconds of regulation. That would not matter, though, as Javon Small knocked down a free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining as the Mountaineers beat No. 7 Kansas 62-61 to open Big 12 play.
West Virginia raced out to an early 7-0 lead, led in large part by Eduardo Andre. Andre, who was in for Amani Hansberry, as he was a game-time decision but did not play due to an injury he suffered on Dec. 22 against Mercyhurst.
Andre scored four early points, and Kansas called a timeout within the first four minutes of the game. WVU would maintain their early lead, as another dunk from Andre put the Mountaineers ahead 13-3, as Kansas called their second timeout with 12:49 to play in the first half.
The Jayhawks would claw back, scoring the next four points, but WVU led 20-10 as Joe Yesufu hit a 3-pointer as WVU made three baskets in a row after missing their previous seven.
WVU would go in front 25-10 before they went into halftime with a 33-20 lead as Andre had 12 points at the half to lead WVU while Zeke Mayo had nine to lead the Jayhawks.
The second half started how the first half did for the Mountaineers as Jonathan Powell connected on his third 3-pointer of the afternoon as the Mountaineers went in front 38-20 to take their largest lead of the game. The Jayhawks cut the lead to 12 multiple times in the next few minutes, but big buckets from Toby Okani with big buckets helped keep the Mountaineers in front.
West Virginia led 48-33 at the under-12 media timeout, as they started 6-for-11 from the field in the second half.
WVU's strong start from the field would unfortunately not last for the Mountaineers as they made only one of their next six shots from the field while Kansas made five of seven shots and WVU's lead was cut to single-digits with 8:05 to play as the Mountaineers called a timeout with 8:06 to play, leading 50-42.
From the 13:05 mark until the 5:42 mark of the second half, the Mountaineers would only score two points. In that same span, Kansas scored 15 points as they took control of the game for the first time.
West Virginia would answer on back-to-back possessions as KJ Tenner made a floater before Yesufu hit a clutch 3-pointer, forcing a Kansas timeout with 4:57 to play as WVU led 55-48.
Kansas cut WVU's lead back to four points before a jumper from Javon Small put West Virginia back in front, 59-53, before the Mountaineers called a timeout with 1:43 to play.
WVU broke the Kansas pressure but turned it over before Mayo responded with a 3-pointer. West Virginia then missed a bucket from Okani before Hunter Dickinson scored a layup off an offensive rebound as the Mountaineers led by one with 36.9 seconds to play.
Kansas tied the game at 61-61 as Mayo converted a free throw after getting fouled on a made layup.
WVU would then put the ball in Small's hands, who drew a foul. He turned up the intensity by missing the first free throw before he made the second, as Kansas couldn't convert as the clock expired.
WVU improves to 1-11 all-time at Allen Fieldhouse and hands Kansas their first loss to open conference play in 33 years.
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