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West Virginia downs VCU, advances to Crossover Classic title game

West Virginia's Derek Culver ended the afternoon with his first double-double of the season on Thursday.
West Virginia's Derek Culver ended the afternoon with his first double-double of the season on Thursday. (Richard Carlson/Inertia)

While last season’s abrupt end left West Virginia fans wondering what could have been, the Mountaineers are picking up right where they left off.

On the back of a double-double from Derek Culver, the Mountaineers earned a 78-66 victory over the VCU Rams on Thursday, advancing to the championship game of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.

West Virginia (2-0) opened the game on a 13-0 run, picking up where the team left off from Wednesday’s win over South Dakota State.

In the first half, the Mountaineers held advantages in almost every offensive category. Culver was a big factor, scoring 15 points and hauling in eight rebounds during the game’s first 20 minutes.

VCU (1-1) went into the locker room at halftime facing a 42-33 deficit, in part due to their shooting struggles. The Rams went 1-for-10 from the three point line in the first half, a big difference from their 41% performance against Utah State on Wednesday.

Despite a brief run by the VCU offense, the second half was all in favor of the Mountaineers.

The Rams were able to shorten the WVU lead to only three points, but West Virginia was able to adjust and build a lead that, at its largest, ballooned to 16 points.

In spite of a 13-point performance from team leader Nah'Shon Hyland, VCU was unable to close the gap, ultimately falling in the team’s first loss of the season.

Culver led the Mountaineers in scoring with 23 points. Guard Sean McNeil finished a close second, ending the afternoon with 16 points. Guard Miles McBride and forward Oscar Tshiebwe added 12 and 11 points, marking four Mountaineers to score in double figures.

Tshiebwe led the team in rebounds, coming down with 16. Culver finished second with 15. The pair combined for 16 rebounds coming on the offensive side of the court.

With the win, the Mountaineers head to the tournament’s championship game. They’ll take on Western Kentucky 1:30 p.m. Friday. Last season, West Virginia was crowned the champion of the Cancun Challenge.

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