WVU falls to Baylor in overtime thriller

For much of Tuesday’s game, it seemed likely that No. 6 West Virginia would add another team to its ranked opponent graveyard.

That is, until the Mountaineers ran out of gas.

The two teams needed to go to overtime to declare a winner, but thanks to a handful of late free throws from No. 3 Baylor, West Virginia saw its three game winning streak snapped, losing 94-89.

Baylor opened the game clicking on both ends of the floor, causing problems from the Mountaineers from the get-go.

As Baylor’s lead sat at 10 with 6:35 remaining in the first half, WVU guard Taz Sherman went on an offensive tear, scoring eight points over a two minute stretch for the Mountaineers to narrow the gap. Others followed suit, playing hard and limiting the team’s miscues.

Sherman, who scored 12 of his total points in the first half, was the biggest factor offensively for WVU early on. Miles McBride played sidekick, sinking two late, first-half baskets, and scoring nine points over the game’s first 20 minutes.

West Virginia (17-7) drew closest in the final two minutes of the half, but a buzzer-beating 3-point shot from Baylor’s Jared Butler sent the Bears to the locker room with the 35-31 lead.

Sean McNeil was the story of the second half for WVU, who sank a 3-point shot five minutes in to take the lead. He quickly followed that up with another, allowing the Mountaineers to build some space.

Baylor (19-1), who seemingly had an answer for every West Virginia possession, quickly trimmed the Mountaineers’ lead. The two teams continued to trade blows as time ticked off the game clock, with WVU holding a meager advantage.

West Virginia neared the end of regulation on top, but a late Baylor layup sent the game to overtime.

In overtime, despite losing leading-scorer Butler after he fouled out, the Bears’ offense still continued to make strides. The team sank a handful of late free throws, ultimately giving Baylor the hard-fought win.

For WVU, Sherman led the team in scoring with 26 points. Miles McBride finished with 19, while McNeil finished with 18.

Up Next: West Virginia enters game three of the home stand on Thursday, hosting the TCU Horned Frogs at 7 p.m. The broadcast will be televised through Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

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