WVU handles Navy 85-64 in bounce back win
The Mountaineers went 2-2 in their away game stretch, but put on a show in their first game back at the Coliseum.
In their last home game, WVU put up 92 points, and 48 first half points in this game looked like they might breach 90 once again.
Navy banked in a three for the first points of the game, but Erik Stevenson matched it with one of his own immediately after. Stevenson found Tre Mitchell in the corner for another three on WVU’s next possession.
Joe Toussaint came into the game for Kedrain Johnson who picked up his second foul in under three minutes of play, and took a charge on his first defensive opportunity of the game, before scoring at the other end.
Emmitt Matthews then hit a three and Erik Stevenson took a charge, forcing Navy to call timeout after four minutes of play and the Mountaineers clearly in charge. West Virginia was 100% from three point at this time and up 11-5.
The Mountaineers shot three three pointers on the possession following the timeout, and after missing the first two, Erik Stevenson cleaned things up for his second of the night.
A dunk by Tre Mitchell gave WVU their first double digit lead of the night with 12:30 to play in the half.
WVU made their last three shots; a floater from Okonkwo, a jumper from Stevenson, and a three from Tre Mitchell, to give West Virginia a 16 point lead with a little under 10 to play in the first.
Through the first 15 minutes of the half, the Mountaineers shot 76% from the field.
The half ended with West Virginia up 48-38.
Erik Stevenson led the team with 13 first half points and Tre Mitchell added 12. The duo shot a combined 10-13 from the field to help the team’s 59% field goal percentage.
Navy got the first bucket of the second half to bring the game to single digits for the first time since a little over midway through the first half.
Navy's Austin Benign made two consecutive tough buckets, including a hook shot and and-1 to close the gap to five. This put him on at a game high 18 points, on 7-8 shooting.
Consecutive threes by Kedrian Johnson, Joe Toussaint, and Tre Mitchell put West Virginia back up by 13 with 11 minutes to go, forcing the Midshipmen to call timeout.
Josiah Harris put in a three ball and Jimmy Bell finished a physical dunk to up the lead to 16, with seven and a half to play in the game.
West Virginia controlled the game for the remainder of the contest and came out with the 21 point victory. Tre Mitchell finished with a team high 19 points, and Kedrian Johnson, Erik Stevenson, and Joe Toussaint all contributed double-digit figures.
The Mountaineers play next on Saturday, December 10th against UAB.