Mar 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers guard Javon Small (7) shoots a 3 pointer amongst a number of UCF Knights defenders throughout the first half at WVU Coliseum. Necessary Credit score: Ben Queen-Imagn Photos Javon Small scored 25 factors, Amani Hansberry had a double-double with 18 factors and 10 rebounds and West Virginia held on to defeat UCF 72-65 on Saturday within the regular-season finale for each groups.
Small, a 6-foot-3 senior guard who entered because the second-leading scorer within the Huge 12 at 18.2 factors per recreation, chipped in 9 assists and 7 rebounds to flirt with a triple-double. The Mountaineers (19-12, 10-10 Huge 12) gained for the tenth time of their final 12 Senior Day video games earlier than the upcoming convention match at T-Cell Middle in Kansas Metropolis, Mo.
Small had 19 factors on 7-of-16 capturing, together with 5 3-pointers, within the first half as West Virginia took a 47-25 lead into the break. The Mountaineers shot 47.6 % (20 of 42), made 7 of twenty-two triples and picked up 24 factors within the paint throughout the opening 20 minutes.
A 24-10 run pulled UCF (16-15, 7-13) inside 60-49 on the 9:35 mark of the second half. Darius Johnson hit two free throws — after Sencire Harris acquired a technical foul — however Hansberry’s layup stopped a prolonged West Virginia scoring drought and gave the Mountaineers a 62-49 lead with 7:46 to go.
Johnson’s layup closed the hole to 67-64 with 2:04 remaining, however freshman Jonathan Powell’s fifth 3-pointer got here with 1:19 left and gave the Mountaineers respiratory room.
West Virginia, which overcame 13 second-half turnovers, loved a 40-37 benefit on the boards, shifting them to 11-0 this season when outrebounding their opponent.
Johnson, who highlighted UCF’s Senior Night time victory over Oklahoma State on Wednesday by scoring a career-high 36 factors, once more led the best way on Saturday with a game-high 27. Keyshawn Corridor, the main scorer within the Huge 12, completed with six on 1-of-10 capturing.
Moustapha Thiam added 13 factors and 7 rebounds and JJ Taylor got here off the bench to attain 12 factors. The Knights dedicated 17 turnovers resulting in 16 West Virginia factors.
Following its loss and Oklahoma State’s win over Cincinnati on Saturday, UCF would be the No. 14 seed when first-round video games within the Huge 12 Match start on March 11.
–Area Degree Media
