Cowboys Can't Overcome Slow Start, Fall at WVU
MORGANTOWN, W. Va. (AP) - Javon Small scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Jonathan Powell scored 17 points and West Virginia never trailed in a 69-50 win over Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Eduardo Andre grabbed 10 rebounds for West Virginia (11-2, 2-0 Big 12) who now has won seven straight.
Reserve Marchellus Avery scored 15 points and Abou Osumane 14 for Oklahoma State.
Despite leading by double digits the entire second half, the Mountaineers' offense stalled in part due to Oklahoma State's defensive pressure in the back end of the second half and failed to score in a six-minute span.
Andre's jump shot with 11:29 remaining put West Virginia up 57-34. Oklahoma State responded scoring the next 10 points to get within 57-44 but never managed to get closer as it shot just 2 for 8 down the stretch.
The Cowboys (8-5, 1-1) mustered just 25% shooting (7 for 28) before halftime and didn't reach double digits in the scoring column until Marchelus Avery made a 3-pointer with 5:03 before halftime to reduce the deficit to 32-12.
Amani Hansberry made a pair of foul shots, Jonathan Powell made a pair of 3-pointer wrapped around one from teammate Javon Small and West Virginia's 8-4 lead turned into a 19-6 advantage in less than two minutes.
Later, Small threw down a dunk with 7:43 remaining before intermission to put the Mountaineers ahead 27-7 to mark their first 20-plus point lead of the day. West Virginia led 46-19 at halftime.
The Cowboys, who now have lost consecutive games, host Kansas State on Monday. West Virginia hosts Arizona on Monday.