Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic - Semifinals
Score: #15 West Virginia 78, VCU 66
Location: Sioux Falls, S.D. (Sanford Pentagon)
Records: #15 West Virginia 2-0, VCU 1-1
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The Short Story: Sophomore
guard Bones Hyland scored a team-high 13 points, and VCU forced 21 turnovers, but ultimately 15
th-ranked West Virginia held off the Rams in a Thanksgiving Day contest in Sioux Falls, S.D.
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OPENING TIP
- Hyland led the Rams in scoring for the second straight day, but the defensive-minded Mountaineers did not make it easy, limiting the 6-foot guard do 5-of-16 shooting from the field. Hyland added three rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists
- Junior forward Vince Williams provided another double-digit performance off the bench for the Rams with 11 points and three rebounds
- Junior guard KeShawn Curry supplied eight points and four rebounds for the Black and Gold, while freshman point guard Ace Baldwin handed out six assists and grabbed a pair of steals. He committed just two turnovers
- Derek Culver led all players with 23 points and 15 rebounds for West Virginia
THE DIFFERENCE
- West Virginia used an early 10-2 advantage on the glass to fuel a 13-0 start. The Mountaineers finished the game with a 49-34 rebounding edge. WVU grabbed 23 offensive rebounds and turned them into 25 points
- While neither team shot the ball particularly well overall, West Virginia managed to connect on 45 percent (14-of-31) of its attempts in the second half
- VCU shot 3-of-21 from beyond the 3-point arc
- The Rams used a 10-0 burst midway through the first half, punctuated by back-to-back buckets by Clark, to pull within 29-27. But West Virginia answered with a 14-4 burst to close the half
NOTABLE
- Baldwin managed another steady performance at the point. In two games, the 6-foot point guard has dished out 13 assists with just four turnovers
- Freshman forward Jamir Watkins turned in a seven-point, four-rebound effort for the Rams
NEXT UP
VCU will meet Memphis on Friday, Nov. 27 at 9 p.m. (EST) in the final day of the Bad Boy Mowers Crossover Classic.