[Westside]

West Virginia's 15-game winning streak, the longest since 1988-89 and the longest of any team in the country this year, has ended.. Eighth-ranked Texas Tech made the plays down the stretch, West Virginia didn't, and the Red Raiders closed out the second-ranked Mountaineers, 72-71, at United Superemarkets Arena this afternoon.

The fans rushed the court as the final seconds ticked off the clock, keeping the two teams from shaking hands afterward.

Today's game played out much like last year's contest when West Virginia couldn't hold on to a second half lead. Last year, the Mountaineers led by seven early in the second half but failed to make its free throws and couldn't slow down Tech's dribble drives to the rim in a 77-76 overtime loss.

Today, West Virginia hit its lull at the 13-minute mark leading by 11. A three-minute scoring drought allowed the Red Raiders to pull to within two, 47-45, before two Esa Ahmad free throws ended Tech's 9-0 run.

West Virginia (15-2, 4-1) then led by five twice, at 53-48 and at 55-50 before the Red Raiders scored six in a row to take a 58-57 lead with 5:40 remaining.

The lead swelled to three on Keenan Evans' layup, but Wesley Harris answered with a wide open 3 to tie it at 60.

Twice, the teams exchanged baskets. Brandone Francis nailed a 3 to make it 63-60, but West Virginia answered with Ahmad's 3.

Jarrett Culver then got to the rim for two and Carter tied it 20 seconds later at 65.

An Ahmad foul marched Niem Stevenson to the line where he made both with 2:07 remaining. Leading 68-66, Evans made the game's biggest basket with 39 seconds left to put the Red Raiders ahead by four, 70-66 - this coming after Lamont West missed a 3.

Carter couldn't get his jumper to go down, leading to Konate's foul on Norense Odiase with 29 seconds remaining. He made one of two, but a missed Ahmad 3 led to another free throw by Zhaire Smith put the Red Raider ahead by six with 15 seconds remaining.

The two telling stats today were West Virginia's field goal shooting (39 percent) and Texas Tech's free throw shooting (24 of 28 for 85.7 percent).

The Red Raiders (15-2, 4-1) also finished 50 percent shooting for the game (22 of 44) after shooting just 40 percent in the first half.

Evans led Texas Tech with 20; Francis a one-time Florida transfer who contributed in the Gators' 88-71 victory over West Virginia in 2016, added 17.

Carter led everyone with 28 points on 10 of 22 shooting, while Ahmad, playing his first game of the season following his NCAA-imposed, 16-game suspension, added 18.

West Virginia has a quick turnaround facing Kansas on Monday night in an ESPN Big Monday matchup at the WVU Coliseum that will tip off at 9 p.m. The Jayhawks held on to defeat Kansas State earlier today.


http://wvusports.com/news/2018/1/13/mens...ginia.aspx

[E's Army]

Good game. Two quality teams getting after each other.